OPEC gives $5m for road upgrade

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International development is to lend Malawi US $5 million to upgrade a road that will help to boost the economy of its northern districts. The loan agreement was signed on Wednesday. "The OPEC funds will finance the upgrade of the [road from] Karonga [town to the] Lufilya [river] section (about 57 km), between the districts of Karonga and Chitipa in the north, which is also a connecting link to the Tanzanian and Zambian borders," Charles Mtawali, the senior engineer in charge of development projects at Malawi's National Road Authority, told IRIN. Five secondary and tertiary rural roads adjacent to the Karonga-Lufilya stretch, totalling about 200 km, will also be regraded and reshaped. Road transportation plays a vital role in the hilly terrain of the northern provinces. "Chitipa is known for its rich agricultural produce - the road will also help to connect the district to the rest of Malawi, and help its farmers to market their produce," Mtawali said. The region is also known for its high-quality blue marble, which is exported to Europe. The Karonga-Chitipa road is often flooded during the rainy season, leaving the farmers unable to transport produce to the markets. The country has a total road network of 15,541 km, of which only 3,600 km is tarred. According to Mtawali, the project is worth US $27 million and likely to be completed in 2007/08.