World Bank loan to fund major road project

Five major roads are to be built in Ethiopia with a US $130 million loan from the World Bank, an official from the Ethiopian Roads Authority told IRIN on Thursday.

More than 1,200 km of road will be laid in three regions of the country - Amhara, Tigray and Oromiya, spokesman Samson Wondimu said.

“Even compared to other African countries our road network in terms of length and condition is very bad," he said. “But roads are crucial for increasing development."

The country – which covers more than a million square kilometres - has just 26,705 km of roads. Most are in extremely poor condition.

But major construction has been taking place, including a Chinese-funded US $76 million multi-lane ring road around the capital Addis Ababa.

“These new roads will help tackle poverty in the country by improving both social and economic factors for communities," Samson noted.

“People in these areas at present have no roads and cannot contact urban centres," he said. “It means they cannot sell their products in the markets and can’t get what they need from other areas. They can’t get education or to health centres.”

The World Bank has insisted that any road construction in Ethiopia should aim to reduce the massive poverty in the country. It has also urged the Ethiopian authorities to consult
local communities who may be affected by new roads.

The funding, which is expected to be released in the next few months, aims to “strengthen, rehabilitate and expand” the crumbling road system in the country.

Construction will also involve some 12,000 people being relocated under a resettlement plan, paid for by the Ethiopian government at an estimated cost of around US $6.7 million.

The Roads Authority has also announced the establishment of an independent Roads Inspectorate Office which will monitor construction.