Road rehabilitation makes headway

Angolan roads are the subject of much folklore and many hair-raising tales by transport operators carrying cargo in the country. The civil war and years of neglect have taken their toll of most of the main hinterland routes. Having to negotiate dongas big enough to swallow trucks adds to the cost of doing business with Angola – and to the costs of goods in the country itself. Reports from the country are that the government – which has the money – now has the will to rebuild the road and rail infrastructure. Angola has over 75 000 kilometres of roads, and the process is expected to take years. According to the Angolan embassy in Canada, road projects include the Luanda highway and the Bichequete to Massabi road (Cabinda province). Work on rebuilding the “most important” road – the Luanda-Sumbe highway, with an extension of 497.5 km, was completed in 2009. About 3 325 kilometres of roads were paved over the first six years of peace in Angola by the Angolan government, according to the embassy. In 2009 a total of 10 400 kilometres of roads were under construction, as well as 516 bridges. Also completed is the Angolan Government’s “Five Roads Project,” which aimed to bring strategic national roads up to a maintainable standard, according to contractors Aurecon. A new focus area is the Lobito Development Corridor, which provides a strategic outlet to the sea through Angola for much of the DRC and Zambia.