Félix Tshisekedi and Hakainde Hichilema join forces to launch construction of the Luapula Bridge

230 kilometres from Lubumbashi, in the province of Haut-Katanga, the village of Chalwe is about to be transformed into a modern border post linking the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Zambia. This significant transformation was triggered by the Heads of State of the two nations, Félix Tshisekedi and Hakainde Hichilema, who met on 2 October on the Congolese bank of the Luapula River to kick off the major road project known as the Kasomeno - Mwenda Project.

Kasomeno is a small Congolese town 90 kilometres from the border, while Mwenda is a Zambian town 80 kilometres from the border. The project mainly consists of building a 345-metre cable-stayed bridge over the Luapula river, near the border village of Chalwe, and upgrading the Kasomeno - Kasenga - Chalwe - Mwenda road.

This ambitious project also includes the creation of one-stop border crossings and toll plazas on either side of the bridge, with associated car parks and warehouses. One of the key features of the Chalwe crossing is the possibility of registering in a single operation, regardless of the gateway into the country, thanks to computerised infrastructures.

The speeches given by Zambian and Congolese officials highlighted the crucial importance of this bridge for the people living along its banks and for the States of the East African Community (EAC). In particular, it will link Lubumbashi to Dar-es-Salam, bypassing a long diversions of 300 kilometres, thus offering an alternative to the Kasumbalesa road.

The project, costing a total of $252 million and financed by the DRC and Zambia, should be completed in three years. For the DRC, it will open up new development prospects for the Kasenga and Kasomeno regions, which have long suffered from the deplorable state of the road. Although not yet asphalted, the road is already operational on both sides.

Prime Minister Sama Lukonde, a native of the region, welcomed the completion of this inclusive project. According to him, it will solve the problems of congestion in Kasumbalesa and provide employment opportunities for young people in the region. The local population rallied to express their gratitude to the Head of State for the success of this historic project.