Panafrican News Agency

Central African states seek 20 billion euros for integrated projects

Libreville, Gabon (PANA) - A donor roundtable will be held in Brazzaville, Congo, on 19 March to raise funds to finance integrated projects, the Secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) said on Friday in Libreville.

The CEEAC is seeking 20 billion euros and the roundtable is expected to bring together the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo, Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR).

Major projects to be funded include the construction of the road-rail bridge on the Congo River to link Brazzaville in Congo to Kinshasa in DRC, and the extension of the railway between DRC cities of Kinshasa and Ilebo.

The ECCAS also cited the construction and upgrade of the Ouesso-Bangui-Ndjamena road and the navigation project on the Congo River and its tributaries - Oubangui and Sangha.

The first phase is to raise 2.5 billion euros, while the second phase, which will run from 2024 to 2030, will require 17.5 billion euros.

-0- PANA LAW/JSG/BBA/MA 21Feb2020