The African Development Fund-financed Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay Road Rehabilitation Project in Malawi was launched on Wednesday, July 24, 2013.

The project involves widening of the 46-kilometre road between the northern city of Mzuzu and Nkhata Bay district, from the current 4.2 metres to 6.7 m and construction of an asphalt-concrete surface with 1.5-m sealed shoulders.

The joint launch by the African Development Bank and the Government of Malawi was led by the Bank's Resident Representative Andrew Mwaba, and involved the participation of several senior Government officials including those from the Ministry of Transport and Public Works.

Regional administration officials, the Chief Executive and staff of the Roads Authority as well as the implementing agency for the project also participated in the ceremony marked by extra two and half days of high-level training and capacity building.

The training and capacity building sessions were geared to road maintenance and transport management not only for Mzuzu Nkhata Bay Road but for major road corridors in Malawi. They provided both the Bank's Resident Representative and the Government of Malawi the opportunity to emphasize the need for effective leadership and collaboration amongst all stakeholders, to ensure the execution of the project within the planned four-year implementation period.

Other issues covered during the sessions related to rules of procedures for procurement, financial management, monitoring and evaluation. "These important issues were comprehensively discussed to put the implementation of the project on sound footing," Mwaba underscored.

The US $36-million project was approved by the Board of Directors in March 2013. African Development Fund financing represents 95 per cent of the total cost of the project. The project is planned to be implemented over a period of four years from 2013 to 2017.