The government of Mozambique has commissioned the National Road number six (EN6), which connects the port city of Beira to the border village of Machipanda, near neighboring Zimbabwe.
The road links the port city of Beira, in central Sofala province with the border village of Machipanda, in Manica province. It crosses the country from east to west, serving inland provinces as well as neighbouring landlocked countries such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia.
The project benefited from reconstruction and extension works, which were funded by the China Export and Import Bank and executed by Chinese company Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation (AFECC). Construction of the US $410m road began in 2015 and was supposed to be complete by 2018. However, the project was delayed due to lack of funds, resettlement of households and businesses in the Inchope area.
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International trade
President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique who unveiled a key 300km highway said that besides facilitating the movement of people and goods along the Beira to Machipanda route, the road axis is an asset for international trade and demonstrates his government’s commitment to facilitating free trade based on regional and international instruments.
“The road between the coastal town of Beira and the village of Machipanda on the Zimbabwe border, along with the Vanduzi-Changara-Zóbwè road on the Malawi border, is a determining factor in the center of the country and the socio-economic impact it brings to Mozambique and other countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with which it interconnects,” said President Filipe. Additionally, the Chinese ambassador to Mozambique, Su Jia, announced that China will deepen its cooperation with Mozambique, particularly with regard to infrastructure construction.
