WASHINGTON, October 6, 2022—The World Bank Group approved $120 million in financing for the Burundi Transport Resilient Projectwhich aims to provide efficient, safe, and climate resilient road connectivity along the main corridor linking Burundi with Tanzania. It will also strengthen the institutional capacity to sustainably plan, develop, and preserve climate resilient road assets.
The project comprises mutually reinforcing components that will improve and add resilience to road infrastructure on key road sections and address some of the underlying causes of road degradation while providing community-responsive social infrastructure and protecting vulnerable road users. The project will help link the population to markets, along with increasing trade and improving access to opportunities through resilient, safe, and all-year road access. The project will address identified sector needs such as strengthening road management capacity and training of future transport specialists, with a special focus on integrating more women into the sector.
“In addition to investments, the institutional capacity building and human resources development activities funded under this project are indispensable in helping the country achieve its sector development objectives as well as lay the foundation for an efficient and sustainable transport industry,” said Hawa Cissé Wagué, World Bank Country Manager for Burundi.
The main project beneficiaries will be the transporters and travelers along National Road n°3 that links Burundi to Tanzania and urban and rural dwellers in the project area, especially those residing in neighborhoods of the City of Bujumbura, the commune of Kabezi in Bujumbura Rural Province, and the commune of Muhuta in Rumonge Province.
The International Development Association (*IDA) financing for the Burundi Transport Resilient Project will be implemented over five years.
* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 74 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has provided $458 billion to 114 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $29 billion over the last three years (FY19-FY21), with about 70 percent going to Africa.
SOURCE: World Bank