Malawi Roads II

THESE 3 NEW ROADS WILL OPEN NORTHEASTERN BOTSWANA,CONNECT BOTSWANA & ZAMBIA WITH AN ALL-WEATHER ROAD AND FORM THE NORTHERN LINK OF A NORTH-SOUTH ROAD NETWORK CONNECTING SOUTH AFRICA TO ITS NORTHERN BORDER WITH ZAMBIA. US ENGINEERING FIRM & US CONSTRUCTION FIRM WILL ASSIST THE MINISTRY OF WORKS & COMMUNICATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT. THE FIRST SECTION OF PROPOSED ROAD WILL EXTEND 184 MI CONNECTING THE MAJOR POPULATION CENTER,FRANCISTOWN, BOTSWANA WITH LIVINGSTON, ZAMBIA. THE 2ND SECTION -- THE CHOBE RIVER BYPASS ROAD -- IS 40 MI IN LENGTH AND CONNECTS THE BRIDGE A CROSS THE CHOBE & NGOMA TO THE PROPOSED NATA-KAZUMGULA ROAD. THE 3RD SECTION WILL CONNECT THE VILLAGE OF PANDAMATENGA TO THE PROPOSED NATA-KAZUNGULA ROAD & IS 3 MI IN LENGTH. AS PART OF THE PROJ,GZ WILL IMPLEMENT A NEW FERRY SERVICE ACROSS THE ZAMBEZI RIVER AT KAZUNGULA AS WELL AS FERRY ACCESS ROADS INSIDE BOTH BOTSWANA AND ZAMBIA. THIS CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY PURCHASE OF A NEW 20-TON FERRY BY THE GOB. US CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL WILL PROVIDE ON-JOB TRNG TO COUNTERPARTS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION & MAINTENANCE. MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS WILL CONSIST OF REPAIRING CULVERTS & DRAINAGE STRUCTURES & RESHAPING & REGRAVELING THE ROAD SURFACES. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT SOME OF THE CONTRACTOR"S CONSTRUCTION CAMPSITES WILL BE CONVERTED INTO MAINTENANCE DEPOTS UPON COMPLETION OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION. USAID WILL ALSO FINANCE ACQUISITION OF MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT INCLUDING 2 ROAD GRADERS, 3 TRUCKS, 3 TRACTORS & 3 WATER SPRINKLERS. HOST-COUNTRY WILL PROVIDE PERSONNEL EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS. PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES ARE MOWC PERSONNEL RECEIVING ON-JOB TRNG AS WELL AS FARM ERS,BUSINESSES & ORDINARY CITIZENS PROVIDED WITH IMPROVED ACCESS TO MARKETS & PRODUCTS. AMENDED CAPTIAL ASSISTANCE PAPERS WERE PREPARED DUE TO INCREASED CONSTRUCTION COSTS WHICH WERE THE RESULTS OF HIGHER THAN EXPECTED COMMODITY COSTS & GREATER RISKS INCURRED BY CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE BOTSWANA/ZAMBIA/RHODESIA AREA.