Maputo, Mozambique, 2 Feb – The Mozambican government and a group of international donors Thursday in Maputo approved the Integrated Program for the Road Sector (Prise), a package valued at US$1 billion for rebuilding the country’s road network, officials said.

Prise is an initiative bringing together several areas including technical assistance, institutional training, auditing and code of conduct, a memorandum of understanding that indicates how donors should make funds available.

The international donors include, the World Bank, the European Union, the African Development Bank, the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the governments of Japan, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

The funding made available represents 70 percent of the total amount required for the program (the Mozambican Government has supplied 30 percent) and is for concluding the rebuilding and widening of the country’s main road, in the 2007-2009 period, beginning other stretches of road as well as building several bridges.

The director of the Mozambican road fund, Francisco Pereira said that for this year the plan would make over US$250 million available and over the next two year, the equivalent of US$300 million per year.

Initially the agreement outlines the rebuilding of some stretches of road in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, in the south of the country, followed by the restoration and conclusion of some roads in the center and north of Mozambique, he added.

On February 26 the Mozambican government and the contractors hired for the work are due to sign a commitment agreement to make financing available more quickly, Pereira said. (macauhub)