Maputo, Mozambique, 23 Dec – The Mozambican government is negotiating funding with the Export-Import Bank of China for construction of the Maputo-Katembe bridge, in the city of Maputo Mozambique’s Finance Minister Manuel Chang said, according to Mozambican newspaper O País.

Chang also said that construction of the bridge and the road that links it to Ponta do Ouro, at an estimated cost of US$500 million, will be the responsibility of a Chinese company.

The bridge, which is 4 kilometres long, will link the municipal district of Katembe to Maputo.

The newspaper said that construction of the bridge was part of a package of projects to be funded by Banco Nacional de Investimentos (BNI), which is Portuguese-owned and was suspended due to the financial crisis affecting Portugal.

The river is currently crossed by ferry, which systematically breaks down. (macauhub)