Eritrea : Road construction the first phase of Habela-Cheatat launches

The first phase of the construction of the new road by Chinese Company ‘SFECO’ is expected to be accomplished within two years and will cover 30 km from Habela to Cheatat.

At the launching ceremony in which Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, head of the PFDJ  Economic Affairs took part, Mr. Abraha Asfeha, Minister of Public Works, indicating that the old road connecting Asmara with Gash Barka region passing through keren was very narrow and with rolling mountainous topography that limits the driving speed and open to high risk. Mr. Abraha went on to say that the new road will be of high standard and it will shorten the existing Asmara-Akordet road by 20 km and that will have strategic economic importance.

Mr. Yang Zigang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Eritrea indicating that since the establishment of diplomatic relation in 1993, Eritrea and China cooperation has been strengthened continuously, said that the ‘SFECO’ Construction Company has vast experience and capacity to construct the road and is expected the Eritrean nationals that join the program will gain substantial experience.

This mountainous segment will be constructed on the basis of Chinese Government concessional loan.