His Excellency, President Adama Barrow will on Saturday, December 15th, 2018, lay the foundation stone for a 50KM road and four bridges in the Upper River Region.  

The road and bridge projects for Basse-Koina road, Basse - Wuli and Fatoto-Passamas crossings, Chamoi bridge, and Suduwol,  respectively, constitute the first major infrastructural development project of the Barrow administration, following months of institutional reforms and empowerment of the transitional justice mechanisms of the country.

This landmark development project, which would enhanced easy and fast communications between URR North and South as well as the rest of the country, forms part of the government's policy of rebooting regional economies and fostering an all-inclusive development for all and sundry. The project, once completed, would have a positive ripple effect on the socioeconomic welfare and wellbeing of the people of the region, by boosting trade and facilitating easy access to social and economic services.

The URR Road and Bridge project is a grant from the friendly government of the People's Republic of China in the tune of USD50 Million.

While in URR, President Barrow is expected to hold a gathering in Foday Kunda to galvanize support for his development agenda, as well as preside over the opening of a teacher training college in Basse.

BRIEFING NOTE

Purpose

The purpose of this briefing note is to present the background of the upcoming Basse-Fatoto-Koina road and bridges project in URR of the Gambia funded by the People’s Republic of China.

Background

· On May 19, 2017, China and The Gambia entered into an agreement on economic and technological cooperation.

· On July 19, the two governments signed the exchange of letters on the feasibility study for the construction of the China aid road and bridge project in URR of The Gambia.

· On October 12, 2017, entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese government organized an investigation team to go to The Gambia to conduct a feasibility study on the road and bridges project in URR of The Gambia. The investigation team had worked on site for 31 days and returned to Beijing on November 12, 2017.

· On December 10, 2017, the Feasibility Study Report and Project Initiation Proposal of the project were approved.

· In March 2018, entrusted by the Agency for International Economic Cooperation (hereinafter called “AIECO”) of the Ministry of Commerce of China, CCCC Highway Consultants Co., Ltd in association with Beijing Zhongjiao Highway and Bridge Engineering Supervision Co., ltd undertook the project management task of the China Aid Road and Bridge Project in URR of The Gambia.

Current Situation

Given that this project is an important part of The Gambian Circular Road network, the main road of Basse‐Fatoto‐Koina road has a total length of about 47.133 km, including 2 medium bridges with the length of about 80 m.

In order to be consistent with standards between the proposed road and the existing circular road, the cross‐section of the project adopts the unified standards of The Gambia National Road Network, and is consistent with the cross section of corresponding road class specified in the Chinese standard.

Engineering cost of this project is RMB 535,650,000, and the total estimated investment amount is RMB 579,080,000.

According to the Exchange of Letters between the two governments, the project scope include:

1. The Basse‐Fatoto‐Koina Road, with a length of 47.133 kilometers, adopting asphalt concrete pavement, two‐way two‐lane standard, and a typical design speed of 60 km/h in rural areas and 40 km/h in township areas, the scope of work includes subgrade, pavement, drainage culvert works and related road supporting facilities

2. The Basse Bridge and its link roads, with a length of 2.236 kilometers, of which the length of the bridge is 250 meters.

3. The Fatoto Bridge and its link roads, with a length of 1.769 kilometers, of which the length of the bridge is 170meters.

4. Medium bridges will be built at Chamoi K4+586 and Sare Alpha  K26+907