Kinshasa, January 28th, 2026 (CPA). – A delegation of Zambian officials led by the Minister in charge of Infrastructure has arrived Wednesday in Kinshasa for a mission to assess road interconnection projects, including the border road between Kasomeno (Haut-Katanga) in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mwenda (Zambia), CPA has noticed. « The largest project remains that of the border between Kasomeno, in DRC, and Mwenda, on the Zambian side, two localities separated by a river or a lake. This Kasomeno-Mwenda road project, launched jointly by the two Heads of State in 2023, is progressing very satisfactorily, » has declared Charles Milupi, Zambian Minister in charge of Infrastructure, on his arrival in Kinshasa. ‘To ensure the success of these initiatives, it is imperative that the institutions and communities of both countries work together to provide an effective and harmonised follow-up to the projects. That is why regular bilateral meetings are essential to assess the progress of the work and strengthen cooperation between our two brotherly States”, he has added. According to the Zambian official, the construction of this road will enable goods to be transported from Mwenda to Kasomeno. This requires adequate infrastructure to be put in place in Kasomeno to facilitate their transport. He has also explained that Zambia’s border management plan is based on the implementation of single-window border posts, which will make border crossings faster and more efficient. Minister Milupi has argued that this approach is essential to improving the flow of trade and reducing delays. ‘It is in this context that I have come to meet with my colleague, the Minister in charge of the Interior, accompanied by a large delegation including, in particular, the Provincial Minister in charge of the North Province, in order to assess the progress of the work and discuss several bilateral issues,’ he has reminded us, emphasising that this reinforced interconnection will significantly promote trade and economic cooperation between the two peoples. ‘As you know, the borders between our two countries are particularly long, stretching for nearly 2,000 kilometres. It is therefore essential to increase interconnections in order to improve the business climate between our two states,’ has explained the Zambian minister.
The development of privately-funded infrastructure: a strategic challenge
According to Zambia’s Minister in charge of Infrastructure, the development of flows and infrastructure by the private sector is a strategic challenge for both countries. Several projects currently link the two governments to private actors, who are investing in the construction and modernisation of infrastructure. Furthermore, the most dynamic border between DRC and Zambia remains that of Kasumbalesa. “Currently, we are working on the establishment of one-stop border posts, a particularly beneficial initiative. We are also making progress on the Ndola-Sakanya road projects, as well as the Mufulira-Mokambo road. All of these roads are located in the Copperbelt province, which is the heart of the copper belt. In North-Western Province, three ports are already connected, and we are working in parallel on three other roads to link this province to the Congo, » he has added. In addition, Mr Milupi has said, the road known as Kabimba on the Zambian side and Kabimba on the Congolese side, in Lualaba Province, is also covered by the project. A report is being prepared for an exchange with the partners of both countries on the developments underway on both sides of the border. In Likasi, he has added, a new border called Kimisoalo is also being established, which will connect Zambia to DRC in just a few minutes. ‘There is also the Kipushi road, linking Kolwezi to Kipushi in the direction of Zambia. This is precisely the reason for the presence of this delegation, which has come to discuss with the Congolese side in order to be informed about the progress of the work and the perspectives for development up to the ocean,’ has concluded the Zambian Statesman. ACP/