DRC: Kasumbalesa dry port, AfDB ready to provide financial support

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed its willingness to provide financial support to the Multimodal Freight Management Office (OGEFREM) for the development of the Kasumbalesa Dry Port. The announcement was made to the CEO, Patient Sayiba, on May 29, 2019, by a delegation led by the divisional head of the infrastructure and urban development department of this financial institution.

Indeed, the visit of Mr. Kabanguka Jean Kizito and his collaborators was intended to confirm to OGEFREM its offer of good offices and support in the framework of the realization of this project to facilitate regional integration and development. international trade in Southern and Eastern Africa.

Double nature financial support
« In addition to the public institutional support already acquired, the ADB Private Sector Window has indicated that it is ready to make available significant financing for the development of this major project together with other lenders. Assistance can also be offered to OGEFREM in the structuring of this project and even the recruitment of the private partner », says the report of this interview between the two parties.

OGEFREM CEO, Patient Sayiba praised this approach of the African Development Bank (AfDB). And he was flattered by his bid for the Kasumbalesa Dry Port project.

It should be noted that this meeting thus materializes the exchanges initiated during the hearing that the Director General of the OGEFREM granted, in health of May 10, to the Dr. N’Guessa Joseph Kouassi, head of division Energy, Infrastructure and Financial Sector of AfDB.

Modern dry port in figures
This is a large parking lot under construction on 62 hectares with an installed capacity of 30 million tons / year of handled freight, a parking lot of 1,500 trucks with staging areas for carriers and offices, a customs clearance flow more than 2,500 trucks / day, and a fuel storage capacity of more than 40 million liters.

It is a real business hub that will be operational whose work was launched by Joseph Kabila, then head of state, on June 1, 2018 for a period of 36 months. Investment cost is 300 million US dollars, of which 147 million is financed by OGEFREM.

According to the partnership agreement, this office is 49% involved and its partner Rail and Road Africa (RRA), a South African consortium, accounts for 51% of this construction, development, operating and construction budget. maintenance of the Kasumbalesa dry port.

It is located at the border crossing of the DRC with Zambia, 96 kilometers from the city of Lubumbashi in the province of Upper Katanga.

Eric TSHIKUMA