Africa’s incredible new £520m bridge connecting 2 huge capital cities | World | News
In an extraordinary feat of engineering and diplomacy, Africa is set to witness the construction of a landmark infrastructure project with a £520 million bridge that will directly connect Brazzaville and Kinshasa, the closest capital cities on Earth after Rome and Vatican City.
Separated only by the mighty Congo River, these two major urban centres, capitals of the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), have long shared geography but not direct ground transit.
Known as the Brazzaville–Kinshasa Bridge, this 1,575-metre road and rail project has been decades in the making.
First proposed in the early 1990s and endorsed again in the early 2000s, the project has faced repeated delays due to political tensions, economic concerns, and logistical hurdles.
But momentum has gathered pace in recent years, with both nations signing a formal agreement in 2018 and financial backing now in place, primarily supported by a €250 million pledge from the African Development Bank.
Strategically located downstream from the cities, the bridge will span a narrower and more stable section of the Congo River, making construction more feasible.
The plan includes a toll road and railway, which aim to ease the flow of people, goods, and economic activity between the two countries.
While some resistance emerged in the past, particularly from the DRC over concerns that the bridge would divert maritime trade from its key ports, negotiations have since addressed these issues, with additional development projects proposed to support both sides.
The bridge is more than just a logistical link, as it represents a historic gesture of regional cooperation and economic integration.
When completed, it will dramatically cut travel times, enhance trade within Central Africa, and symbolise the strength of African unity. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in the near future, with completion scheduled for 2028.
