On the outskirts of Brazzaville, the capital of Congo (Brazzaville), at the Livra toll station, as the red and white railings go up and down, cars drive into the distance. In the past, there were only more than 100 vehicles traveling between the two cities every day, but after the new road was completed, the number of vehicles passing through could reach 4,000 vehicles per day. Aubiere, the station master, has been working here for three years and is quite proud of his work.

The two cities refer to the capital Brazzaville and the important local port city of Pointe-Noire, and the new road refers to Congo (Brazzaville) National Highway No. 1. This road with the highest grade and the best traffic experience in Congo (Brazzaville) was built by China State Construction Engineering Corporation. It is the largest cooperation project between China and Congo. In Doliji, the third largest city in Congo (Brazzaville), which Highway No. 1 passes, there is a statue of a mountain splitter, which was erected by the local people to express their respect and gratitude to the Chinese builders.

National Highway One

As the only traffic artery connecting the political center and the economic center of Congo (Brazzaville), Highway No. 1 has greatly improved the land transportation level of Congo (Brazzaville), and is hailed as the road of dreams by the local people. Congo (Brazzaville) President Sasu said that since the independence of Congo (Brazzaville), successive leaders have hoped to build this road. It is the Chinese builders who have fulfilled the dreams of several generations of Congo (Brazzaville). China is sincerely helping us Economic development.

The local truck driver said gratefully: "It used to take three to six weeks to go back and forth from Brazzaville to Pointe-Noire, but now it only takes one to one and a half days after the road is opened to traffic."

After the No. 1 highway was completed, the daily traffic volume of vehicles increased by more than 10 times on average, and more than 90% of important materials, minerals, and forest resources were transported to Pointe-Noire Port through this highway. According to statistics from relevant departments of the country, the opening of Highway No. 1 has driven local GDP growth by 69%. Due to the greatly reduced transportation time and cost, some small markets along the line have developed spontaneously, creating more possibilities for residents along the line to increase their income. "This road has brought many benefits. Our area is connected to the outside world, and we can go out and do business very conveniently." Merchants along the line said happily.

It is difficult to open the road, and it is even more difficult to maintain the road. Due to the lack of road maintenance concept and experience, the service life of roads in some African countries is often far behind expectations, and Congo (Brazzaville) National Highway No. 1 has also faced the same dilemma. To this end, China State Construction took the lead in cooperating with a French engineering design consulting company and the Congo (Brazzaville) government to establish the Congo (Brazzaville) National Highway No. 1 Concession Project Company, referred to as LCR. In March 2019, LCR officially opened. This is the first high-grade highway operated by a Chinese company in Africa.

During the construction and operation of the project, a large number of jobs were directly created for Congo (Brazzaville). China State Construction has cultivated local employees through training such as management knowledge and professional skills, mentoring apprentices, technical disclosure, and combining theory and practice, so as to accumulate talents for the sustainable development of Congo (Brazzaville) road operation and maintenance. At present, LCR has more than 700 local employees, who are engaged in management, construction and other work in all aspects of highway operation and maintenance.

Mika, a territorial engineer working on the maintenance and overhaul project of No. 1 Highway, said: "I have learned a lot of professional skills during the two years of working on the project, including knowledge of road maintenance, knowledge of weighbridge debugging, etc. Hitting the wall, mastering the road repair requirements and management points, my professional level in road maintenance has improved rapidly.” Babake, deputy station chief of the Livra toll station, said: “Through this job, I can send my salary to Family. It’s a 30-year job and it’s very important to me and my family.”

The government of the Congo (Brazzaville) stated that the project has creative reference significance for the Congo side to solve the difficult problem of road operation and maintenance, which has greatly stimulated local employment and increased the income level of residents along the line. It is a model of win-win cooperation. Today, Congo (Brazzaville) National Highway No. 1 has become a beautiful landscape in the hinterland of Africa, and the urban and rural areas along the route have taken on a new look. Editor/He Yuting