The government may spend about $750 million to rehabilitate National Road No. 1 (EN1), the main highway connecting southern and northern Mozambique.

According to the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, the government expects the first tranche of $450 million to be disbursed later this month.

The amount will be channeled to the rehabilitation of the sections from Pambara to the Save river in the southern province of Inhambane; from Save to Inchope, between Inhambane and Manica; from Inchope to Caia, on the southern bank of the Zambezi, in the provinces of Manica and Sofala; from Caia to Nicoadala between Sofala and Zambézia; and from Metoro to Pemba in Cabo Delgado.

Carlos Mesquita said that the mentioned stretches need a far-reaching intervention, warning that there are more stretches on the EN1 that require rehabilitation.

In addition to EN1, the National Road Fund has been mobilizing funds for the construction of bridges such as the one linking Gaza and Manica provinces, seen as vital to the country's economy, the Minister said.

On the other hand, Mesquita guaranteed that the construction of the 13 toll booths along the EN1 will be completed by June, on schedule.