Mozambique: Recovered assets finance social projects
Mtwara Corridor brings Mozambique and Tanzania closer together
2:22 CAT | 11 Jul 2025
The Mueda-Negomano road is expected to bring Mozambique closer to Tanzania and boost regional trade. [Photo: DW]
- The Mueda-Negomano road, part of the Mtwara Corridor, has reduced travel times to hours instead of days. It also strengthens trade between Mozambique and Tanzania, despite persistent security challenges.
The Mueda-Negomano road in northern Mozambique is transforming the connection with Tanzania and boosting regional trade. The rehabilitation of the section has reduced travel times from about a week to just a few hours, strengthening trade between the two countries.
Funded by the Government of Mozambique and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the infrastructure is part of the Mtwara Development Corridor, which connects the ports of Pemba (Mozambique) and Mtwara (Tanzania) via the Unity Bridge. The project is considered strategic for regional integration and the socio-economic development of border areas.
Truck driver Raul Eusébio, who transports paint from Tanzania to Nampula province, highlights the benefits of the road improvements.
“The road is now in good condition and allows cars to travel comfortably, unlike before. To travel along the road, I had to prepare pots and pans to cook along the way. The journey used to take three to four days,” he explained.
Intensified trade
The road has become essential for importing vehicles via Dar es Salaam, as well as food, clothing, and construction materials. In return, Mozambique exports timber, fish, salt, and approximately 40,000 tons of cashew nuts annually.
Traders who purchase goods in Tanzania praise the paving project, acknowledging its impact on time management – a crucial factor for commercial activity.
Clothing importer Momade Ame reports on the improvements. “Before, it took me eight hours to get here from Mueda [on the border with Tanzania]. Now, it only takes me about two hours,” he emphasized.
Second phase of ongoing works
Traffic flow has improved despite only 70 of the total 170-kilometre length of the road in Mozambique having been completed. The second phase of the works is underway and covers the section between Roma and the district capital of Mueda, a 100-kilometre stretch.
According to the National Road Administration (ANE), the road is being built to high-resilience standards, adapted to the crises caused by climate change which frequently affect the region.
“Given the progress of the project, we estimate that we will begin paving the first stretches of this road later this year. We already have the crushed material ready to move forward,” assured Jorge Govanhica, ANE representative in Cabo Delgado.
Social benefits and security challenges
Infrastructure has a direct impact on the lives of local communities, especially in Mueda, where 15 kilometers of the road cross the urban area.
The mayor of the municipality, Manuel Pita Alavelave, highlights the strengthening of historical ties between Mozambique and Tanzania. “There is already communication between Tanzania and Mozambique in a short period of time. It is a great benefit for both peoples. If a Mozambican wants to go to a hospital in Tanzania, the journey has become quicker and easier, and vice versa,” he remarked.
Despite boosting trade, the corridor faces security threats, especially along the stretch connecting Mueda to the city of Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado. Travelers who rely on National Road 380, a repeated target of terrorist attacks, are calling for stronger security measures to ensure the safe transport of goods to their final destination.
Source: Deutsche Welle
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