Recently, China Road and Bridge Engineering Co., Ltd. and the Road Infrastructure Bureau of the Ministry of Living Environment and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Benin officially signed a business contract for the "Savalu and Bontai Municipal Road Project", marking the substantive construction stage of this key project aimed at promoting connectivity and improving people's livelihoods in the northern urban belt of Benin. It is reported that the project owner has completed the handover of the construction site on September 3, 2025, and officially issued the commencement order on October 9. All project funds come from the budget of the Benin government, demonstrating the firm determination of the Benin government to independently promote infrastructure upgrades.

The project is located in the core urban area of northern Benin, stretching about 60 kilometers from north to south, connecting the city of Savalu with the Bontai region. It is a key project to connect the regional transportation network and promote the coordinated development of northern cities. The project content not only includes the systematic restoration of the existing road networks in Savalu and Bangtai cities, but also covers the comprehensive upgrading of the overall environment and municipal infrastructure. After the completion of the project, it will effectively improve the long-standing traffic congestion problem in the urban area, significantly enhance the flood control and drainage capacity during the rainy season, and improve the urban lighting system, creating a safer and more convenient travel environment for citizens.

This municipal road project is an important measure taken by the government of Benin to promote regional balanced development and improve the quality of life of residents. For a long time, the northern urban belt has been an important regional development axis in Benin, and its infrastructure level directly affects urban-rural integration and local economic growth. Through the implementation of this project, the government of Benin hopes to use road construction as a driving force to systematically enhance the environmental carrying capacity and public service level of northern cities, laying a solid foundation for subsequent industrial investment and improvement of people's livelihoods.

It is worth noting that the project is expected to benefit tens of thousands of residents in the Savalu and Bontai regions, significantly optimizing their daily travel experience and injecting strong momentum into the sustainable urbanization process in northern Benin. The repair and upgrading of roads will not only shorten commuting time and reduce logistics costs, but also promote the cross regional flow of people and materials, activating local economic potential. At the same time, the improvement of environmental remediation and lighting systems will directly enhance residents' sense of security and community quality, which is a concrete practice of realizing the concept of people-oriented urban development. Keywords: the Belt and Road, the Belt and Road project news

As an important cooperative project independently invested by the Benin government and constructed by Chinese enterprises, the advancement of the Savalu and Bontai municipal road projects also reflects the deep cooperation between China and Benin in the field of infrastructure construction. China Road and Bridge Corporation, with its rich experience and technological advantages in the field of road engineering, will provide strong guarantees for the high-quality implementation of the project. The successful launch of this project is not only an important milestone in the process of urban modernization in northern Benin, but also a new example of practical cooperation under the framework of China Africa joint construction of the the Belt and Road.Editor/Cheng Liting