Construction work has begun on a $500m road project in the Congo Republic to link its major towns with the capital city Brazzaville.

The road will extend from the country’s coastal oil hub of Pointe-Noire to the 600km distant Brazzaville.

Initial work has begun on the first 20km and is being carried out by China State Construction Engineering, which will build the first 160km of the road project.

According to Reuters, the road is expected to turn the country into a transit route for nations in the sub-region as many goods pass through Pointe-Noire’s deep water port on their way to various destinations.