A major upgrade is planned to the road connecting Zambia with the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The 321km road link will be upgraded to dual carriageway status between Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, and the city of Ndola, which lies close to the border with the DRC. The upgraded route will also run through Kabwe, while improving the connections to Zambia’s copper producing area situated around Ndola. The project was awarded by the Zambian Government to the Chinese contractor, China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation (CJIC). The project is worth around US$1.2 billion and is expected to provide around 3,000 jobs over the four years planned for its construction. Once the road upgrade is complete, it will improve Zambia’s transport connections with the DRC and help to boost trade with its neighbour.