Chinese President Inaugurates China-Aided Bridge Construction Project in Bamako

CGGC Chairman Yang Jixue and officials from both countries were invited to attend the ceremony

President Hu Jintao in the inauguration accompanied by Yang Jixue

On Feb 13 morning Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Malian counterpart Amadou Toumany Toure inaugurated in the capital of Bamako a China-aided bridge project to be constructed by China Gezhouba Group Company Ltd.
Mr. Yang Jixue, Chairman of CGGC was invited to attend the ceremony and seated on the rostrum place with officials from both China and Mali.
President Hu arrived at the ceremony site with President Toure at 10:00am and received warm welcome by local public and staffs from CGGC waving national flags.
President Hu stated in his speech the start of the third bridge in Bakamo as the symbol of friendship and further cooperation between the two countries.
The President also addressed that best construction team organized by Chinese enterprises would work with Malian people to build up a remarkable bridge, which may serve as a bridge of friendship and cooperation linking the two countries.
For his part, President Toure expressed his gratitude to China for its contribution. He committed that the Malian Government, authorities concerned and Malian people would fully assist CGGC on the construction of the China-aided bridge, the largest infrastructure in Mali ever since. He then proposed to name the project as "Sino-Mali Friendship Bridge."

President Hu Jintao (3rd L Front) accompanies by CGGG Chairman Yang Jixue (1st L Front) and his Malian counterpart Amadou Toumany Toure (3rd R Front) attend an inauguration of a China-aided bridge construction project in Bamako, capital of Mali, Feb. 13, 2009.

Subsequently Presideng Hu, accompanied by Commercial Minister Chen Deming and CGGC Chairman Yang Jixue, joined with President Toure for the ground breaking of the third bridge in Bamako.

President Hu Jintao shaking hands with Yang and the others

When visiting staffs from CGGC on the Project after the ceremony, the President shook hand with CGGC Chairman exhorting that CGGC has once contributed quite much to the Three Gorges Project as an excellent state-owned enterprise and now should work hard and toughly on building up a remarkable Sino-Mali friendship bridge.

President Hu also asked Mr. Yang to deliver his greetings to all of CGGC employees.

Background:

The narrow Bamako, capital of Mali is divided by the Niger River. The existing two bridges connecting both banks of Niger River are no longer meeting the traffic demand as the city develops rapidly. Consent on building up a China-aided third bridge in Bamako was made between national leaders from China and Mali in the Beijing Summit of 2006 Sino-Africa Cooperation Forum.

The bridge across the Niger River is expected to cost 400million RMB and be designed of 2294m long, 24 m wide and four double-way traffic lanes. As the biggest free aid in West Africa by China, this largest infrastructure in Mali to be built by China Gezhouba Group Company Ltd will play an important role after its completion in the economic development of the western African country.