The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) and Japanese construction companies have signed an agreement on the fourth stage of National Road 5 Improvement Project linking Phnom Penh capital to Poipet city, at the border with Thailand. The signing ceremony took place on March 24 at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister, Minister of Public Works and Transport, said that the road section will be built by Construction Corporation No. 1 and Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No. 6 in the form of joint venture. Stretching over 35 kilometres, the Serei Sophorn-Poipet road section construction will take 32 months to complete with an estimated cost of $52 million, he said. National Road 5 Improvement Project is from Prek Kdam in Kandal province to Poipet city in Banteay Meanchey province, using a $500 million concession loan from the Government of Japan. “This is a backbone road because it is part of the ASEAN Highway 1 for transporting goods through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam,” Chanthol said upon the signing ceremony. The groundbreaking ceremony for the fourth stage will be held one month after the signing of the construction agreement as the company is mobilising construction materials. The National Road 5 Improvement Project is supported by the Government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It is divided into four parts. The Battambang-Serei Sophorn section was completed and put into official use in January this year, while others are under construction. The National Road 5 Improvement Project will increase the transport capacity as well as improve the logistics efficiency along the National Road No. 5 which connects Phnom Penh capital to the Thai border. Chea Vannak – AKP