Central African Republic – inaugurated the bridge built by Italian engineers

Bangui January 29 – E ‘was inaugurated today the metal bridge of 24 meters built by the Italian military genius of the European mission EUFOR RCA to bring together three areas of the Central African capital divided by the collapse – in 2010 – the structure that exceeded a large water channel, never restored because of the civil conflict.

The bridge ‘Sewa’ – ‘units’ in the local language – is a European initiative to support security, economic development and reconciliation among the various interfaith community of Bangui. The project took part in several European Union countries: the Czech Republic provided the modular metal structure fabrication Polish, then transported to the care of Sweden and finally assembled by the military of the Italian Army, under the supervision of technicians German and Czech.

Consisting of more than 1,000 items, over two days the bridge was built modular and pushed by hand between the two sides of the channel from the men of the 2nd regiment of the brigade genius Julia stationed in Trento.
The initiative carried out by EUFOR RCA is part of European projects in support of the population made in cooperation with the Central African authorities. In particular, the metal bridge built by Italian engineers anticipated temporarily permanent bridge under construction in the same area with funding from the European Union, which is the first development partners of the Central African Republic.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the hands of General Philippe Pontiès – operational commander of EUFOR RCA – and the President of the Central African Republic Catherine Samba Panza, in the presence of the highest authorities of the Central African and the representatives of the international community, including the Ambassador at the head of EU Delegation Jean-Pierre Reymondet and the honorary Consul of Italy in Bangui Stefano Giuliani.
In his speech before the inauguration, the top French official, after evoking the spirit of the European operation, based on “openness, dialogue, mutual respect in order to facilitate the return of stability and security for all in the context neighborhoods strongly marked by clashes of December 2013 “, stressed the exemplary cooperation between European nations, citing among other things the fundamental role of the Italian genius in the assembly of the structure.

There are 13 European countries that make up the European Union military force in the Central African Republic, consisting of approximately 700 units operating in the capital Bangui, but the financial and logistical support of the mission involves all 28 countries of the Europe.
Italy contributes to the EUFOR mission since last August with a unit of genius currently consists of the Alpine sappers of the 2nd Regiment of Trento who alternated in December colleagues 8th genius of the Thunderbolt paratroopers stationed in Legnago (Verona).