Ministry of Public Works at official launch of the construction of Comoro III bridge
The Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications, Gastão de Sousa, accompanied by the Ambassador of Japan in Timor-Leste, Eiji Yamamoto, held the Laying of the Foundation Stone for the construction of the Comoro III bridge, in Dili, on October 17th, 2016.
Although this ceremony was just held, the construction had already started on June 4th, 2016. According to the plan, the bridge is due to be completed by August 31st, 2018.
The construction will be the responsibility of the Japanese construction company Tobishima Corporation and of the consortium of consultants Ingerosec Corporation, Nipon Engineering Consultant Co. Ltd and IDEAS, Inc. The total cost of construction is 1,690 million yen (US$ 16.171 million).
On behalf of the Prime Minister, Gastão de Sousa pointed out that this project is the result of the cooperation between the Governments of Timor-Leste and Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). "On behalf of the people of Timor-Leste we thank the Government of Japan, which supported the realization of this project," stated Minister Gastão de Sousa.
He also stated that this new bridge and access will become an alternative path to avoid the traffic and, thus, promote economic activity and contribute to the development in the nation's capital. 
In 2013, the Government of Timor-Leste built another bridge, with tracks in both directions of traffic. But, according to the forecast for the period 2010-2019 made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the national roads of Timor-Leste will face an increase in vehicle traffic. "Therefore, building a new bridge over the Comoro River is a matter of urgency, to distribute and manage better the problem of traffic in the city of Dili and prevent accidents," stressed Gastão de Sousa.
The Secretary of State for Land and Property, Jaime Lopes Xavier, the Chairman of Commission-C of the National Parliament, Pedro Mártires da Costa, the Chairman of Commission-E, Virgílio Maria Dias Marçal, the representative of JICA in Timor-Leste, Hikoyuki Ukai, as well as National Directors and Heads of Department from the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications took part in the ceremony.
