REHABILITATION OF THE RN5 – The first phase delivered in 2025

After Toamasina, the President of the Republic and his entourage headed for the Analanjirofo region. A visit to the RN5 rehabilitation site was, among other things, in his program.

June 2025. This is the deadline set for the delivery of the first tranche of construction work on National Road number 5 (RN5). The portion concerned is nearly 76 kilometers. A section that connects Soanierana Ivongo and Vahibe.

This deadline for the end of the first part of the work was affirmed by Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic, yesterday. Traveling in the Analanjirofo region, the Head of State stopped at Soanierana Ivongo yesterday morning. He took the opportunity to visit the rehabilitation site of the first phase of the RN5, the launch of which took place on September 10, 2021.

In his presentation of the work in progress, Colonel Ndriamihaja Livah Andrianatrehina, Minister of Public Works, concedes that “the construction site has fallen behind schedule”. The cause, according to him, is climatic hazards, but also technical approximations during the design phase. “We are, however, striving to make up for this delay,” adds the government member.

From the start, in 2021, it was noted that the project will be tough. The RN5, particularly the portion between Soanierana Ivongo and Vahibe, is largely muddy. The frequent torrential rains further complicate the situation. There are also eight water crossings which are crossed by ferry. During yesterday’s presidential visit, it was indicated that the construction of six bridges out of the eight planned is already underway. One of them is a two-lane bridge that is three hundred and twenty meters long.

The rehabilitation of the RN5 is one of the major challenges of the Rajoelina administration in terms of road infrastructure. The Head of State presents this as “a project that will mark history”.

Strictly

Firstly because, according to him, “the rehabilitation of this road has been planned since the 1st Republic, but it is only now that it is underway and will be completed”.

The other presidential argument to affirm that the rehabilitation of the RN5 will be a landmark event in history concerns its impact on the lives of users. “You will no longer need to cross rivers by ferry,” he says.

The fact of verbally affirming the work deadline for 2025 is therefore not insignificant. Andry Rajoelina said this in front of Christian Ntsay, Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Works, and those in charge of the site. A way to encourage each actor to comply. In addition, he also reaffirmed it in front of the inhabitants of Antanifotsy, a locality bordering the National Road. The deadline is essential, at first glance.

The company responsible for the work will therefore have to work extra hard to meet the deadline. She will have a lot to do. According to Minister Andrianatrehina, 39% of the work has been carried out and 68% of the time planned to carry it out has expired. Andry Rajoelina adds, moreover, that he wants to continue the rehabilitation of the RN5 to Mananara-Avaratra.

After delivery of the first tranche, it will be necessary to tackle another Herculean project. “The work we are carrying out today has not been done before. I am convinced that when they are completed, we will make history,” declared the President of the Republic. He thus emphasizes the fact that the RN5 connects the Atsinanana, Analanjirofo and Ambatosoa regions.

The President adds, however, that it is also imperative to restore infrastructure in poor condition. A nod to the part going from Toamasina to Fenoarivo-Atsinanana. Facing the residents of the capital of Analanjirofo, he indicated that the rehabilitation of this section will be carried out shortly.