IFC, which is part of the World Bank Group, will consider the feasibility of a public-private partnership that would lead to investment for the crossing.

Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC director for eastern and southern  Africa, said: “Well-structured public-private partnerships in physical and social infrastructure are a priority for IFC because they can help African governments raise the large sums of capital required to meet infrastructure needs in energy, health, logistics, transportation, and water and sanitation.”

The World Bank estimates that Africa requires more than US$90bn annually in investment in maintenance and new projects, but is spending less than half of that.