A Chinese-built highway in the northern Angolan province of Uíge will make it easier to move goods, and so encourage farmers there to increase their output, Angop reports, citing a senior official of the central government, Manuel José Molares D’Abril.

The Angolan state-run news agency quotes Mr Molares D’Abril as saying so at the opening on Tuesday of the 76 km highway from Quitexe to Ambuila.

The report says the highway will help the movement of commodities such as bananas, cassava, and timber produced by the dozens of villages of various sizes that lie along its route.

The highway cost US$55.7 million to build, Angop says.

Last month a Chinese state-run newspaper, the China Daily, said the highway was built by First Engineering Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co. Ltd (CTCE).