Mulukuku, NICARAGUA – On October 24, 2024, the groundbreaking ceremony for the “Rio Blanco-Siuna Bridges and National Road Construction Project*” was held, for which Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd. was in charge of consulting services for detailed design and construction supervision.
The ceremony was attended by Mr. Oscar Mojica, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Ms. Genera Mendez, Mayor of Mulukuku, from the Nicaraguan side, as well as Mr. Masahiro Ogino, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Nicaragua, and Mr. Tomoyuki Odani, Chief Representative of JICA Nicaragua Office from the Japanese side. The ceremony was held in a grand manner, with a warm welcome from representatives of both countries and the local community.

*Bridge length: 176m, truss bridge; Construction: JFE Engineering Corporation

Full View of the Planned Bridge upon Completion

Second from the Right: Minister Mojica
Right: Ambassador Masahiro Ogino
Center: Tomoyuki Odani, Chief Representative of
JICA Nicaragua Office
Second from the Left: Tomoaki Takeuchi,
Principal Consultant at OC Global’s Road Transport Division

Commemorative Photo with Ambassador Ogino, Chief Representative Odani, and OC Global and JFE Personnel

Speech by Minister Mojica

Speech by Ambassador Ogino

The Caribbean coastal region is lagging behind in terms of infrastructure development. Nicaragua’s North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCN) in particular has a high poverty index, and the national government has designated it as a priority area for development. The main road between Rio Blanco and Siuna (approximately 115km by National Road 21B) is an important road that extends from the capital city of Managua to the RACCN. The road plays an essential role as a transportation route for agricultural, forestry, and livestock products produced in the region, and as a lifeline for the people living along the road. The road surface was in poor condition, but in recent years, concrete paving work has been completed almost up to Puerto Cabezas on the north coast of the Atlantic Ocean, improving access. However, certain bridges still pose safety risks, creating traffic bottlenecks. This project aims to enhance transportation and traffic between Rio Blanco and Siuna by improving the bridges along this main road segment. In doing so, it seeks to lay the foundation for economic revitalization in the region by improving market access.

OC Global supports the economic development of the countries through the provision of high-quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure.