On May 17 local time, the Butabetare Bridge reconstruction project in Kiribati, undertaken by The First Engineering Bureau of CREC, was officially opened to traffic. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, Vice President Teueia Toatu, Speaker Willie Tokataake, members of parliament, Minister for Infrastructure Tekeeua Tarati, and other government officials. Also present were Zhao Jian, Chargé d’affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Kiribati, members of China’s education, medical, and police aid groups, and over 200 local residents.
During the ceremony, two community representatives cut the ribbon, and President Taneti Maamau and Minister Tekeeua Tarati jointly unveiled a plaque inscribed with Phase II of the Butabetare Bridge Project Constructed by CREC.
Located in the capital city of Tarawa, the Butabetare Bridge serves as a crucial link between South and North Tarawa. The original bridge, built in the 1990s, suffered extensive corrosion from prolonged seawater exposure. The newly reconstructed bridge is 55 meters long, 5 meters wide, with a clear width of 3.15 meters.
