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A dense road network and in a good condition could provide a boost to development in the countries of Central Africa and improve the sub-regional integration.

It takes 8,000 billion FCFA to ECCAS countries to build roads.

By Achille Mbog Pibasso, Douala

Aware that the circulation of people and goods within the community space is facing enormous difficulties, the Economic Community of African States (ECCAS) is for some time seeking out funding to get this region out of isolation and improve circulation within the Community.

Currently, only Yaoundé and Libreville are connected by road, which shows the enormous work that remains to be done to ensure the interconnection of the main cities of central Africa.

In a meeting hold in mid-October in Yaoundé, in the context related to the transport master plan consensus for Central Africa (PDCT-CA), experts have released their study, which showed the need of 8,000 billion FCFA for the countries of ECCAS to build the road infrastructure.
The objectives of this plan are to enable the ECCAS region to have a consensual framework for negotiations in order to mobilize financial resources for investment in the transport infrastructure. Taking into account the fact that 80% of the trade in this region is provided by ground transportation, ECCAS countries agreed on the need to first develop the transport network, the aim being to allow on a short term, "circulation on an asphalt road from one capital to another."
Currently, only Yaoundé and Libreville are connected by road, which shows the enormous work that remains to be done to ensure the interconnection of the main cities of central Africa. Pending the necessary funds, it was decided to raise 7.2 billion FCFA for the construction of roads, mostly maintenance and asphalting of roads, for 50 projects. The completion of these projects is hypothetical, since for the moment, only about 1 billion FCFA is available, which represents only 14% of identified needs, experts complain.

Demolition of barriers

Ongoing trade suggests that some development partners could support this structuring project. These include, among others, the French Development Agency (AFD), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), as well as the German and Japanese cooperation.

The meetings that took place in Douala allowed participants and experts to express their concerns regarding the interstate transport difficulties, hampered by multiple barriers and police. This reflects in high transport costs, low level of intra-and sub-regional trade of products, uncompetitive on the international market in a context of economic liberalization. A situation that makes from Central Africa the African region where inter-states trades is most complex.