(Business in Cameroon) - On March 1, 2018, in Kousséri, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, the minister of public works launched the resumption of the construction of the more than 200 kilometers long Mora-Dabanga-Kousséri.

The works which started with the construction of Mora-Dabanga was interrupted on May 16, 2014, following an assault on the base camp of Sinohydro which was in charge of the works.

During the attacks, 10 Chinese employees of the company were kidnapped. They were however released after tough negotiations conducted by Cameroon.

This time, for security purposes, government has commissioned the military engineering unit to conduct the works, this after the World Bank authorized the construction. They will deliver the works in 24 months.  

Mora-Dabanga-Kousséri road, which World Bank supported with CFA70 billion, is a key infrastructure in the commercial exchanges between Cameroon, Nigeria, and Chad.

It is the main transit axis for goods from Borno, Nigeria, to the Far-North region of Cameroon and to Ndjamena, the Chadian capital, sources close to the project revealed.

Moreover, it is a section of Douala-Ndjamena corridor on which about CFA340 billion Chadian goods transit, according to figures from Cameroon’s customs dating back to 2013.

Brice R. Mbodiam