(Business in Cameroon) - The Kribi Seaport is Cameroon’s main infrastructure that will allow the export of minerals and industrialization. Two specialized terminals-multipurpose and container-will be created: The construction of this port by the Chinese company, China Harbour Engineering Company (Chec) is underway. The first ship would dock at the port by 2014. But other specific terminals will be developed as from 2015. These terminals include aluminum, oil, alumina, ore, liquefied natural gas, etc.

According to the Secretary General at the Prime Minister’s office, Louis Paul Motaze, also Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Kribi industrial port complex, “the port which will be used to export large masses of minerals found in Cameroon (iron, bauxite and natural gas in particular) and import raw materials for local industries, will be a real lever to the industrialization of Cameroon and the competitiveness of its products.” This port will thus enable miners to ship their ore overseas.

Alongside this deep seaport, another infrastructure is available for the exploitation of minerals in the country. This is the 1,009 km Douala-Yaounde-Ngaoundere railway. Once constructed, it will further facilitate the export of minerals from the country. The Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi explained that thanks to this new rail “our iron ore would be easily exploited; likewise the establishment of a steel industry for the local production of steel, hence facilitating the development of the infrastructure sector, in general and of the rail network in Cameroon, in particular.”

In his view, no sub-regional community will prosper without reliable infrastructural linkages. And no country will be industrialized without a viable rail infrastructure. “But first, we need to find funds to implement the plan-the national railway plan,” Nganou Djoumessi added.

Beaugas-Orain Djoyum