(Business in Cameroon) - In 2019, in the framework of the Central Africa Backbone (CAB) project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon deployed an additional 105 kilometers of optical fiber as part of the cross-border interconnection, according to an official document from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

Although the said document does not specify the neighbouring countries targeted by this interconnection, it should be reminded that on December 30, 2019, during the 8^th meeting of the national steering committee of the CAB project, Congo and the Central African Republic were clearly cited as beneficiary countries of this interconnection with Cameroon.

The CAB project is aimed at building a high-speed fiber optics telecommunications network in the Central African region. Structured into regional and national components, this project started in Cameroon in 2016, but entered into its development phase in 2018, and particularly 2019, with the completion of the above-mentioned interconnection works.

The project that expired on December 31, 2019, is expected to be extended until 2021, following a request submitted by Cameroon to the AfDB. “The procurement plan for the 2020-2021 period, submitted on September 30, 2019, obtained the favorable opinion of this institution (ed.note: AfDB) on December 26, 2019,” Minette Libom Li Likeng, Cameroon's Minister of Posts and Telecoms, revealed during the 8^th meeting of the national steering committee of the CAB project.

BRM