The World Bank has approved XAF331 billion to finance a project that aims at improving Douala N’djamena road and rail corridor infrastructure in both Cameroon and Chad respectively. According to the project document, the funding is to be included in the US$816 million put into the project in the next 10 years to come. Conforming to the Bretton Woods institution, the disbursement of funds will begin the course of 2022 and will run till June 30th 2032.
In addition, the European Union is anticipated to contribute XAF101.2 billion for the sake of the Republic of Chad. The funding which is expected to be signed during the first half of 2022 involves XAF75.2 billion which will come from the European Investment Bank and XAF26 billion will be coming from European Development Fund as grant. The Concessionaire of Cameroon’s Railway network (Camrail) will be needed to generate approximately XAF60 billion for the project to be completed.
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The project of improving Douala N’djamena road and rail corridor infrastructure is divided into four components. The primary is the restoration of the railroad between Douala and Yaoundé and the modernization of railroad signaling between Douala and Ngaoundéré costing XAF212.7 billion. The second component is the renovation of railroad freight exchange stages and improvement of railroad capacities and street safety at a cost of XAF14 billion. The third is to rebuild, support of street and rail foundation as well as enhancement of road safety which will cost XAF224.9 billion and at last, trade facilitation and support for project execution costing XAF20.2 billion.
EU and EIB avail funds
The first two components will be only executed in Cameroon. As for the third component, it is solely for Chad where 595 kilometers of segments that include Koutéré, Moundou and N’djamena will be rehabilitated. The framework of the third component which will still be in Chad, the pavement on the remaining segments will be reinforced, the whole road maintained and the terminals making a difference control pivot loads will be rendered operational. A XAF80.7 funding has already been made available by the European Union and the European Investment Bank to reconstruct a 330-kilometer railway line on the Douala-N’djamena corridor.
It is said that the Douala-N’djamena corridor contributes to 35 percent of the GDP for both Cameroon and Chad.
