China offers social housing, highway and railway to Cameroon

The Chinese State company Citic Group, whose top management was received by Cameroonian officials last week, is said to be interested in investments in the fields of road and rail transport, social housing, and port infrastructure.

10,000 social housing, the second phase of the Douala-Yaoundé highway projects, the Kribi deep sea port and the extension of the Trans-Cameroon right up to Ndjamena in Chad, is the portfolio of projects that interests Citic Group.

The Chinese public company for the construction of rail, road and port infrastructure sent Guigen Liu, vice president of the Africa Department, prospect to Cameroon.

Haven had talks with Cameroonian Prime Minister last Thursday in Yaounde, it is apparent that the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (Citic Group) would like to invest in the construction of social housing.

10,000 habitations for moderate rents (Hlm) that will require 100 square km2 of land. Consultations are planned with Minister of the areas, and land Affairs to release this important land space.

With respect to Douala-Yaoundé Highway, it should be noted that it is a mission of positioning, the first phase of the project is already underway and it is made by another Chinese company, specifically the First China Highway Engineering, which realises the first 80 km on the 216 km necessary to connect the two cities.

The situation is almost the same for the industrial port complex of Kribi phase I short in its term. The Steering Committee launched studies for the construction of the second phase which should include carrying out storage infrastructures, terminals including the complex which consists of three phases.

CITIC Group would obviously wish to supply China Harbour Engineering Company which is occupied for the first part.

The last element of the Citic Group interest focuses on the prolongation of the Trans-Cameroon which must reach Ndjamena, in neighbouring Chad. Indeed, the Governments of Cameroon and Chad showed their interest to see the two countries connected by a railway line.

Indeed, in recent weeks saw the officials of the two countries finalize points of this project, both at the level of funding and realization. The Citic Group continues its consultations with the Cameroonian side.

It is at the end of this that the interests of Citic Group for the realization of infrastructure in Cameroon will be known.

According to officials of the Ministry economy, the discussions will revolve around the method of financing and implementation of these projects, the Citic Group also being an investment fund.