Public works minister, UK investors discuss road infrastructure dev’t.

This was the focus of a working session the public works boss had with the delegation that was made up of representatives of some three companies and investment funds, Wednesday February 1.

The officials were led to the working session by the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, Christian Dennys-McClure.

The UK diplomat was accompanied to the working session by Simon Buckenburg, who represented UK Export Finance, UKEF, while Léonard Graf Grote and Sylvie Mireille Fokekam represented ERG International Group and Brice Beumo who sat in for Beko Capital. 

The same team had earlier met Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute and expressed their interest in the implementation of road infrastructure projects in Cameroon.

Discussions during the audience with the Star Building occupant had centred on strengthening of bilateral cooperation between both countries in the area of road infrastructure.

From discussions during the working session, it emerged that British consortium UKEF, which specialises in the financing of priority projects on the international scene, is already taking part in the development project for phase two of the east entrance to the city of Douala.

The consortium is also positioning itself to finance the Ebolowa-Akom II-Kribi road construction project, through the Italian company, ICM.

With regards specifically to the Ebolowa-Akom II-Kribi road, the minister of public works pointed out that the procedures relating to the establishment of financing are slow. 

The representative of UKEF specified in this regard that questions relating to the implementation of the environmental and social management plan of the project are essential for his group and reassured the commitment of the group to support the state of Cameroon in the implementation of the project. 

BEKO Capital Advisory SA on its part stressed that it intends to play its part fully in the renewal of the financial market through the provision of resources intended for the realisation of road infrastructure projects through Standard Chartered Bank funds. 

Meanwhile, ERG Group, a British company specialising in the engineering, construction, financing and management of world-renowned infrastructure assets through its two representatives, highlighted their potential, while affirming their interest in setting up in Cameroon. 

The particularity of ERG Group, since its incorporation in 1972, is to carry out and deliver projects in a complete cycle including the maturation phases, planning, investment, design and construction, as well as maintenance operations. 

Speaking during Wednesday’s meeting, Maina Oumarou, representative of the CEO of Mota Engil stressed that his company already benefits from the support of British lenders with regard to phase 2 of the Yaoundé-Douala highway and for which the first round of discussions took place in December 2022.

The minister of public works, emphasising the fruitful conclusions of these steps, cited three projects: the complete rehabilitation of the Ngaoundere-Garoua road, some exchanges of which were discussed with Mota Engil.

He also stressed on the acceleration of procedures aimed at putting in place the financing of the construction works of the Ebolowa-Akom II-Kribi road and the continuation of exchanges with a view to the implementation of the second phase of the Yaoundé-Douala highway. 

He particularly regretted the delays in the procedures prior to the provision of funds intended to build the Ebolowa-Akom II-Kribi road and insisted on the fact that companies should really take an interest in the Ngaoundere-Garoua axis, all economically profitable.