The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$20mn loan to the Republic of Cameroon to finance the construction of a Ring-Road project in the North-West province of the country
The Transport Sector Support programme under which the project falls is consistent with Pillar I of the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2016-2020 for Cameroon, which focuses on strengthening infrastructure to support agricultural value chains for inclusive growth and aligns with the Bank’s High 5 priorities.
Cameroon’s northwestern region has enormous economic potential, particularly in agriculture, which stands to benefit from the road, the bank said in a statement.
Other lucrative sectors include livestock and fisheries; tourism, particularly the spectacular natural landscapes such as the Menchum Falls, Lakes Awing, Oku and Nyos, the Mbengwi Caves, it further added.
The Ring Road project aims to improve the movement of goods and people. It will also strengthen the foundations for strong and sustainable growth by promoting domestic and regional trade.
The loan for the 365 km Ring Road is the Bank’s third intervention in the implementation of this important road network rehabilitation and upgrading project. The loop road crosses five of Cameroon’s seven divisions of the North West region and includes several links to the Nigerian border.
The project will also include institutional support for the transport sector and related works such as the development of rural roads, the rehabilitation of socio-economic infrastructure for improving women and youth living conditions, the bank concluded.
