The World Bank has approved a $330 million project to help Cameroon improve connectivity and climate resilience in the Far North region, according to a press release published on its official website this june 20th, 2023.
The project will rehabilitate the Mora-Kousseri road section (205 km), which is vital for trade between Cameroon, Nigeria, and Chad. The rehabilitation will also improve access to schools, health facilities, and markets for over 920,000 people, including refugees and internally displaced persons.
The project is part of the Project for the Improvement of Connectivity, Resilience, and Inclusion in the Far North of Cameroon (Pacri). Pacri also includes measures to improve collective infrastructure in refugee camps and host communities, and to strengthen the transport sector.
The financing for the project includes a $280 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s lending arm for the world’s poorest countries. The project also received a $50 million grant from IDA’s Host Communities and Refugees (WHR) window.
This is the second time that the World Bank has provided financial support for the rehabilitation of the Mora-Kousseri road. The first financing package, worth over 70 billion FCFA, was approved in 2014.
However, work on the road was halted in 2015 after Boko Haram kidnapped 10 Chinese workers. The work was subsequently handed over to the military engineers.
The rehabilitation of the Mora-Kousseri road is a major step forward for the people of the Far North region.
The road will improve access to basic services, boost trade, and help to create jobs. It is also a significant contribution to the fight against Boko Haram.
- The project is expected to create over 10,000 jobs during the construction phase.
- The rehabilitation of the road will also help to reduce travel times and costs, making it easier for people to access markets and other economic opportunities.
- The project is expected to have a positive impact on the environment, as it will reduce the need for people to travel long distances to access basic services.
