Cleared containers congest the Douala port

Many containers in transit to the Central African Republic (Car) are still blocked at the Douala port while all customs formalities have been completed ("more than 3,000", according to the customs).

Joseph Beti Assomo was astonishment while opening on behalf of the Minister of finance, a consultation meeting between the Directors General of Cameroon, the CAR and Chad Customs, yesterday, August 20, 2015,

The situation had been described as "counterproductive" by the representative of the Minfi, who added that it "carries unfortunate consequences which is not good at all for sub-regional economic cooperation.”

Stakeholders in consultation invited yesterday, were urged to deliberate about this problem. The topics for discussion also included a presentation of the Douala international Terminal (DIT).

Beyond the solution expected at this point, the experts and actors in the meeting should also work on facilitation and the securing of transit, including "fluidity of transit' on the corridors - as well as the development of international trade," Joseph Assomo said.

It was expected that the effort of going in this direction should also be agreed by private transport and trade chain partners.

Partners like Director General of Cameroon Customs, Minette Libom li Likeng, welcomed the participation in the work, recalling that it falls in a straight line with a cycle opened in July 2012, in Douala.

They also focused on the institutionalization of a framework of periodic consultation with the customs administrations of the three countries, the possibility of harmonizing their positions on subjects of common interest, as well as the extension of the system + Nexus to the customs administrations of the Central African Republic and Chad.

With regard to the latter, Minette Libom li Likeng recalled a meeting in N'Djamena late May, 2015, whose main resolutions focused on the establishment of dry ports, Ngaoundéré, Belabo and Edea, the establishment of the transit rail among other things

In addition to the above-mentioned three countries, the whole Cemac was involved during the meeting yesterday.

Some of the integration method mentioned were to interconnect Customs computer systems of the Member States, develop and professionalize the actors of transport, improve the road network Douala / N'Djamena and Douala/Bangui, and develop the railway network, set up a cargo by geo-location and radio tracking, among others.