By Ndumbe Bell Joseph Gaston in Douala
The Ports Authority of Douala (PAD) and the National Shippers Council of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been holding talks aimed at expanding the technical and strategic opportunities available at PAD.
The Congolese contingent are eyeing their Cameroonian partner tutored by Cyrus Ngo’o, to access particularly the port of Douala- Bonaberi segment, to facilitate passage and entry of goods in transit to and from the Democratic Republic.
The strategic economic importance of the Douala Port in the CEMAC Zone is already playing that role for other countries in that Zone and the neighbouring Congo Democratic concerned that the talks achieve the intended goals.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a potential market considered to be one of the richest countries in Africa with rich mining and forestry resources, for PAD to amass long-term benefits from these talks. It has an estimated GDP growth of just over 5 percent according to the World Bank, despite fluctuations of prices such as cobalt and copper, (these fluctuations are also driven by construction or infrastructural expansion of mineral production units and temporary bans due to the dynamics of its socio-political international landscape).
So, as the two parties forge ahead to reinforce and enlarge cooperation, the choice of Cameroon at this time of their history marks promises of better things to come and equally underlines the on-going impact of the reforms undertaken to accommodate more cargo ships and the modernisation of the many other port facilities by the Ports Authority of Douala.