A delegation from Smart Pure Systems International was received in audience at the Ministry of Transport in Yaounde, January 30, 2018.

A South African railroad construction company has proposed means and ways it can partner with the government of Cameroon to develop its railway infrastructure. A delegation from the company, Smart Pure Systems International, made the proposals to the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Transport, Mefiri Oumarou in a meeting he held with them in Yaounde on January 30. 

The Minister told reporters after the meeting that he and his collaborators presented to the team led by Alan Leigh and Petr Haramul Phileppe Dongier, railroad projects that need the attention of investors.

He said Cameroon has a degraded railway network of about 1,000km which needs renewal and rehabilitation. He pointed out that they indicated to the team from South Africa that priority stretches of the railway that require renewal include the Douala-Yaounde and Belabo-Ngaoudere while those that need rehabilitation are Douala- Mbanga-Kumba.

He noted however that government had started negotiations with funding partners such as the World Bank to finance the rehabilitation and renewal of the railroad tracks.

Besides the existing tracks, he said, the national railroad development plan adopted in 2012 envisaged the construction of new tracks to link various towns in the country. These include Edea-Kribi-Lolabe, Douala- Ngaoundere and Douala- Limbe railways.

The proposals of the Smart Pure Systems International were appealing to government, according to Minister Mefiri Oumarou, who disclosed the company is not offering technical assistance, but is equally offering to totally finance the railroad projects.  It proposed to create a training center and work with local contractors as well.