The bilateral Steering Committee of Logone bridge construction project met on Tuesday in Yaounde.

The first session of the bilateral Steering Committee of the project of construction of a bridge over the Logone River, between Yagoua in Cameroon and Bongor in Chad, was held Tuesday in Yaounde.

First and foremost, the preliminary technical studies have been launched by the claimant. Also, a reconnaissance mission was conducted on site at Yagoua in Mayo-Danay, from 20 to 28 January.

"We hope that before the end of the year 2015, studies would have been completed for the effective start of work", said the Secretary general of the Ministry of economy, planning and land use (Minepat), Gilbert Didier Edoa, co-Chair of the Committee.

Indeed, the first session of the open Steering Committee yesterday was devoted to the consideration of the modalities of implementation of the joint unit of management of the project of construction of the bridge and related facilities (connecting road, protection of the banks of the River, weighing station, border post...). Examination of the draft budget of the unit is also planned.

Today, most trade between Cameroon and Chad are carried out by land. The construction of the bridge over the Logone aims to promote the development of the communication infrastructures between the two countries.

Three phases are envisaged to achieve this: technical studies, searching for financing and the work itself. The leader of the Chadian delegation, Brahim Tahir Abderanane, co-Chair of the Steering Committee said that it is also during these work that the Chronogram of activities will be refreshed.

The construction of a bridge over the Logone linking the border towns of Yagoua and Bongor constitutes an advantage for the promotion of bilateral and sub-regional integration.

The new infrastructure will, indeed, harness the exchange points on the 1,000 km-long common border and enhance the economic potential of the two countries. It will promote the reduction of losses in human lives and property during the crossing of the river.

The proposed construction of a bridge over the Logone is part of the recommendations of the 22nd session of the high Joint Committee of Chad-Cameroon cooperation held in Yaoundé in late 2010.

The agreement between the Republic of Chad and Cameroon for the construction was signed in May 2014. The months that followed, the bilateral Steering Committee for monitoring and control of the project was set up.