Transport Organization in Cameroon

1 | P a g e By Palmas MBOUZOU FOMENA In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements of the course Transport Organization by Prof Dr. An NEVEN.

[Audio] We will discuss the geographical outlook and transport evolution in Cameroon. In the pre-colonial era transportation was based on human labor and animal-drawn carts. Modern transportation methods were introduced in the late 19th century by colonial powers including railways and automobiles..

[Audio] Cameroon is a Central African nation with an area of 475 650 square kilometers. It is located in the Gulf of Guinea bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. Cameroon has a population of 23 248 044 in 2017 with a slight female majority and an annual growth rate of 2.37% resulting in a population density of 48.88 inhabitants per square kilometer. Cameroon's strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea makes it an important transportation hub in the region. It serves as a gateway for trade and commerce between Africa and Europe. Cameroon has a rich history of transportation with a variety of modes of transportation available including road rail water and air transportation. Road transportation is the most widely used mode of transportation with a well-maintained road network that connects major cities and towns. Rail transportation is also an important mode of transportation with several rail lines connecting major cities in the country. Water transportation is another mode of transportation used in Cameroon with several ports and harbors along the Atlantic Ocean and the Niger River. Air transportation is also available with several international airports in major cities. Cameroon's transportation infrastructure plays a crucial role in its economic development and growth facilitating trade and commerce between Africa and Europe and continues to evolve and improve to meet the needs of the growing population..

[Audio] We have a rich transportation history dating back to the pre-colonial era. Before European colonization transportation relied primarily on pedestrian paths and waterways. Canoes and rafts facilitated transportation along coastal areas and major rivers such as the Sanaga and Wouri. The colonial period saw significant improvements in transportation infrastructure primarily for resource extraction. The Douala-Yaoundé railway line was constructed during this period serving as a pivotal development. Today our transportation system continues to play a critical role in facilitating economic growth and development..

[Audio] Cameroon's road infrastructure is characterized by a vast network of approximately 112 973 kilometers comprising 10 158 kilometers of paved roads and 102 815 kilometers of unpaved roads. The paved roads are further divided into 5 633 kilometers of interurban routes and 4 525 kilometers of urban roads. As of 2013 the density of the paved national road network (excluding urban roads) was estimated at 9 kilometers per 1000 kilometers² and 0.185 kilometers per 1000 inhabitants (National Institute of Statistics 2014). The network is distributed across various road categories reflecting the diverse topography and economic needs of the country. Most of the country's roads are found in the countryside and connect small villages. These rural roads make up 71% of all roads. Urban areas like cities have about 11% of the roads. The remaining roads are divided into national provincial and departmental roads. National roads are the main highways that connect big cities while provincial and departmental roads serve smaller towns and areas within provinces..

[Audio] The automobile fleet in Cameroon has grown rapidly over the past two decades with an estimated 675000 vehicles in 2014 and 210000 in 2000. This growth has significant implications for urban planning road infrastructure and environmental policies. The increasing motorization presents challenges such as traffic congestion air pollution and road safety particularly in major urban centers. To address these challenges comprehensive transport policies are needed to balance the growing demand for private vehicle ownership with investments in public transportation and sustainable mobility solutions. The transport sector in Cameroon is divided into four main modes: road rail air and water. Road transport is the dominant mode of transportation accounting for nearly 90% of domestic passenger transport and approximately 75% of freight transport demand. Urban and semi-urban transportation is largely provided by the informal sector consisting of taxis minibuses and motorbikes. Road transport has experienced significant growth in recent years with traffic increasing by over 9% on paved roads and 6% on unpaved roads. Thank you for joining us on this journey through Cameroon's transport sector..

[Audio] 1. The Transport Organization presentation by Prof Dr An Nev 2. Slide 7 of Prof Dr An Nev's presentation 3. Prof Dr An Nev's presentation 4. Prof Dr An Nev's presentation 5. Prof Dr An Nev's presentation on slide 7 6. Prof Dr An Nev's presentation on slide 7.

[Audio] Cameroon has four international airports and ten secondary airports in cities such as Bamenda Bafoussam Ngoundéré and Bertoua. Air navigation services on international airports are provided by asecna which provides the same service in 18 other African countries. The Airports of Cameroon Company (A-D-C--) is responsible for managing and developing the country’s main airport infrastructures. In secondary airports where the services of asecna and A-D-C are absent these services are provided by the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (C-C-A-A-) on behalf of the Ministry of Transport. These airports are either lacking in initial investment or not well maintained hindering the growth of the sector and limiting its accessibility to a broad population. Despite the potential benefits of a robust domestic air travel network the government's reluctance to privatize the air transport industry has further contributed to these challenges..

[Audio] Category of Passengers (Pax) involved in air travel in Cameroon. International travel benefits from agreements with other countries that allow foreign airlines to operate flights to and from Cameroon. Several international airlines like Brussels Airlines Ethiopian Airlines A-S-K-Y Turkish Airlines and Air France offer flights to and from Cameroon. Cameroon's maritime and port sector is managed by four main bodies under the Ministry of Transport: 1. National Port Authority (A-P-N--); 2. Autonomous Port Authorities (O-P-A--) for each port site; 3. Consultative Committees for Port Activity Orientation (C-C-O--) within each OPA; and 4. Directorate of Maritime Affairs and Inland Waterways (D-A-M-V-). Cameroon has three main seaports (Douala Limbe and Kribi) four offshore oil platforms and four secondary port sites. Cameroon possesses numerous rivers and lakes suitable for inland waterway transport notable river ports include Garoua on the Benue Behondo on the Nyong River and Mamfé on the Cross River. The Cross River facilitates significant freight transport between Nigeria and Cameroon. Several other rivers offer potential for development potentially linking regions like the West and Adamawa and providing major services through developed river ports. Urban public transport in Cameroon has undergone significant changes over the past two decades characterized by the absence of mass transit systems following the closure of the Cameroon Urban Transport Company (S-O-T-U-C) a state-owned enterprise that operated a fleet of approximately 400 large buses..

[Audio] Cameroon's urban cities have taxi systems with 49% of vehicles being taxis and minibuses. Taxis play a crucial role in the urban mobility system but the sector is highly fragmented due to individual and third-party ownership. Two main fare systems exist and fare negotiation is common depending on trip length and urgency. However taxis often fail to adhere to safety measures leading to accidents and fatal incidents in urban areas. Douala Cameroon's economic capital has a diverse transport landscape that includes taxis motorbike taxis socatur buses and undeclared cabs..

[Audio] Douala's transport is diverse and adaptable with different modes catering to customer needs and budgets. Taxis motorbike taxis and buses are regulated and established modes of transport. Taxis offer flexibility and provide employment for approximately 12000 drivers. Motorbike taxis are popular due to their ability to reach inaccessible areas and lower fares. They provide approximately 30000 jobs. Buses offer the lowest fares and are environmentally friendly. However they face challenges due to limited fleet size and poor road conditions. Despite these challenges with proper investment and support the transport sector in Douala has the potential to continue growing and improving..

[Audio] Transportation options in Douala provide significant challenges for mobility despite their diversity. According to transport studies the needs of mobility are not being met resulting in a decline in competitiveness due to prolonged waiting times for secure transportation options other than motorcycles as well as increased travel times caused by traffic congestion and poor traffic organization on the limited urban road network. We will explore potential solutions to improve urban mobility in the next section..

[Audio] The transport sector in Cameroon is governed by a complex institutional and regulatory framework. The framework comprises eight ministries including the Ministry of Economy Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) the Ministry of Finance (M-I-N-F-I) the Ministry of Public Works (M-I-N-T-P) the Ministry of Transport (M-I-N-T-) the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINHDU) the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) the Ministry of Public Contracts (MINMAP) and the Prime Ministry. Each of these ministries has specific responsibilities related to transport services infrastructure development and financial resource mobilization. However the multiplicity of supervisory bodies particularly the overlap between the Ministries of Public Works Transport and Housing and Urban Development often leads to coordination challenges slower decision-making processes and difficulties in implementing state guidelines. In addition to these challenges the legal framework governing the transport sector in Cameroon is based on several key texts including the Environmental Code which mandates impact studies for infrastructure projects..

[Audio] Cameroon faces challenges related to transportation. These challenges include congestion transportation-related air pollution road accidents and an informal and unregulated public transport system. These challenges are largely due to rapid urbanization and inadequate road infrastructure. Other factors that contribute to these challenges include increasing vehicle ownership poor road conditions inadequate enforcement of traffic laws lack of proper driver training and uncontrolled urban sprawl. Limited funding and institutional capacity also play a role..

[Audio] Discuss key recommendations in this slide that can help improve the transportation sector in Cameroon. Throughout this presentation we have seen challenges in Cameroon's transportation sector including congestion and accessibility problems in urban areas. To address these issues a comprehensive approach is needed to improve the infrastructure and efficiency of the transportation system. Our proposed key recommendations include integrating land use and transportation planning expanding and maintaining road networks privatizing the air transport sector and modernizing public transport systems. These recommendations will help improve traffic management reduce emissions and enhance road safety. We believe that these recommendations are adaptable to the Cameroonian context and can be implemented to improve the transportation sector in Cameroon..

[Audio] References are essential to any research or analysis. They provide evidence and support for the information presented in a report or study. They also help to give credit to the original sources of the information which is important for academic integrity. In this presentation we have organized our references alphabetically and have avoided repetition making it easier for readers to find the information they need and to understand the sources of the information presented. Some of the references in this presentation include reports from academic journals such as the Journal of Transport Geography and the Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa. References are an important part of any research or analysis and they help to provide credibility and support for the information presented..

[Audio] Cameroon faces several challenges in suburbanization and urban transport. The case of Yaoundé by Ongolo Z V & Epo B N (2013) and Transport Urbain le bus se fait attendre by Overblog. (2015) discusses the challenges including inadequate public transportation systems high levels of traffic congestion and a lack of infrastructure investment in the transport sector. Several projects have been implemented in Cameroon to address these challenges including the Cameroon Douala Infrastructure Project Cameroon Transport Sector Development Project and Cameroon Transport Sector Development Project. These projects were discussed in the World Bank's project appraisal documents. Road safety and air quality are also major issues in Cameroon and are highlighted in the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018 and the W-H-O Global Ambient Air Quality Database (update 2018). To improve the transport organization in Cameroon solutions include investing in public transportation systems promoting sustainable transport options and improving road safety and air quality. This can be achieved through the implementation of policies and programs that prioritize the development of transportation infrastructure as well as through partnerships between the public and private sectors..