China First Highway Engineering Corporation has begun design work on the second phase of a motorway that will run east–west between Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, and the port city of Douala.

The start on the second stage was announced by Nganou Djoumessi, the minister of public works. It will cover the 141km between Bibodi and Douala, and is expected to cost $1.5bn.

As well as improving communications between the country’s two largest cities, the link will accelerate economic integration throughout the region. This includes the trade corridors northeast to N’Djamenain, Chad, east to Bangui in the Central African Republic and south to Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo.

Djoumessi noted that his government’s partnership with China First Highway, which is a subsidiary of China Communications, reflected the quality of its work the 60km first phase of the project.

The decision to select the company was made by the presidency, concluding a selection process that began in March 2020.

The road is expected to be finished within 36 months