This is a set of five road, school and hospital infrastructure projects under construction across the country.
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Cooperation between Cameroon and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia materializes through the Saudi Development Fund (SFD), which is its bilateral cooperation instrument. This organization was created in 1975 with the aim of promoting the economic and social development of developing countries, through the financing of development projects.
All this was recalled Thursday, March 2, 2023 in Yaoundé, during the audience between Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (Minepat) and Faisal Saud Al Mejel, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Cameroon. From the exchanges between the two personalities, we also learned that to date, the FSD portfolio in Cameroon has 05 projects for a total envelope of 30 billion FCFA.
The first project concerns the construction of the Foumban-Tibati road with a length of 425 km (Foumban-Magba-Pont de la Mapé section). The second project concerns the construction of the road linking the town of Sangmélima (South) to Djoum (East) on the Bikoula-Djoum section. FSD funding also enabled work on the Bingambo-Grandzambi section on the Olama-Kribi road. Among other infrastructures, Saudi Arabia also plans to build a high school for teaching industrial trades in the city of Douala and the construction and equipment of the regional hospital of Mbalmayo.
In the past, the FSD contributed to carrying out works on the heavy axis linking the cities of Yaoundé and Douala; the Eseka-Maloumé railway; the construction of the University of Ngaoundéré; the implementation of a wheat cultivation project in Wassandé in the Adamaoua region and the Ayos-Bonis road section.
« We discussed the strategic relationship between our two countries, which dates back to the 1960s. Our exchanges also focused on economic issues and economic initiatives either in Saudi Arabia or in Cameroon. With regard to economic files, we specifically talked about subjects relating to clean energy, transport, among others. » I explained Faisal Saud Al Mejel.
120 million to be distributed to 4 companies
Manaouda Malachie, Minister of Public Health (Minsate), recently published a press release with the results of the architectural competition, for the realization of the sketch of the regional hospital annexed to the city of Mbalmayo, specializing in the management of charge of severe burns.
These are five companies that will benefit from an envelope of 120 million FCFA: Groupe New Africa/Generale d’Entreprise Sarl (60,000,000 FCFA); Anya & Associés Sarl (30,000,000 FCFA); Saud Consult/T2A Group (15,000,000 FCFA); Cabinet Archimag Sarl (10,000,000 FCFA) and Cabinet Mission of Architecture, Urban Planning and Art (5,000,000 FCFA).
The Mbalmayo regional hospital in the Center region will promote the care and treatment of severe burns in the project area and in neighboring countries, particularly Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.
It is also planned to provide an efficient evacuation center in order to deal with possible disasters and road accidents. The project also takes into account the rehabilitation of roads and their connection to the national road network to facilitate access to the hospital.
For the record, on August 26, 2022, the Saudi Fund for Development (FSD) signed with the Cameroonian government a financing agreement in the amount of 6.7 billion FCFA, within the framework of the construction and equipment project of this infrastructure. The latter will have 200 medical beds by integrating the equipment of a landing zone for helicopters in the event of an emergency.
It should be noted that the overall cost of the project is 22 billion FCFA. The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa will provide 6.7 billion FCFA, and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (about 6 billion FCFA). The counterpart expected from the State of Cameroon is 2.4 billion FCFA.
