Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR) have launched a $3 million project to facilitate cross-border trade and improve economic opportunities along two major transport corridors in Central Africa.
The Project to Support the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (PAMOZ) was launched in Yaoundé on October 6, 2026. The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is providing $2.7 million, with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) contributing technical support. The project will run for 24 months.
PAMOZ targets the Douala-Bangui and Douala-Kousseri corridors, which connect Cameroon with the landlocked CAR and Chad. The Douala-Bangui route is particularly important to CAR, which relies heavily on transport links through Cameroon to reach regional and international markets.
The initiative aims to improve border management, simplify trade procedures and support small-scale traders, entrepreneurs and transport operators. Women and young people are among its priority beneficiaries. It will also promote safe and orderly migration and strengthen the capacity of local businesses and border communities.
At the launch ceremony, Cameroon's Trade Minister Luc-Magloire Mbarga Atangana said the project would help the country make greater use of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). CAR Ambassador to Cameroon Jeannette Marcelle Gotchanga stressed the need for closer cooperation to address trade barriers and strengthen economic links between the two countries.
The project also has a wider regional dimension. The Douala-Kousseri corridor serves trade with Chad, while improvements along both routes could benefit businesses and communities beyond the two countries directly involved.
Over the next two years, PAMOZ teams will work with government institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises and border communities. The project's impact will depend on whether better border procedures and support for local traders translate into faster trade flows and stronger commercial links across the region.
