I.A.M - Magazine - Page 60
A gamechanger, sourcing local
4HEÒ BENEµTSÒ RIPPLEÒ OUTÒ FARÒ BEYONDÒ THEÒ RIVERBANKSÒ &ORÒ
years, communities on both sides of the Logone have
relied on canoes to ferry people, goods, and livestock,
often risking lives and property. This bridge is changing
that. It will also cut transport times and costs, improve
safety, and open up new commercial routes for farmers,
traders, and travellers. By strengthening logistics and
creating a formal transit corridor, it will unlock
agricultural, timber, and mineral potential across
northern Cameroon and southern Chad.
Communities are already experiencing the impact.
According to an Employment Impact Assessment
conducted under the joint EU-ILO STRENGTHEN2
initiative, the bridge project is expected to create over
10,000 jobs, including 523 direct jobs, up to 8,827
indirect jobs, and 1,609 permanent positions. The
project prioritizes locally sourced labor and materials,
WITHÒ SPECIµCÒ RECOMMENDATIONSÒ FORÒ GENDER RESPONSIVEÒ
hiring practices and on-the-job training to ensure
sustainability.
Although women and youth currently face barriers to
long-term employment in infrastructure, the project
creates opportunities for more inclusive participation,
particularly through women’s associations receiving
equipment and entrepreneurial support.
Beyond economics, the bridge is expected to
strengthen bilateral ties, promote cultural exchange,
and reduce fragility in this historically underserved
BORDERÒ REGIONÒ )TÒ DENSIµESÒ OFµCIALÒ TRADINGÒ POINTSÒ ALONGÒ
the 1,000+ km shared frontier, boosting legal trade and
cross-border cooperation. In doing so, it contributes to
peacebuilding, transforming a once-isolated area into a
vibrant corridor of opportunity.
Ultimately, the Logone Bridge stands as a physical
symbol of what regional integration can achieve: safer
crossings, stronger economies, and better lives. By
spanning a river, it bridges the gap between isolation
and inclusion, lighting the way toward a more
connected and resilient Central Africa.
Beyond economics, the bridge
is expected to strengthen
bilateral ties, promote cultural
exchange, and reduce fragility
in this historically underserved
border region.
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