China-Cameroon cooperation: water flows freely at Batchenga
On August 20, 2024, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water and Energy, officially opened the gates of the project to supply drinking water to the city of Yaoundé and the surrounding area from the Sanaga River (PAEPYS), in the presence of the Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon, H.E. Wei Wenshua.
The project, part of the Great Opportunities policy, will produce an additional 300,000 m³ of water per day for Yaoundé, extendable to 400,000 m³.
Cameroon’s capital is about to take a decisive step towards improving access to drinking water. This August 20, 2024, at an official ceremony presided over by the Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba.
A crying need met thanks to Sinocameroon cooperation
The city of Yaoundé currently receives 185,000 m3 of drinking water per day, 135,000 m3/d of which comes from the Akomnyada water treatment plant in Mbalmayo and 50,000 m3/d from the renovated Mefou plant in Yaoundé. This supply remains below demand, which is estimated at 250,000 m3/d. In its initial phase, the PAEPYS will provide an additional 300,000 m3/d of drinking water to make up for this major shortfall. The localities along the river that will also be supplied are: Batchenga, Obala and Nyom.
Opening the valves, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water and Energy, praised the efforts of his partners, notably China. In return, the Chinese diplomat expressed his country’s determination to pursue major development projects.
In the water purification sector, the PAEPYS project (Projet d’adduction en eau potable de la ville de Yaoundé), worth a total of 400 billion FCFA (600,000 EUROS), has been 85% financed by China.
Other projects financed by China in Cameroon
Cooperation between China and Cameroon has intensified in recent years. The Middle Kingdom is financing several projects.
For example, Huawei technologies is currently installing solar photovoltaic systems in over 350 localities in Cameroon. The first phase of the project was 85% financed by the Chinese group. The second phase of the project, for which the loan agreement was signed in June 2017, totals 68 billion FCFA, financed entirely by the Bank of China.
AG
