History will have it that on October 21, 2026, His Excellency Sylvain Riquier, Ambassador of France to Cameroon, accompanied by Anne Brouard of the embassy’s economic service, conducted a high-level working visit to the Douala Port Authority – PAD.
The delegation was received by Charles Michaux Moukoko Njoh, Deputy General Manager of the PAD, on behalf of General Manager Cyrus Ngo’o, who was attending the 5th edition of the Translog Africa Symposium. Following an initial private meeting, both leaders co-chaired a comprehensive working session at the PAD headquarters, marking an important step toward deepening Franco-Cameroonian economic relations.
The high-level discussions centered on the impressive transformation trajectory of the Port of Douala-Bonabéri, which has been undergoing extensive modernization efforts since 2016.
Presenting the port’s strategic trajectory, Mr. Moukoko Njoh emphasized that the session offered a prime opportunity to build a confident, open, and constructive dialogue rooted in mutual respect, shared expertise, and actionable results. Key topics on the table included technical knowledge sharing, port digitization, energy transition, professional training, and regional maritime security.
A major focus of the engagement was the presentation of the ambitious Master Development Plan for the Port of Douala-Bonabéri 2020–2050. Under this long-term vision, the PAD aims to dramatically scale up its annual cargo-handling capacity from approximately 13 million tonnes to over 45 million tonnes by 2050.
Highlighting key expansion projects, officials drew special attention to the planned extension toward Manoka Island, a flagship initiative that sparked notable interest from Ambassador Riquier and his economic team.
The strategic development roadmap outlines critical short- and long-term priority projects designed to boost port efficiency and security. Key infrastructure plans include constructing a new bulk terminal on the right bank of the Wouri River, enhancing cargo-scanning operations, and upgrading access security across the facility.
These initiatives present lucrative avenues for investment, skills transfer, and commercial collaboration for French institutional partners, logistics operators, and technical equipment vendors.
Ambassador Riquier commended the port’s ongoing developments, stressing its indispensable role as a primary trade gateway for Cameroon and the wider Central African region. He highlighted the vital importance of robust connectivity, modern infrastructure, and sustained public-private partnerships in driving trade efficiency. Following the boardroom discussions, the French diplomatic delegation toured key operational facilities and active construction sites to gain firsthand insight into the port’s ongoing modernization projects.
This landmark visit underscores the growing international confidence and bilateral interest in Cameroon’s premier maritime hub. By aligning French technical and financial capabilities with the Port Authority of Douala’s expansion goals, both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to creating a highly competitive, sustainable, and technologically advanced port environment that will power economic integration across Central Africa.
