As promised during consultations held on 2 March 2022 leading to the reopening of the Cameroon-Central African Republic (CAR) border in Garoua-Boulaï (East region), it was on March 4^th that Cameroon finally removed some checkpoints described as hubs of corruption by Central African truckers, says Cameroon Tribune. The state-owned daily newspaper, in its publication, mentioned that Central African truckers often had to bribe their way through with tokens ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 CFA francs to reach Bangui, CAR's capital city. To denounce this unfair treatment, these truckers went on strike on 22 February 2022, leading to a temporary closure of the border between the two States.

In addition to the above-mentioned irregularities, traffic between Cameroon and CAR is regularly perturbed by the horde of Central African rebels scouring the border after Garoua-Boulaï. These rebels often brutalise drivers and loot trucks headed for the CAR. To remedy this situation, these truckers are now escorted by UN forces of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR.

This state of insecurity regularly disrupts trade on the Douala-Bangui corridor on which, according to Cameroon Customs, 55 billion CFAF worth of goods transits each year. This corridor is crucial for CAR, as it is the main supply route to the capital city.

Source: Business in Cameroon