Cameroon and Chad on April 28, officially inaugurated a 620-meter-long bridge linking the town of Yagwa in Cameroon to Tubongo in Chad, marking a significant step toward stronger regional integration and cooperation.
The ceremony, held in the Zebeh locality of Yagwa, was co-presided over by Cameroonian Prime Minister Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute and his Chadian counterpart, Ala Mahamat Alamine, on behalf of Presidents Paul Biya and Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dion Ngute described the new bridge as “a promise of better integration” between the two countries, while Prime Minister Ala Mahamat Alamine hailed it as “a bridge of friendship and brotherhood.”
The bridge, funded with support from the African Development Bank and the European Union, is expected to significantly ease cross-border movement and boost trade between the two nations. Representatives from the two institutions praised the commitment of both governments to improving infrastructure and fostering regional ties. For decades, the River Logone posed a deadly obstacle for citizens on both sides, many of whom risked their lives crossing in canoes to visit family or conduct business.
Locals say the new bridge will not only improve daily life but also save lives. Prime Minister Ala Mahamat Alamine noted that the bridge adds to the long list of cooperative ventures between Chad and Cameroon, citing the Chad-Cameroon pipeline and joint military operations against Boko Haram as other examples of successful collaboration. He emphasized that the new infrastructure would further cement cultural and economic ties between the neighboring communities.
Prime Minister Dion Ngute also revealed plans for future joint projects, including a railway extension, a cross-border electricity project, and improvements to hospital infrastructure, youth entrepreneurship initiatives, and the establishment of a joint border control post. He urged the swift completion of these annex projects to maximize the bridge’s impact. The inauguration concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a joint crossing of the bridge into the Chadian side by both prime ministers.
Traditional dances and large crowds of enthusiastic citizens marked the historic moment. The Yagwa-Tubongo bridge becomes the second major link between Cameroon and Chad, after the Nguéli Bridge connecting Kousséri and N’Djamena. Local residents expressed joy and relief, calling the bridge a transformative project that will bring tangible improvements to their lives and economies on both sides of the border.
