Etihad Rail of the United Arab Emirates has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Republic of Chad to support the development of the proposed Ndjamena-Douala railway corridor.
The agreement was formalized on May 2, 2025, in Abu Dhabi during a high-level ministerial meeting hosted by Etihad Rail, which brought together representatives from six countries collaborating on regional railway infrastructure.
Chad’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Mathieu Guibolo Fanga—who is also serving as Acting Minister of Transport—led the Chadian delegation. The agreement was signed between Chad’s National Railway Office (ONCF) and Etihad Rail, laying the foundation for a modern rail connection between Chad and the port city of Douala in Cameroon.
The accord outlines key components including financing models, joint responsibilities, and a framework for trilateral cooperation among Chad, the UAE, and Cameroon. Major outcomes of the meeting include:
- The collection of freight volume data to assess the project’s economic viability.
- Updates to feasibility studies, scheduled for completion by June 2025.
- A detailed implementation timeline set from May to December 2025, with no objections from Chad or Cameroon.
These steps are expected to culminate in a robust business plan to guide the project’s execution.
The meeting was attended by Chad’s ambassador to the UAE and senior officials from Chad’s transport and railway sectors, reaffirming the country’s commitment to regional integration and economic development through modern transport infrastructure.
