Chinese investors want to transform the Cameroonian city of Kribi into to the largest seaport in central Africa. But after initial promises of an economic revival in the area, locals feel left out in the cold.
Image: china-embassy.org
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Kribi's autonomous port is one of the biggestChinese investment projects anywhere in the world. When it finally opens for business, it will be the largest deepwater port in central Africa.
Some 85 percent of the 1.1 billion euro ($1.3 billion) budget for the new harbor project is financed by the Export-Import Bank of China, with the rest falling to the government of Cameroon. The state-run China Harbor Engineering Corporation (CHEC) has been overseeing construction.
Natural resources for China
Cameroon's government is hopeful the new port will stimulate its economy and provide relief for the harbor at Duala, the country's most populous city, while also providing dock space for larger ships. China, meanwhile, has its eye on nearby iron reserves, which are to be connected to new road and rail infrastructure.
Investors and government leaders hope Kribi can become Cameroon's main port for seaborne trade
To build the port, the village of Lolabe had to be destroyed. Unfortunately for its 300 inhabitants, land law in Cameroon is a gray zone. When Yasa peoples founded Lolabe in the early 20th century, they did so without property deeds or administrative permission. Very few of the villagers possessed papers proving they own property. They were given a small amount of money in damages and were then forced to immediately leave their homes for a CHEC-constructed housing development.
Rampant corruption
By 2013, only 22 million euro of the 36 million euro that Prime Minister Philemon Yang approved for compensation back in 2010 had been paid out. The other 14 million euro is alleged to have been embezzled by corrupt politicians.
"Villagers were very optimistic when they heard about the harbor project. We hoped it would bring jobs and improve our lives," said Theodore Ivaha, Lolabe's vice village chief. "But for the last couple of years we have just gotten more angry because we are not profiting at all."
Cameroon Prime Minister Philemon Yang has worked to strengthen ties with Chinese President Xi JinpingImage: Getty Images/AFP/Wang Zhao
Although construction has created jobs, they are rarely given to locals, instead going to workers from other parts of Cameroon. Most people in the region, and especially those from villages directly neighboring the harbor, simply do not have the qualifications required to fill them.
Villagers waited in vain for the head of CHEC to visit them in an effort to fill positions — something that is regular practice among French companies operating in the country. But it didn't happen. Job openings were publicly listed and quickly filled. Many of those Cameroonian workers who relocated to the area are accused by locals of having "stolen" their jobs.
Cultural and physical divide
Cameroonian laborers on the building site have complained about working conditions, while Chinese supervisors have derided the locals' poor work ethic. Chinese site manager Qiangquang Li likened the endeavor to "looking for gold in the desert."
Prior to the port project, Kribi was most famous as a beach resort destinationImage: picture alliance/Bildagentur-online/AGF
Chinese and local workers at the site are often separated by more than just cultural divides. The roughly 300 Chinese workers in Kribi reside in a closed camp at the harbor, with living quarters, offices, a cafeteria and a Chinese cook. They rarely leave, and there is little if any contact with locals. Local products, contrary to all prior hopes, are largely shunned by the Chinese workers.
"The government should actually mediate between residents and foreign companies, informing them of the wishes and needs of the locals, helping foreign organizations and companies to foster development," said investigative journalist Christophe Bobiokono. "But many governments in Africa simply fail at that task, so companies cannot count on them."
That leaves it up to locals and CHEC to create an effective communication platform. The first steps have already been taken. Now locals are hoping that tourism might take off when family members come to visit those Cameroonian workers who relocated here from other parts of the country.
Africa in pictures: A look back at 2017
Zimbabwe and Gambia disposed of long-term rulers; Kenya and Liberia grappled with chaos after contested elections; terror attacks devastated Somalia and Nigeria. DW takes a look at the most important headlines of 2017.
Image: Reuters/J. Oatway
Gambia's dictator Jammeh lost his grip on power
Yahya Jammeh had been ruling the tiny West African country with an iron fist for 22 years when he unexpectedly lost the 2016 presidential elections to his opponent Adama Barrow. ECOWAS troops were sent to Gambia to convince Jammeh to accept his defeat and step down. In January 2017, he finally left for exile in Equatorial Guinea, but not before plundering the country's state coffers.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/dpa/J. Delay
Uganda stopped its search for rebel leader Kony
Joseph Kony, head of the brutal "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA), is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Uganda and the US announced in April they would stop hunting Kony since the LRA had become irrelevant. The UN, however, attributes fresh kidnappings in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the LRA.
Image: Stuart Price/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Fear of plunging Nigeria into chaos
Africa's most populous nation suffered from the absence of 74-year old President Muhammadu Buhari, who was in London for medical treatment for three months. Islamist militant group Boko Haram repeatedly carried out deadly attacks in Nigeria's northeast, where millions of people depend on food aid.
Image: Reuters/Nigeria Presidency Handout
Cameroon's crisis heated up
Several people were killed and many more wounded after the symbolic announcement of independence of Cameroon's English-speaking region in October. International observers said at least 40 people died in the clashes. The region in the country's southwest had declared an independent state of "Ambazonia" because people in the region feel neglected by the French-speaking majority.
Image: Reuters/J.Kouam
Chaos after contested elections in Kenya
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term, but opposition leader Raila Odinga refused to accept the election result. The country's Supreme Court had previously nullified the initial vote in August due to voting irregularities. The opposition then boycotted the repeat vote in October. There were clashes with dozens killed.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Presidential runoff postponed in Liberia
Runoff elections to choose a successor to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf were postponed after two parties had launched complaints with Liberia's election commission over alleged fraud during the October polls. Those claims were then rejected, meaning the runoff between former Vice President Joseph Boakai and former soccer star George Weah can go ahead.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/I. Sanogo
South Sudan's civil war fuels hunger
For the past four years, people in South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, have been suffering due to the conflict between supporters of President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar. A third of the population has been displaced from their homes. About five million people - that's half of South Sudan's population - go hungry. Arable land has been destroyed by fighting, the UN said.
Image: Aktion Deutschland Hilft/Max Kupfer
Somalia suffered worst attack in its history
A truck full of explosives detonated at a busy intersection in Somalia's capital Mogadishu in mid-October, killing hundreds of people. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack which has been described as the worst in the history of the East African nation. The government blames the terror group al-Shabab for the bombing.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/AAS. Mohamed
No peace for Mali
The West African nation has been grappling with crises for six years: First a coup, then a separatist uprising in the north followed by a jihadist insurgency. The 11,000-strong UN peace-keeping mission has repeatedly been attacked - in January, 77 soldiers were killed in the worst attack to date. Al-Qaeda-linked fighters claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Autocratic ruler Mugabe ousted
After 37 years in power, Zimbabwe's military put President Robert Mugabe under house arrest after he fired his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa to install his wife as vice President. 93-year-old Mugabe then quit amid impeachment proceedings. Mnangagwa was sworn in as president, but has since disappointed those who had hoped he would include opposition members in his cabinet.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/NurPhoto/B. Khaled
Kabila clings to power
President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo has already served the two terms allowed by the country's constitution. Even though his second term finished at the end of 2016, he kept postponing new elections. They are now scheduled for the end of 2018. Police have stifled street protests and arrested demonstrators, opposition groups say.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/AP Photo/J. Bompengo
Corruption scandal widens in South Africa
Corruption allegations involving South African President Jacob Zuma and the wealthy Gupta family have picked up during the year. International companies were accused of having paid kickbacks in order to win government contracts. The country's economy is suffering with unemployment rates hovering around 30 percent. The fight over who gets to replace Zuma is expected to pick up steam in 2018.
