Pointe Noire- Brazzaville highway opens Congo up for sub-regional trade

The previously abandoned road connecting the Republic of Congo’s capital, Brazzaville to its port city Pointe Noire has become a major route for the transportation of goods and people within Congo as well as within the central Africa region.

The road had been neglected in favour of a rail line which connected the country’s north and south.

Since its opening, traders as well as importers and exporter who need to get their goods to and from the Congolese port city of Pointe Noire, do not necessarily have to wait for the train.

Marius Mabiala, a truck driver told Africanews that using the route which connected the Congo’s administrative and commercial capitals was difficult “but you know once the road is paved, everything becomes easy for us,” he said.

The train still plays a crucial role in moving goods and people between the two cities and other interior parts of Congo.

An estimated 300 vehicles including trucks with loads of up to 50 tons use the highway daily.

Yves Rodrigue Pounga, who is a coordinator at the Mengo toll both confirmed that since the toll booths were opened, they have been receiving vehicles from neighbouring Cameroon as well as Cabinda in Angola.

Traders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and the Central African Republic also use the transnational highway as central Africa does not have interconnecting highways.

It is hoped that the highway as well as other planned to link Pointe Noire with the border of Cameroon will go a long way to improve trade within the central Africa region.