13, May 2020
Heartless Macron pressures Biya to order resumption of Air-France commercial flights 0
President Paul Biya has approved the execution of Air-France’s commercial flights from May 4 to June 30, 2020. This notice was sent to the Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority in a letter sent by the Minister of Transport Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe.
According to the letter, the flights will be executed alternatively, weekly, at the international airports of Yaounde-Nsimalen and Douala.
This agreement is however subjected to the observation of some key conditions. “Passengers on these flights will have to present a negative coronavirus screening test when boarding, and commit to self-confine at their expenses upon arrival in Cameroon,” the Minister of Transport wrote.
“Arrangements will have to be made for their monitoring in our country. The mandatory wearing of masks and compliance with barrier measures will also be imperative for these passengers and Air-France staff,” he added.
Last March, the Cameroonian government revealed that the first cases of coronavirus in the country were imported. Most of those infected had landed from Air-France’s commercial flights. Following this importation of the pandemic, Cameroon had decided to close all its borders.
With the confirmation that the President of the Republic has given his approval for the resumption of commercial flights of the French airline to Cameroon, are we moving towards the reopening of the country’s borders?
An Air France flight that landed on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital, was at the center of heated debates at the Douala International Airport because of its contaminated human contents.
The flight raised fear in the Central African country by many notches, as Cameroonians fear that their fellow Cameroonians and some Frenchmen returning to the country were bearers of the dangerous Coronavirus that has disrupted economic activity across the globe and killed thousands, especially in China where the virus started.
Written by Business in Cameroon and Cameroon Concord News
15, May 2020
Ambazonia Crisis, Boko Haram derails exploration in Bakassi and the Far North 0
Force majeure has been declared at two areas in Cameroon, Bakassi in the southwest and Zina-Makary in the far north, as a result of insecurity.
Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures’ (SNH) director of strategy Maurice Matanga disclosed the problems in an interview with the company’s newsletter. Matanga was discussing the country’s 2020-24 development plan and reflecting on progress made.
Production has fallen by 25% in the last few years, he said, driven by maturing fields and insecurity, which has delayed new works.
Insecurity in Cameroon’s north is likely linked to Boko Haram. Bakassi was declared to be Cameroonian territory following a dispute with Nigeria. Cameroon’s southwest is home to a separatist Anglophone movement who were reportedly involved in the killing of the mayor of Mamfe on the weekend.
China’s Yan Chang was reported to have found oil in the Zina-Makary licence in 2011 but progress has been slow because of security worries.
The development plan to 2024 is intended to maximise revenues from oil and gas. This will come from upstream operations but also increased tariffs paid to the state from the Chad-Cameroon pipeline.
The link provided $41.2 million of revenues to Cameroon during the first eight months of 2019, from $34.24mn in 2018.
Progress on SNH’s plan covering 2015-19 made good progress overall, Matanga said, despite the difficult broader outlook for the sector.
He singled out progress on gas-fired power generation in Kribi and increased supplies in Douala. Matanga went on to note SNH had increased its stake in Chanas Assurances and Cameroon Oil Terminal SA (COTSA).
The 2020-24 plan comes in less favourable conditions, with oil production continuing to decline despite SNH’s efforts. These included improving the country’s contractual framework, searching for new fields and optimising the production from existing. A new petroleum code was adopted in April 2019.
One bright spot has been LNG, with Perenco exporting 19 cargoes in 2019, an increase of seven from the previous year.
Source: EnergyVoice.Com