Cameroon suspends BESC requirement for Chad and Central African Republic transit via Douala corridors
An anticipated measure for regional operators has come to fruition. The Cameroon National Shippers’ Council (CNCC) has announced the suspension, until further notice, of the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (BESC) requirement for goods transiting through the Douala-N’Djamena and Douala-Bangui corridors. This decision, formalized in a communiqué signed by Director General Auguste Mbappe Penda on June 15, 2026, impacts the entire logistics chain: shippers, accredited customs brokers, freight forwarders, and transporters involved in cargo flows destined for Chad and the Central African Republic via Cameroonian territory.
Introduced in 2006, the BESC was designed to enhance merchandise traceability, provide objective transport cost data, and contribute to commercial flow statistics. However, its application to simple transit cargo had become a recurring point of contention with Chadian and Central African operators, who frequently criticized the accumulation of formalities and associated fees on the route to Douala port.
A key concession from the N’Djamena tripartite forum
The suspension of this tracking note directly stems from the recommendations issued during the 5th Chad-Cameroon-Central African Republic tripartite forum, which took place in N’Djamena in May 2026. This significant gathering, dedicated to streamlining transit operations along the trans-Cameroonian axis, had highlighted persistent technical and administrative bottlenecks hindering the smooth flow of goods from Douala to N’Djamena and Bangui.
According to a CNCC official, as noted in the official communication, the functional issues were partly due to the still-deficient interconnection of information systems among the various shippers’ councils within the CEMAC zone. Paradoxically, a tool intended to simplify monitoring had ultimately complicated operations. Consequently, the suspension addresses both technical and political imperatives, pending the necessary harmonization of regional IT platforms. While Chadian and Central African authorities, who had long advocated for reduced procedures in Douala, view this decision as a positive signal, it is important to note that the measure does not affect the traceability mechanisms managed by Cameroonian customs administration, which remain fully operational for transit cargo.
Safeguarding 410 billion FCFA in annual revenues
For Yaoundé, the stakes are far from symbolic. Cameroonian customs authorities estimate annual revenues exceeding 410 billion FCFA generated by the transit of Chadian and Central African goods. This substantial income is directly linked to the port of Douala, which serves as the primary maritime connection for the landlocked Sahelian and Central African hinterlands. Any decline in the corridor’s competitiveness risks a gradual diversion of these crucial trade flows away from Cameroon.
This risk is indeed tangible. N’Djamena has been actively exploring alternative logistics routes for several years, including options via Nigeria’s Lagos port or corridors through Sudan. Similarly, Bangui regularly assesses the feasibility of the Congolese corridor through Pointe-Noire. In this highly competitive environment, every procedure perceived as superfluous fuels discussions about diversifying access to the sea. The removal of the BESC requirement for transit flows thus represents a defensive maneuver as much as an act of trade facilitation.
Suspension alone may not suffice
While transporters and shippers across the sub-region welcome this initiative, they also contend that much work remains to be done. Multiple controls along the Douala-N’Djamena axis, reported irregular practices at police and customs checkpoints, and persistent port processing delays continue to exert heavy pressure on logistics costs. Without comprehensive solutions to these structural irritants, the impact of the current measure is likely to remain limited.
For Cameroonian authorities, the immediate challenge lies in effectively balancing documentary simplification with administrative discipline. The modernization of information systems, enhanced inter-service coordination, and a reduction in redundant controls will be critical factors determining the trans-Cameroonian corridor’s ability to maintain its position as the preferred option for Chadian and Central African freight. The BESC suspension marks merely the initial phase in a long-anticipated agenda of reforms for CEMAC operators. The measure is effective immediately and will remain valid until further notice from the CNCC.
