Crude Awakening

The World Bank-supported Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline has been operational for over six years, but the controversy surrounding the so-called oil for development project has hardly died down.

The 1070 km (670 mile) pipeline transports oil from the Doba fields of southwestern Chad to a marine loading terminal off the Atlantic coast near Cameroon. From one end of the pipeline to the other, project partners raised the hopes and expectations of local populations.

But today, for those who had no real choice or say about the project, the disappointment is profound.