The construction of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline is the largest private sector investment in sub-Saharan African, and was financed by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation together with Exxon-Mobil. The companies involved in exploitation of Chad oil are Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Petronas multinationals. The 1070 km pipeline runs from the south of Chad, through rural areas in Cameroun to the loading point off the coast. The pipeline has been running since October 2003, and oil spills have already been detected. Passing through rainforests, pygmy land and agricultural areas where food and cotton is produced, the potential damage of leakages from the pipe line is huge. Civil society organisations in Chad and Cameroun have continued to cry out in warning about the direct environmental impact of the pipeline - besides the general concerns about fossil fuel contributing to global warming.

Chad-Cameroon pipeline

The political situation in Chad and Cameroon is not stable and civil society doubted that the regimes of these countries would stick to agreements and use the funds to the benefit of the people living in the areas affected by the pipeline. These have proven to be valid concerns as Chad has spent revenues from oil on weapons; meanwhile affected communities in Cameroun are still waiting to see the job opportunities that the pipeline was supposed to create. The World Bank financed only 4 % of the pipeline, but its participation in the project is important to the other companies involved because its reduces the risk involved due to the Banks particular relations as a donor to the countries. The motives behind the World Bank’s involvement in this project are reported to be poverty reduction, but again, it is difficult to see how.