A senior Cameroonian diplomat has called on Saudi Arabia’s business community to invest in his country. The central African cuntry which has a unique mix of natural resources and geography that make it attractive to investment.
Iya Tidjani, Cameroon’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia made this call during a reception in Riyadh to mark the country’s 51st national day.
On behalf of the Kingdom, Dr Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs, and Prince Faisal Bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Riyadh Mayor, attended the national day reception as guests at the Cultural Palace, in Riyadh. Dr Al-Rassi and Ambassador Tidjani cut the ceremonial cake to mark the occasion.
The event was attended by a large number of Saudi officials, diplomats and newsmen.
Speaking on this occasion, Tidjani said: “I take this opportunity to reiterate to Saudi businessmen, Saudi companies in the public and private sectors that the embassy is entirely at their disposal to facilitate contacts with their counterparts in Cameroon and to provide them with useful information on the business environment in Cameroon or on tourist attractions of this cosmopolitan country, located in the heart of Africa and rightly called Africa in miniature”.
“Economically, Cameroon represents 40 percent of the economy of the central African sub-region, with an incentive investment code, designed to provide basic guarantees to investors such as free repatriation of capital/profit and access to land ownership,” he added.
He pointed out that the soil of Cameroon is very alluvial for wood, diamonds, bauxite, nickel, gold and other minerals.
“In addition, we have a booming tourism sector…it is a country that must be visited, as a tourist or as an investor” said the envoy, adding that the diplomatic relationsbetween the two countries were established in 1966, and since then these relations have continued to deepen for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
Recalling the signing of the General Cooperation Agreement in 2021, Ambassador Tidjani said that the endorsement of this accord has gone a long way in boosting the bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of investment, trade, mining, agriculture, tourism, sports and the fight against terrorism.
“This agreement therefore opens great prospects for cooperation between Cameroon and Saudi Arabia, especially as it reinforces the air transport agreement signed between our two countries on March 7, 2017,” he added.
The diplomat further said that Saudi Arabia is a faithful friend and a major player in international relations, as is evident by the eminent role that this country is playing in the world economy, the solidarity and cohesion of the Ummah, the fight against terrorism, and the promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond.
“We share similar views and approaches on major international issues and consult each other regularly,” said Tidjani. To this end, he noted that visit of Cameroonian Foreign Minister Mbella Mbella to Saudi Arabia in October 2020.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Saudi authorities for the multifaceted support they are providing to Cameroon, through the Saudi Fund for Development and the Saudi medical caravan.
A joint medical team from the Al Balsam Organization and the King Salman Center is currently in Cameroon within this framework of joint cooperation. He also thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for their commendable support to Cameroon.
Referring to the terrorist attacks in Africa and also in Cameroon, Ambassador Tidjani deplored the situation and said: “Since 2014, Cameroon has been facing, like other African countries in the Sahelo-Saharan zone, terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Boko Haram Group, particularly in the far north region of the country”.
He, however, thanked the wise leadership of Paul Biya, and the combined strategy of the defense forces of the countries of the sub-region in curbing the menace of terrorism.
On another front, the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon also used to be attacked by secessionist groups who, under false pretexts of trade union complaints, killed innocent civilians, burned schools and hospitals and destroyed the property, said the envoy, while recalling the national dialogue organized in September-October 2019 to restore peace and security in the region.
He said that the defense and security forces have, however, remained deployed in these areas to protect the people and their property.
He said that the Cameroonian government has also launched a “disarmament, demobilization and reintegration” (DDR), program for both ex-combatants of Boko Haram and secessionist groups, to help them to return to normal and civilian life, through programs and projects aimed at facilitating their socio-economic reintegration.
“I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all our partners who have supported the government in this process,” said the envoy, while thanking the US and many other countries who tried to bring justice and ensure peace and security.
