VN, Cameroon beef up relations

At the talks, FM Lejeune Mbella Mbella hailed the socio-economic achievements that Viet Nam has obtained, expressing his aspiration to beef up cooperation in terms of trade, investment, agriculture, education, clean energy, and telecom. The guest leader said that his country stands ready to help bridge Vietnam and members of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

FM Lejeune Mbella Mbella lauded the effectiveness of Vietnamese-invested projects in Cameroon, including a joint venture between the military telecommunications group Viettel and a local firm that he described as a symbol of successful affiliation between the two countries.

The Cameroon side suggested the increase of coordination among localities of the two countries, as well as the organization of trade promotion programs and the exchange of training courses and scholarships.

The Cameroon Ministry of External Affairs will ask the President to approve the coverage of the country’s Ambassador to China over Viet Nam and the appointment of a honorary ambassador of Viet Nam in Cameroon, and create favorable conditions for the implementation of joint rice development projects in the form of public-private partnership.

In reply, Deputy PM, FM Minh recommended the two foreign ministries work closely together to accelerate a Viet Nam visit by the Cameroon President in 2018, and conclude negotiations for agreements on investment encouragement and protection and double-tax avoidance, and another deal on cooperation in industry and promoting Viet Nam’s exports to Cameroon.

Cameroon currently ranks the 12th out of 72 destinations of Vietnamese investors, with four projects totaling US$270 million. Two-way trade between the two sides has reached about US$200 million, mostly from Viet Nam’s imports of materials from Cameroon./.

By Thuy Ha