Cameroon-Switzerland: Cooperation ties strengthened

Cameroon-Switzerland ties have gained steam with the visit of the Vice President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga to Cameroon over the weekend.

Upon arrival at the Yaounde Nsimalen Airport the august guest was received by Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang.

Following her three-day sojourn in Yaounde, the Swiss Vice President made some stopovers in various parts of the Centre region.

On Friday 26th September 2014 two major texts on immigration were signed between the Swiss envoy and the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations, in charge of Cooperation with the Islamic World, Adoum Gargoum who represented Cameroon.

Accordingly,

•Owners of diplomatic and Cameroonian service passports travelling to Switzerland shall be exempt from entry for a predefined period.

•The two parties also undertook to reinforce the fight against irregular immigration.

On Saturday 27th September 2014, Mrs Simonetta Sommaruga was received in audience by Cameroon’s Head of State, HE President Paul Biya.

Both personalities discussed for ninety minutes and top on the agenda was the influx of refugees into Cameroon, following the crisis in Central African Republic and Northern Nigeria.

The Swiss envoy, later visited the Chantal Biya Foundation and the Yaounde Central Prison in Kondengui.

On each stop, Mrs Simonetta listened to the challenges faced by staff as well as lauded the efforts of those in command.

Mrs Simonetta visited the Otele Potable Water Project and the Obala Agricultural Institute both Swiss-sponsored projects in the Centre Region.

Regarding the Otele Water Project, a project which receives support from the Saint Martin Foundation in Baar, Switzerland, the Swiss Vice President expressed satisfaction.

At the Obala Agricultural Institute, a Swiss-Cameroon partnership initiative, Mrs Simonetta encouraged the young trainees therein to be more productive.

She noted that agriculture is a pertinent sector capable of boosting employment and food production.

Mrs Simonetta Sommaruga emphasised her country’s determination to continue cooperating with Cameroon in the domain of agriculture.

The Vice President of the Swiss Confederation ended her three-day working visit in Cameroon in the early hours of Monday 29th September, 2014.