Gabonese Ambassador Lauds Cooperation With Cameroon

The outgoing Ambassador of Gabon, who doubled as the dean of the diplomatic corps to Cameroon, Michel Madoungou says there are no clouds in relations between Cameroon and Gabon, lauding excellent cooperation with the hallmark being high-level visits by Heads of State of the two countries. Michel Madoungou had a farewell audience with Prime Minister, Philemon Yang yesterday, November 13, 2012 at the Star Building in Yaounde.

Talking to journalists after the audience, the Gabonese diplomat who has spent six years at the head of his country's diplomatic mission in Cameroon, singled out university cooperation to illustrate excellent bilateral ties. He said Cameroon and Gabon were experimenting a unique case called, "Mobile Masters" focused on disaster and conflict management studies. The masters programme is taking place simultaneously in two Universities, the first year started in 2011 at the Omar Bongo University in Gabon and the second year in the University of Yaounde II, Soa in Cameroon.

The Ambassador also disclosed that the creation of the co-prosperity zone between Cameroon and Gabon, President Ali Bongo Ondimba announced during the Africa 21 International Conference that held in Yaounde, Cameroon in May 2010, was becoming a reality. From September 27 to 29, 2012, an International Colloqium took place in Libreville, Gabon under the co-patronage of the President Ali Bongo of Gabon and President Paul Biya of Cameroon. The participants, who were drawn from the University of Yaounde II and Omar Bongo University gave a theoretical content to the co-prosperity zone project.

Cameroon's Head of State and Gabon's respective Heads of State within the six years of Michel Madoungou's stay in Cameroon have exchanged high-level visits to further consolidate cooperation. He said President Paul Biya was in Gabon three times , late Gabonese President, Omar Bongo Ondimba visited Cameroon and the current Gabonese Head of State, Ali Bongo Ondimba paid a visit to President Biya still as President-elect immediately after the proclamation of his victory in August 2009 presidential election.

Ambassador Michel Madoungou who leaves Cameroon for London, United Kingdom in the same capacity, said his mission was accomplished in Cameroon. He considers Cameroon as a special country owing to its membership in different cultural organisations such the Commonwealth, International Organisation of La Francophonie and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. The Ambassador described this as an asset to Cameroon.