Rene Sadi receives Russian humanitarian aid in Yaoundé

Rene Emmanuel Sadi, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, on February 20, received humanitarian aid from the Russian government. The aid is to help Cameroon handle the refugee situation in the East region.

The package was handed over to Cameroon by Russia’s Vice Minister of Emergency Situations, Yuri Brazhnikov, in the presence of Vladimir Kushinov, Secretary General of the International Civil Defence Organisation, Nicolay Ratsiborinski, Russian Ambassador to Cameroon, Samuel Ivaha Dibouha, Governor of the East region and other top government officials from both countries.

The consignment of gifts from the Russian Federation, worth over 100 Million US dollars included equipment for reinforcement of civil defence in Cameroon and humanitarian support for refugees from the Central African Republic residing in the east.

They included fire-fighting trucks, a water purification system, compressors, several electricity generators, 340 tons of tournesol oil, 8,500 tons of flour, tents, among many others.

The samples presented at the Esplanade of the Yaounde City Council had arrived Yaoundé International Airport on Thursday night on board a Russian Cargo plane. A bigger part of the donation is expected to arrive the Douala seaport in the days ahead. The Russian delegation had been in Cameroon since February 18.

The Russian ambassador had in an audience with Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Peirre Mokoko Mbonjo on January 15, 2014 in Yaoundé, assured government that his country was diligently following the developments in the Sahelian region, especially around Cameroon’s border areas.

Ratsiborinski stated after the 2014 one-on-one with Mokoko, that Russia was ready to support Cameroon, and to become a partner in the consolidation of security in the country. He announced the arrival of modern and state-of-the-art Russian equipment and arms for Cameroonian armed forces as well as training of army officers in Russia.

The diplomat had equally stated after the meeting that the Russian humanitarian assistance was on its way to Cameroon and that it was destined to refugees from neighbouring Central African Republic and Nigeria.