Saudi Prince Promises Strengthened Cooperation

The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud used his 48-hour visit to Cameroon to discuss ways of further strengthening cooperation between Cameroon and Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Vice Foreign Affairs Minister and his delegation had discussions with Cameroon's Prime Minister, Philemon Yang at the Star Building. Besides reviewing bilateral cooperation, the visit was also characterized by the exchange of gifts. At the end of the over 30-minute discussions, the Saudi government official declined talking to the press. Prior to the audience with the Prime Minister, the Saudi government official had discussions at the Ministry of External Relations. He told the press that they discussed ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation with focus on the economy, though without naming specific areas.

What remains certain is that the visit of June 19 to 20, 2012 further marks another stride in strengthening bilateral relations between Cameroon and Saudi Arabia that established diplomatic relations in 1966. The two countries have resident Ambassadors with Mahmoud Bin Hussein Quattan heading the Saudi diplomatic mission in Cameroon, while, Iya Tidjani heads that of Cameroon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Development Fund, has left indelible imprints in bilateral economic and financial cooperation, through financing projects in the form of concession loans, gifts and technical assistance.

Visible marks are seen in road projects such as Yaounde- Douala, Guider-Tchonti and ongoing projects such as the Ayos-Bonis, Foumban-Tibati and Sangmelima-Djoum roads. In the religious and cultural cooperation, besides thousands of Cameroonian Muslim pilgrims that go to Saudi Arabia every year, the country also supports the construction of Mosques in Cameroon.