D’la Reunification Stadium: Canada lobbies renovation contract

The Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, accompanied by a business consortium was at Minsep to push for protocol accord towards the project.

With Cameroon embarked on the construction of sports infrastructure towards hosting the 2016 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the country is being courted by several foreign countries eager to win contracts.

After the Japanese, Chinese and Turks, here come the Canadian proposing to do the renovation work on the Douala Reunification stadium earmarked to host matches for the 2016 AFCON.

The Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, Rene Cremonese accompanied by the director of Business development and sales of the Canadian Commercial Corporation, Donald Olsen and the developer of strategic markets of a business consortium, SODEVI, were at the ministry of Sports and Physical Education for the third time on Thursday July 21 to push their bid for the contract.

The Canadian bid includes an offer for pre financing from the Canadian Commercial Corporation and all what is needed is a protocol of understanding, said Jean François Leroux of SODEVI.

While noting that progress has been made since the last meeting, the Canadian high commissioner said there was need to speed up things for work to start soonest since they were working within a very tight schedule.

The technical and financial aspects of the project were to be discussed with the Cameroonian authorities in a meeting the following day after the audience with the minister.

The minister of Sports and Physical education expressed gratitude that Canada was interested in helping Cameroon organise the 2019 AFCON saying he will accelerate the administrative procedure towards the award of the contract disclosing that he had already forwarded all necessary information towards the signing of the protocol accord to hierarchy.

He said the whole of Cameron was mobilised towards the successful hosting of the 2016 and 2019 AFCONs and urged the Canadian visitors to feel free in Cameroon, a land of hospitality.