World Report

Links between Britain and Cameroon are strengthening and deepening in areas of politics, investment, education and science

President Byia with Tony Blair on an official visit to Britain

ameroon’s relations with the UK are good. The UK has a High Commission in Yaounde as well as a commercial representative in Douala. The British Council also operates from Yaounde, Douala and Bamenda. Cameroonian President Paul Biya made an official visit to Britain in March of this year where he was met by Prime Minister Blair and had an audience with the Queen. While in London, President Biya also met with a number of UK investors and businessmen to discuss bilateral activities. Minister of Communications Jacques Fame Ndongo, comments, “The recent visit of the Head of State to Britain was highly successful, not only in the high distinction of his hosts, but also in the richness of the meetings and exchanges. We want Britain to know that Cameroon is a dynamic country on the path of democracy and development, and it is a welcoming and peaceful country that is open to UK investors.”

Links between Britain and Cameroon are strengthening and deepening in many areas, including Parliamentary and political relations, trade and investment, education, scientific research and culture. Cameroon joined the Commonwealth in November 1995 and has since worked closely with the UK in both the Commonwealth and United Nations arenas. Within the UK’s framework for promoting human rights, democracy, good governance and peace and prosperity in the region, the UK has contributed funding to the National Elections Observatory in Cameroon, and is working with the government to ensure that the presidential elections this year are fair and transparent.

Britain has also funded training for Cameroonian military personnel in peacekeeping operations and is a major partner in the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative, under which it has to date forgiven Cameroon some £60 million.

The Cameroonian government hopes to continue widening its relations with the UK in the future, according to Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge, who says that he would like to see a further strengthening of co-operation between the UK and Cameroon on issues across the board. He elaborates, “Economically speaking, the government would like to see an increase in British investment, as well as continued UK support for our poverty reduction strategy.

Culturally, we would like to see an increase in assistance for young Cameroonians who would like to further their education in the UK. Cameroon can also benefit from the depth of experience that Britain has in the protection and conservation of the environment.” Regarding present environmental co-operation, the government of Cameroon supports Prime Minister Blair’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and attended a Ministerial conference in London on the initiative this June. EITI encourages transparency in countries with petroleum and mining sectors, and calls upon signatory governments to publish revenues.

Trade and investment levels between the two countries are also on the rise. Exports from the UK to Cameroon have grown slightly in the past decade, registering £33.7 million in 1996, and £35.8 million in 2002. Main UK exports include industrial machinery, dairy and cereal products, and chemical materials. UK imports from Cameroon, on the other hand, have grown substantially in the same time period from £42.7 million to £64.7 million. Top UK imports include vegetables and fruit, cork and wood, coffee, cocoa, tea, spices and petroleum. Even so, although the European Union represents Cameroon’s largest trading partner, the UK only ranks as 9th on Cameroon’s list of export markets, which is headed by France, Nigeria and the US. British companies present in Cameroon include Diageo (owner of Guinness), BAT, Standard Chartered and Royal Dutch Shell.

EXPORT COMMODITIES:
· Crude oil
· Petroleum products
· Lumber
· Cocoa beans
· Aluminium
· Coffee
· Cotton

EXPORT PARTNERS:
· Italy: 17.4%
· Spain: 16.8%
· France: 13.4%
· US: 8.7%
· Netherlands: 8.6%