The Cameroon-Tunisia Joint Commission and Business Forum began in Yaounde on May 7.
Officials from Cameroon and Tunisia started meeting in Yaounde yesterday, May 7, 2012 to review judicial cooperation frameworks, seek ways of promoting investments and intensify cooperation between the two countries in the health, technology transfer, infrastructure and training sectors as well as sign other cooperation agreements.
The three-day meeting is within the framework of the ninth session of the Cameroon-Tunisia Joint Commission. The fourth session of the Cameroon-Tunisia Business Forum is also taking place on the sidelines of the Joint Commission session. Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo officially opened the Joint Commission and Business Forum sessions in the presence of the some cabinet ministers and other key government officials at the Yaounde Conference Centre.
He said the Joint Commission which is a forum for sharing and dialogue was a strong indication of the determination of the Heads of State of the two countries to consolidate the already excellent cooperation ties. Talking about the Business Forum, the Minister said it is an occasion for Cameroon and Tunisian businessmen to establish joint ventures, stating that the January 2011 revolution in Tunisia ushered in reforms which Cameroon strongly supports. The leader of the Tunisian delegation, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of Maghreb, Arab and African Affairs, Abdallah Triki, lauded the excellent relations between Cameroon and Tunisia.
He said thanks to the 2011 revolution, greater cooperation horizons were opening up. The Tunisian government official said his country was following up development efforts in Cameroon with much interest, stating that they were ready to support President Paul Biya in his “Major Accomplishments” programme aimed at making Cameroon an emerging country. He said the ninth session of the Joint Commission and fourth Business Forum will further boost relations with Tunisia’s strategic partner. Minister Mbonjo said Tunisia is Cameroon’s leading trade partner in North Africa, while Cameroon is also Tunisia’s first trade partner in the Central African Sub-region.
Relations between the two countries are governed by judicial cooperation frameworks. The two countries enjoy economic, scientific, cultural, technical, information and communication, professional training, sports and physical education, air transports, energy, geology and mining cooperation agreements. They also have Memorandums of Understanding for permanent diplomatic consultations and provisional fiscal conventions on taxes. The two delegations will for three days review the agreements and explore ways of new ones to be signed to consolidate bilateral relations.
