As part of efforts to strengthen economic ties among CEMAC member States, plans are underway for the setting up of a joint-prosperity zone by Cameroon and Gabon.
Making the announcement on Thursday August 17 in Yaounde at the 52nd anniversary of his country’s National Day, Ambassador Michel Madoungou said an international symposium to the effect will be organised by the University of Yaounde II, Soa and Omar Bongo University, Libreville next month in Libreville. An international forum also involving the two universities will hold at the University of Yaounde II, Soa in November. It will be attended amongst others by civil society representatives and businessmen.
Talking about relations between the two countries, Ambassador Madoungou said it was out of question to envisage for a single moment, any major hitch, adding that the fact that Cameroon and Gabon are so linked by history, geography, sociology, geopolitics and geostrategy already excludes such an eventuality.
The Gabonese diplomat said his country was determined to become an emergent economy by 2025. The signs of the efforts, he said, were already evident with projects going on in the areas of road and bridge construction, special economic zones, water and electricity supply, education, health and general upfitment of the people’s standards of living.
Gabon, Ambassador Madoungou noted, is committed to the promotion of African solidarity as one of the important pillars of its diplomacy. This has led the country to play important roles in peace-building and consolidation on the continent, especially in the Central African Sub-region, he added.
The Minister of External Relations, Prof. Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo represented government at the event. He was joined by the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Gregoire Owona. The occasion also saw the cutting of the anniversary cake.
