The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril yesterday, April 9, 2013 enjoined Members of Parliament to ensure that the April 14, 2013 election of Senators takes

place in an atmosphere of peace and calm.

He stated that beyond the victory of a party in the election, it will be the victory of the entire country for it will witness the consolidation of democracy, strengthening of the institutional landscape and strides towards modernity.

Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril chaired the closing plenary sitting of the March 2013 ordinary session of the National Assembly which he said also marked the end of their term-of – office, expected on May 22, 2013. The plenary sitting was in the presence of the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali.

The House Speaker used the occasion to call on MPs to continue to support the Head of State who in a clairvoyant manner progressively puts in place institutions provided for in the 1996 Constitution. MPs have to continue with the support by being more aware and to get more informed about the Senate and its stakes. The Senate, he stated, will be a determining pillar of the legislative power , besides the National Assembly. The future contribution of the Senate to Cameroon becoming an emerging country , he said is incontestable.

Adoption of Bills.

Before the House Speaker’s closing speech, the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Emmanuel Bonde and the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Finance, Titti Pierre defended the bill to lay down private investment incentives in the Republic of Cameroon. The bill which supplements the Investment Charter would help to significantly improve the business environment, promote the creation, establishment and development of businesses in Cameroon, increase national production and ease job creation, thereby contributing to strong and lasting economic growth likely to make Cameroon an emerging economy by 2035.

Three other bills were also adopted during the March 2013 ordinary session of the National Assembly. There is the bill governing cultural heritage in Cameroon. There is also the bill to authorize the President of the Republic to ratify the 2010 International Cocoa Agreement, concluded in Geneva on 25 June 2010 and another to authorize the President of the Republic to proceed with Cameroon’s accession to the OECD Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters that was signed in 1988, amended by the 2010 Protocol and open for accession by non member countries in November 2011.