PM Yang on Tuesday had separate discussions with a senior US official and the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador.

The United States of America has promised closer partnership with Cameroon in tackling the HIV/AIDS pandemic through seeking for resources from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR and advocacy campaigns for more resources from Europeans and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Ambassador Eric Goosby, the US State Department AIDS Coordinator and the head of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief made the declaration to reporters after discussions with Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang at the Star Building yesterday, August 27, 2013. He disclosed that Cameroon has 123,000 identified people living with AIDS and who are following up treatment. “Cameroonian leadership is strong, the commitment is real and we are very happy to continue and expand our partnership,” Eric Goosby said. The US government would want Cameroonian authorities to define needs, so that together they can make strategic planning. “Tackling AIDS cases requires that we use the Cameroonian resources smartly, we make sure that the resources coming from the US and the Global Fund are added with the Cameroonian resources to make sure that we continue to expand the response to those who are infected and affected from HIV,” Ambassador Eric Goosby explained.

Outgoing Egyptian Ambassador

Prime Minister Philemon Yang and the outgoing Ambassador of Egypt to Cameroon, Ibrahim Moustafa Hafez reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries. Talking to reporters after the discussions, the Egyptian diplomat who headed his country’s diplomatic mission since September 10, 2009, said Cameroon-Egypt cooperation is governed by the Grand Joint Commission. He announced the Follow-up Commission to the Grand Joint Commission for October 2013 stating that it will cover all aspects of cooperation. His discussions with Prime Minister Yang also centred on the need for investors in both countries to be part of the Grand Joint Commission.  On the situation back in Egypt, he said the transitional period was on course stating that the people want a country of human and civic rights, State of law, social justice void of all sorts of exclusions. Sources in the Ministry of External Relations say, Sherif Salah Eldin Elleithy has been appointed Egypt’s new Ambassador to Cameroon.