The Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon René Cremonese on June 29 said his country was assisting Cameroon in several domains.

To enable Cameroon face the effects of the Boko Haram attacks in Far North Cameroon, Canada has doubled its humanitarian assistance in 2016. The Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, René Cremonese said besides the humanitarian assistance, Canada has also been assisting Cameroon in counter-terrorism efforts and inviting officials from the country to a number of capacity –building workshops.

The Canadian High Commissioner made the declaration at his Bastos, Yaounde residence on June 29, 2016 during celebrations marking the 149^th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation.  Talking in the presence of some Cameroon cabinet ministers led by the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, heads of some diplomatic missions and other senior dignitaries, the High Commissioner said his country has been cooperating with Cameroon in several domains such as health, trade, democracy and human rights. 

He said the cooperation has been through building win-win partnerships with government, international and civil society organizations, with the ultimate goal of propelling Cameroon to attain its 2035 emergence vision. René Cremonese said Canada has financed projects to fight against forced marriages, prevention of violence against women and sensitized traditional rulers, especially in northern part of Cameroon on the rights of girls to inheritance and property. He also lauded the dynamism of civil society organizations that helped Canada to succeed in its sponsored programmes.

Information displayed in posters at the High Commissioner’s residence mentioned some of the projects sponsored in Cameroon. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, one of the posters read, has committed a total amount of 175.5 million U.S. Dollars to Cameroon between 2001 and 2020 to support immunization programmes for pneumonia and rotavirus. The celebration was also an occasion for exchanges with one key highlight being the toast and cutting of the anniversary cake.