“India Is Setting Up A Pharmaceutical Company In Cameroon”

His Excellency Naga Bushana Reddy, highlights the areas of cooperation that he wants to improve in Cameroon-Indian ties. .

How do you foresee your mission in Cameroon?

Cameroon and India have extremely good and cordial bilateral relations. We do not only work in the bilateral format, but we work very closely in the regional and multinational platforms and in my previous assignments with the United Nations, I have always had the privilege of working with the Cameroonian delegation who always bring with them the world of experience given that they are an essential force in the Central African Sub-region. Indian recently supported the election of Cameroon to head the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. It is a context which is rich and not only confined to bilateral but also to regional and multilateral cooperation.

So what will you focus on in the bilateral ties between India and Cameroon?

My mission here is to promote the already existing and well established relations between Cameroon and India and take them to a higher level. I have come to present my credentials to the leaders of the country to look at the various aspects of our relationship; political, economic, defence, culture and the commercial relations. In this context, we would be looking forward to the participation of the Cameroonian leadership and the visits of Cameroon leaders to India and we will also hope to bring some of the Indian leaders to Cameroon. Coming to the defence sector, it is a growing relationship with more maturity in the recent years. Our Defence Adviser who is based in Abuja, Nigeria also looks after Cameroon. We have been able to provide training for the Cameroonian Armed Forces through the office in Nigeria. Coming to economic and commercial relations, we are expanding the bilateral trade which at present is in the range of 5 million US dollars. We are presently importers of large commodities, significant among them is the crude oil and other petroleum related products.

What of efforts made in health care between India and Cameroon, so far?

India is a developing country and in recent years much attention has been paid in the health sector. We have been able to offer fairly and cost effective services and have highly competent health infrastructure in India. In addition, the pharmaceutical sector in India is well known and for many years manufacturers have been able to export their products to Cameroon and our efforts have been to ensure that our products are of quality. Several Cameroonians have travelled to get medical attention in India because we have world class qualified doctors and machinery. Access to health care is made more affordable because we produce medication of high quality but sell at a relatively cheaper price. India is setting up a pharmaceutical company in Cameroon and it should be operational in 2018 and will be located in Yasa in Douala.

Some government officials from Cameroon have been to India and before coming here what do you know about the importance of such visits in fostering trade links that you want to promote?

I recognised during the recent visit of Cameroon’s Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development to India, this dimension was discussed and we are looking at the possibility of visits by Indian companies which are specialised in downstream products particularly in the refining capacities and also the distribution of petroleum products to visit your hydrocarbons sector. The next important area is the development of agriculture. I recognise not only in Cameroon but the entire African continent that there is a drive to help improve on the capacities because; there is no reason why with such arable land African countries should have to import food items. Elaborate plans have been drawn by the Cameroonian leadership and India will like to come in and assist in their efforts to meet these expectati...