Diversifying Business Partners

Commentaire.

The official full stop given to the 72-hour State visit by President Paul Biya and Wife Chantal Biya to the Republic of Italy yesterday 21 March, 2017,  signals new horizons for both countries. Coming one year after a similar visit by the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella to Cameroon the frequency is indicative not just of the level of ties and friendship, but also a symbol of determination by President Biya and his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella to move another step higher.
Already, Cameroon has enjoyed much support from the Italian business and scientific communities with several key Italian processing companies having settled in Cameroon and social structures like the Chantal Biya’s research and other humanitarian activities benefiting much from renowned Italian scientists. 
Coming at a time when some observers were getting jittery at the collapse of some Italian companies like the timber processing firms in the East Region and others across the country many were tempted to get bemused at what they thought was a decline in Italian investments. Their business acumen and corporate social responsibilities that led to the creation of mythical volleyball and handball clubs developed an affinity with the population to the extent of making such companies household names.
However, various public declarations by both leaders during the visit speak of their ambitions to reinforce bilateral ties between their countries especially concerning economic investments. President Sergio Mattarella’s visit to Cameroon last year was in the presence of several investors from Italy and no wonder, the Italian Ambassador to Cameroon, Samuela Isopi has been moving round to examine major development projects carried out by her country in Cameroon. The heavy presence of investors from Italy at the just-ended Yaounde International Exhibition for Small and Medium-size Enterprises, dubbed PROMOTE 2017 led by a senior government official from the country could not go unnoticed.
A flagship project such as the Olembe multipurpose football complex in the nation’s capital, Yaounde that is currently being constructed by an Italian company will certainly make more sense to many once the country hosts the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in such an infrastructure.
As a follow-up to the growing Cameroon-Italian business ties, the Head of State on the first day of his official visit to Rome had a working session with the business community in Italy and a similar meeting today in Rome should be suggestive of the economic building blocks that are being laid by both countries.
President Paul Biya has even suggested fruitful areas where interested Italian investors could start thinking of how best to put their money. “I wish to add that our project to develop, in Cameroon, an industrial web tailored to our needs should attract the great power in the manufacturing industry that I...