The outgoing High Commissioner of Canada to Cameroon, Benoit-Pierre Laramée leaves Cameroon honoured and congratulated for his strides in giving more impetus to the Cameroon-Canada friendly cooperation ties.

External Relations Minister, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo offered a dinner in honour of the Canadian diplomat on behalf of President Paul Biya in the Yaounde Hilton Hotel, on Wednesday, November 12.

The hallmark of the event that was attended by some Cameroon cabinet ministers and officials of the Canadian High Commission in Yaounde was the raising of Benoit-Pierre Laramée to the rank of Grand Officer of the Cameroon National Order of Valour in recognition of his commitment to fostering bilateral relations during his three-year stay in Cameroon.

Speaking as he offered a toast, Moukoko Mbonjo pointed out key areas the outgoing High Commissioner had worked to consolidate and foster bilateral relations.

In the economic domain, he singled out the signing of the agreement between the two countries to promote and protect foreign investment, visits by Cameroon government officials for investment exploration missions in Canada, especially that of a delegation led by the Secretary General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Louis Paul Motaze that signed Memoranda of Understanding with Canadian investors.

The Minister disclosed that in 50 years of diplomatic relations established in 1962, Canada has given over FCFA 50 billion development assistance to Cameroon.