The country's Ambassador to Cameroon and MINEPAT boss signed the accords on Wednesday, September 11, 2013.

The People's Republic of China has pledged to disburse FCFA 85.440 billion to carry out potable water supply projects in Cameroon's nine cities as well as offer technical assistance to the Yaounde Gynecological and Pediatrics hospital and those of Buea and Mbalmayo in the South West and Centre Regions respectively.

Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon, Wo Ruidi, and Cameroon's Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi penned the loan agreements in Yaounde yesterday September 11. This was in the presence of the Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Basile Atangana Kouna.

Potable Water Supply

One of the accords, to the tune of 1,059 billion Yuans (about FCFA 85 billion) is destined to finance potable water supply projects in nine cities in the country. But only four cities (Bafoussam, Bamenda, Kribi and Sangmélima) are concerned with the first phase of the project to last 36 months. This consists in 12 months of feasibility studies and conception of the project and 24 months of proper execution. Speaking during the ceremony, the Chinese diplomat said the loan is testimony of China's continuous will to stand by Cameroon in its bid to eradicate poverty and suffering and attain emergence.

Describing the win-win cooperation between the two countries as growing from strength to strength with each passing day, Minister Nganou Djoumessi said water is life and government is unwavering in efforts to move access to potable water from 45 per cent in 2007 to 80 per cent in 2015. "Access to potable water is a prerequisite for development and the sector has a pride of place position in the country's development agenda not only because it is part of the Millennium Development Goals but a human right as well," he said.

Meanwhile, his colleague of Water Resources and Energy observed that potable water supply is topical in the Head of State's Greater Accomplishment programme. "The peculiarity of the loan is that there is no counterpart funding and we salute the Chinese government for this support which is in perfect harmony with the Head of State's commitment with the people of Cameroon," Atangana Kouna said.

Health

The other loan, amounting to 5.5 million Yuans (about FCFA 440 million) will serve as China's technical support for the upkeep of the Yaounde Gynecological and Pediatrics hospital as well as those of Buea and Mbalmayo. Focus will be on assuring the maintenance of hospital equipment and the training of Cameroonian technicians. The two-year (September 19, 2013 to September 18, 2015) maintenance work will consists in training seven Cameroonian health specialists in China in the domains of radiology, anesthesia monitoring equipment, medical electro-physiology equipment et al as well as in the supply of part of the medical equipment, their materials and spare parts.