Actualités of Monday, 7 October 2013

Source: Cameroon Tribune

International Science Academy Seminar for Yaounde

German Ambassador, Dr Klaus-Ludwig Keferstein, announced this in Yaounde on October 3, 2013.

Yaounde will in the coming weeks host an international seminar for science academies from Germany and Africa on the theme, "Adapting to climate change in Africa."

Making the announcement on Thursday, October 3, 2013 at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel at a reception to mark the 23rd anniversary of his country's reunification, German Ambassador, Dr Klaus-Ludwig Keferstein, said the seminar was necessitated by the high number of Cameroonian students studying in Germany and the increasing level of cooperation between universities of the two countries. It will jointly be organised by the Leopoldina Science Academy of Germany and the Cameroon Science Academy.

The diplomat also disclosed that Cameroon and Germany will before the end of the year discuss the terms for future economic cooperation. He expressed hope that Germany will continue to contribute to the implementation of Cameroon's development objectives through the activities of the GiZ and KfW cooperation agencies. Talking about his country, Dr Keferstein said Germans today remember with gratitude the end of the division of their nation for over 40 years; an event that has enabled them to live together and enjoy the dividends of peace and freedom.

He said the goodness associated with German reunification was and will always remain an obligation for the people to work for the unity of Europe, peace, democracy and the protection of human rights all over the world. The Ambassador however acknowledged that living together after decades of separation has not been easy. He cited, for example, the different political and economic systems that existed in the then West and East Germany and the mentalities they created.

Dr Klaus-Ludwig Keferstein said a lot of investments have since been made in the defunct East Germany. Though the problem of unemployment still persists there, everything was being done to enable the people catch up with those in the then West Germany. Mentalities have however changed and the young people of the East and West today see themselves as one, though the older generations still have some problems of living together, he concluded.