Spanish ambassador bids farewell to Paul Biya

Marcelino Cabanas Ansorena, Spanish Ambassador to Cameroon, has ended his diplomatic mission in Cameroon.

At the end of the farewell meeting with President Paul Biya, at the Unity Palace yesterday, Marcelino Cabanas Ansorena, stated that his three year stay in Cameroon was positive.

"We had a pleasant conversation. We have a long history of diplomatic relations and 50 years of cooperation. Excellent relationship. I had an intense and very pleasant stay.”

Furthermore, he welcomed the convergence of views that emerged after the meeting with the president that lasted for 50 minutes. Paul Biya and Marcelino Ansorena shared similar views on all the topics discussed.

They both agreed on future cooperations for a better Cameroon and a stable Europe. “We want an emerging Cameroon and to win the fight against terrorism,” they both agreed.

The diplomat declared his admiration for Cameroon’s determination to combat the scourge and its hospitality measures towards refugees as well as the country’s resilience in the current difficult economic situation.

Ansorena welcomed the repute of the language of Cervantes in Cameroon. He was impressed by the number of people who spoke Spanish and the number of students who studied the language. He was also impressed by the knowledge Cameroonians had of his country especially its history in football. He concluded saying, "Cameroon and Spain have a common future."

President Paul Biya presented his host with some gifts after his speech.
With seven agreements including a trade cooperation agreement dating from 1964, relations between Cameroon and Spain were deployed in various sectors; politics and diplomacy, economy, finance and technology, culture and science.

According to government sources, Spain was the first trading partner of Cameroon in terms of exports in 2004 and 2005. Revenues from these exports in both years as disclosed by the government amounted to FCFA 223 412 and 357 599 million respectively.

With structural development in Cameroon, an agreement in Yaoundé vis-à-vis Madrid was signed in 1989 for an amount of FCFA 675 339 525. Since 1990, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has archived as many as 25 projects funded by Spain in Cameroon.