Turkey disburses 550 billion FCFA for upcoming projects in Cameroon

Omer Farouk Dogan, the Ambassador of Turkey at end of his stay in Cameroon, said the Turkish private sector will finance infrastructure projects in the country, for an overall budget of 550 billion FCFA.

Most of these funds will permit the development of sports infrastructure, in prelude to the Organization of the African Cup of Nations by 2019, which will be hosted in Cameroon.

"I guarantee that this sum of 550 billion FCFA will be in Cameroon in six weeks, in order to be used for the Cameroonian projects. It is left for the government of Cameroon to choose priority projects", the Turkish diplomat said in an interview with the government daily, in its September 9, 2015 edition.

These funds will certainly be the most important action led by Omer Dogan Farouk during his 3 year stay in Cameroon. A stay that was particularly marked by a revitalization of trade between Cameroon and Turkey, the arrival of the Turkish Airlines in Cameroonian, the construction of a cement plant of about 600,000 tons in Douala by the Turkish group Eren Holdings and the construction of the Turcam hall in Yaoundé, as the first Center of the Turkish exhibition in Central Africa.

“The strategic partnership between Cameroon and Turkey is profound. By producing in Cameroon, we can address 300 million consumers in the sub-region. With the experience and know-how of the Turkish private sector, we can accompany Cameroon towards emergence in the year 2035.

This is the reason why Cameroon is very important for its strategic partner, Turkey," said Omer Farouk Dogan, to justify the interest of Turkey in Cameroon, during the past five years.

Moreover, though generally satisfied with his action in Cameroon, the Turkish diplomat leaves Yaoundé with a bit of regret: of not being able to enter the agricultural sector. "We could not use our potential in the agricultural sector.

I tried for several Cameroonian products as cotton, sesame, cacao, coffee and fruits such as pineapple, banana, papaya... which cannot be produced in Turkey. But we must first increase the level of production here in Cameroon and dock with standards.”