‘Unlike some countries, US transfers technology, creates jobs’

The Deputy Chief of the Political-Economic Section at the Embassy of the United States of America in Yaounde, Cameroon, Dr. Derrin R. Smith has said that, unlike some countries, the United States has the policy of encouraging US companies to transfer technology, as well as create jobs, for the local population in foreign countries where they install or do business.

“With partners, we share. Some countries do not share technology with partners, and some countries do not create jobs for the local people. We do”.

Dr. Smith was talking to reporters in Douala on September 7, 2015, during a visit to an America Group, Southwest International Construction Corporation, that has expanded to Cameroon, with some of its affiliates like Quality Habitat, that has just finished constructing its factory at the Logbaba Industrial Zone in Douala III. The construction of the factory is a FCFA 11 billion project.

Though the American Diplomat did not mention any name as regards those industrialised countries that selfishly do not transfer technology as well as create jobs for local population in foreign countries where they operate, reporters unanimously assumed that he was referring to China in particular.

Building Partnerships

Dr. Smith stated that the US Embassy, through the Commercial Section, “is very interested in building partnerships between companies in Cameroon and companies in the United States, and also encourages the transfer of technology by US companies.”

Referring to the factory that has been constructed by Quality Habitat in Douala for the manufacturing of special types of building materials that are new in the entire Central Africa Sub-region, the US Diplomat said: “In this case, we are transferring some of the highest technology we have to Cameroon, so that the people of Cameroon can use these materials to build market structures, large buildings, private residences and so on, that is much safer. This is an opportunity for technology developed in America to be employed here in Cameroon. As I said, with partners, we share”.

He saluted the initiative of a former US-based Cameroonian business lady, Soppo B. Ngalle, who contacted and convinced Southwest International in the United States, to expand to Cameroon. She is now the Executive Director of branch of the Group in Cameroon, known as Southwest International Cameroon. The Diplomat said the US Embassy in Cameroon encourages US companies through forums offered by institutions like the American Chamber of Commerce and the US-Cameroon Chamber of Commerce to invest in Cameroon.

Sustainable Middle Class

The US Diplomat, stressed on the importance for a country to strive to develop a Sustainable Middle Class.

“A Sustainable Middle Class in Cameroon today is not just for business deals. It is a national security priority to develop the economy and create jobs for the youths.”

An ongoing project by Southwest International to construct and sell 183 modern houses for middle class families in Yassa, Douala, has, for example, already offered over 350 jobs.

No Easy Task To Convince US Companies

The Executive Director of Southwest International Cameroon, Soppo B. Ngalle, explained that, while living in the US, she searched for many years for a partnership that could help Cameroon and Cameroonians in the domain of housing. She said she was fortunate to find and convince the reputed Southwest International Construction Corporation in Florida, to buy the idea to come and invest in Cameroon.

“I found their technology very interesting.”

Soppo said it was a herculean task to convince her American partners to come and invest in Cameroon. She said American investors are very concerned about issues like stability in a country, respect of Law, peace, security, the availability of a local market, morality and so on.

“They are, in fact, very concerned about the economic environment in a country”.

Soppo said after she succeeded to convince her American partners to accept the idea to expand to Cameroon, there was then the issue of the fact that she had only one project in hand then, which was the project to construct middle class homes for sale; on an eight hectare parcel of land at Yassa, Douala. She disclosed that the American partners found the project small for them to invest FCFA billions to build a factory to produce the special building materials.

“So I returned to Cameroon to search for other big projects. Fortunately, the public-private partnership project for the construction of the Congo Market in Douala came up, and I threw myself full length into the fight to get the project, and finally won it. My American partners thought the two projects, were worth a start in Cameroon. We are, of course, searching for more projects. The newly constructed factory at Logbaba, for example, is FCFA 11 billion and my American partners put in 95 percent of the money”, Soppo disclosed

Projects And Investments

Meanwhile, Southwest International Construction Corporation has expanded to Cameroon with three of its affiliates. There is the Quality Habitat Corporation, which uses high technology to manufacture the special building materials used by the Group for the construction of houses.

The factory manufactures the panels that are used for the floor, the wall, and the roof of the houses. The panels are said to have been tested and proven over the years to be resistant to fire, hurricane and earthquake. In the construction of those buildings, cement, stones and sand are used only for the foundations. Zinc is not used for the roofs.

Another affiliate of Southwest International that has expanded to Cameroon is Sun Coast Construction Corporation. It is a building construction company. It is Sun Coast that builds the houses in the projects or contracts being executed by the Group, Southwest International.

Yet another affiliate of the Southwest International that has been expanded to Cameroon is the M (Marketor). The company is in charge of the marketing of the products of companies in the Group.

The US Diplomat started his visit to Southwest International Cameroon in Douala, with a stopover at the site for the construction of the FCFA 7 billion Congo Market Project. It is a Build, Operate and Transfer, BOD Project.

Baptised as ‘Gallieni Plaza’. The huge structure will have 1,300 stores. The market project is financed by Southwest International and two local banks, CBC and Afriland First Bank.

Soppo said that the first set of stores in the new market will be available before the end of the first quarter of next year.