China-Africa Summit : Cameroon Marks Honourable Presence

Fruitful in economic, political, and diplomatic terms would best describe the five-day official visit of President Paul Biya to China from 4-8 September, 2024 within the framework of the 4th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Conference, FOCAC. From arrival and throughout the visit, it was a busy calendar during which the Head of State was either attending important diplomatic and political appointments or granting audiences to those already having businesses in the country and to potential investors.   
Having a working session with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 4 September, 2024 during which both officials expressed satisfaction that their views converged on several issues including the desire to raise their relations to a strategic level made the difference. The invitation extended to President Xi by Mr Biya for a visit to Cameroon in the months ahead was also remarkable. They retraced some fruitful areas of cooperation between both countries and President Paul Biya outlined that he is coming to China this year for the eighth time. A significant record for a Head of State to visit a friendly country. Still at the Great Hall of the People, this time on 5th September, President Biya met with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhao Leji and further consolidated Sino-Cameroon ties. Each of the encounters were characterised by working sessions during which the Head of State and his host, including their different delegations, had the opportunity to review cooperation prospects for both countries after looking at the path covered in enhancing people-to-people as well as win-win projects.            
Equally joining the other 50 Heads of State at the solemn opening of the FOCAC on 5 September, the Head of State judiciously followed his host elaborate on the trajectory that China-Africa relations will be taking in the next few years. Working on the theme: “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” the summit underpinned issues of State governance, industrialization and agricultural modernization, peace and security, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation which are vital to all parties. Also, promises by President Xi to create about a million jobs in Africa in three years as well as a financial support of over 360 billion Yuan (US dollar 50.7 billion) could be seen as another major step by the Chinese government in partnering with friends in Africa.   
Building Concrete Economic Platforms 
While most of the issues discussed during working dinners and bilateral meetings could be seen as more general, the Head of State did not fail to underline the importance of B2Bs that could enable the country to come out of FOCAC with firmer engagements. That could be cited as part of the groundwork the Head of State found as a useful step to move the country forward in terms of business partnerships. Thus, in a three-hour audience on Saturday 7 September 20...