Ambassador ANU’A-GHEYLE Solomon AZOH-MBI and Chief Director Marlon Geswint

29 May 2025 - TDS

At a vibrant reception in Pretoria to mark Cameroon’s 53rd National Day, Ambassador ANU’A-GHEYLE Solomon AZOH-MBI spoke about the country's unity, resilience, and development milestones. He highlighted Cameroon’s progress in sectors such as health, energy, and infrastructure, including the recent commissioning of a second container terminal at the Kribi deep-sea port. He also commended the expanding partnerships between Cameroon and South Africa, especially in trade, mining, education, and merchant shipping, with a notable link developing between Kribi and Port Ngqura.

Ambassador Azoh-Mbi praised the growing bilateral relations and confirmed that the Cameroon-South Africa Joint Commission (JCC) is being finalised to strengthen cooperation in areas such as energy, mining, defence, agriculture, and higher education. He congratulated President Cyril Ramaphosa on his re-election and formation of a Government of National Unity, lauding South Africa’s leadership in nation-building and continental collaboration.

Speaking on behalf of the South African government, Mr Marlon Geswint, Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance, reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to deepening trade and investment ties with Cameroon. He recognised Cameroon’s strategic role in Central Africa and emphasized that both nations are well-positioned to advance regional integration and a unified, prosperous continent.

Geswint also highlighted South Africa’s G20 presidency under the theme "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability." He noted that during a recent finance track side event, Cameroon actively contributed to discussions among 14 African nations on debt-related issues, part of efforts to ensure African voices are incorporated into global financial reforms.

The event reinforced the deepening relationship between the two countries, with both sides looking forward to greater economic cooperation and shared continental development.

(photos supplied)

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I bid you all a warm welcome and thank you for the honour of coming to celebrate Cameroon’s National day with us. 

I convey through you, Mr Marlon Geswint, special respects and regards to the Honourable Enoch Godongwana, Minister of Finance, and to the Government of South Africa for your high consideration and presence here today. Sir I welcome you warmly and with much gratitude. 

French speaking Cameroon became an independent sovereign nation in 1960. In 1961, English speaking Cameroon opted, by a UN sponsored plebiscite, to obtain independence by joining their brethren of French speaking Cameroon in a federation. This was some 65 years ago. On May 20, 1972, a Unitary State was established by referendum under one government with one vision and one destiny. This became our national day and today marks 53 years since we began celebrating May 20th as Cameroon’s National day. 

On this day, we commemorate the patriotic fervour and resolve of our founding fathers in building a united, strong and prosperous nation out of our chequered history, and also out of our over 250 ethnic micro-nations, with over 200 distinct languages, all superimposed by two colonial cultural experiences and legacies in English and French. 

On Cameroon’s National day, we celebrate our national efforts to overcome past historical distortions and divisions to form a colourful country united in purpose and destiny, proud of its pluralism and the splendour of its diversity as reflected in our national cultures, languages, fashion, food, environment, and ecology. 

On this day, we rededicate and commit ourselves to the endless task of nation building often under complex, convoluted, and challenging circumstances. Some of the mutations from a Federation to a United Republic, and subsequently to a Unitary State, and from a strongly centralised system to a more democratic and decentralized system have sometimes triggered discontent and dissent. Almost a decade ago this sadly crystallised into an internal crisis that morphed into an armed internecine conflict greatly compromising Cameroon’s enviable stability and security. 

But Cameroonians are a resilient and fundamentally peace-loving people, people who can pause and evaluate themselves and correct their cause and their trajectory. With wisdom, temperance, conciliatory astuteness, and statesmanship, our Head of State, His Excellency President Paul Biya has patiently guided the nation out of this zone of turbulence. We have slowly but steadily arrived at a sublime moment when our army and nation can unite for a Cameroon resolutely turned towards peace and prosperity. 

United, Cameroonians fought to maintain the territorial integrity, sovereignty and stability of their country. United, Cameroonians are once again focused and committed to the consolidation of peace and prosperity. 

In the last year, Cameroon has registered some significant advances in a number of critical sectors including health, energy, infrastructure and transport. I will not bore you with details of domestic economic advances and achievements, but I would like to mention that just ten days ago, a second container terminal was launched at the Kribi deep-sea port. The new terminal’s modern facilities make it possible for Cameroon to welcome ultra-large ocean vessels such as the MSC Türkiye, one of the world’s six largest containerships which docked at Kribi on May 8, 2025. Kribi is now one of only five ports in sub-Saharan Africa capable of hosting ships of this size. Work is due to start in 2027 and 2028 on the third phase of the Kribi deep seaport comprising a mineral terminal and a hydrocarbons terminal. These new facilities will support the export of strategic mineral resources from Cameroon and neighbouring countries, as well as meet the energy needs of the country. In this regard, I welcome the growing partnership between Cameroon and Port Ngqura in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality of the Eastern Cape here in South Africa. The development of strong merchant shipping ties will be a game changer in Cameroon-South Africa bilateral relations. 

As Cameroon’s National day provides an occasion to consider and cherish our partnerships and friendships with other countries and actors on the international scene, I take this occasion to magnify and laud the excellent and expanding relations existing between Cameroon and South Africa. I equally avail of this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa on his re-election and on his exemplary statesmanship in meeting the challenges of unity and nation building with vision and inclusiveness through the establishment of a Government of National Unity. 

South Africa sees Cameroon as a strategic partner and our two Heads of State have expressed a shared will to strengthen and diversify bilateral relations, foster trade, investments and cultural exchanges between the two countries through the establishment of a Cameroon-South Africa Joint Commission, being finalised. 

There exist numerous bilateral agreements and over ten more being finalized in various sectors such as air services, energy, geology and mining, metallurgy, defence, health, visa exemption, merchant shipping, higher education, tourism, youth development, agriculture, fisheries, military cooperation among others. 

Currently Cameroon is developing many projects in partnership with South African firms and is promoting the exploration, exploitation and processing of mineral resources to drive industrialization. Major mining projects involving South African firms include the Ngovayang Iron Ore Project, Minim-Martapp Bauxite Project, and the Mbe Gold Project. A South African firm, Mwelase Consortium is in partnership with Cameroon’s SONAMINES to construct a gold refinery in Cameroon. 

With regard to commercial and trade relations, South Africa is Cameroon’s second African trading partner. Trade between the two countries has seen a steady increase over the years with both countries exporting and importing a variety of products in energy, agriculture, mining, services, and communication technology to mention but a few. Leading South African Corporations operating in Cameroon include MTN, Tiger Brand, Sanlam, Raubex among others. These firms have leveraged Cameroon’s geostrategic location in the Gulf of Guinea to expand their reach into other West and Central African countries. 

At the level of the Cameroon High Commission, we have noticed that since the launching of the E-visa in May 2023, thousands of visas are being issued to South African citizens going to Cameroon for business, work, leisure or other reasons. This is ample testimony to the expansion of business and people to people relations between the two countries. 

If I may, let me say a few words to my many compatriots living in South Africa. On this day when we celebrate our National day, I convey the warm greetings and good wishes of our Head of State and Government. The patriotism and pride you have for our country, showcased through the organisation of numerous cultural and sporting events around our National day are much appreciated. When you live in peace and harmony and are law abiding, you reflect the honour and dignity of our country. When you strife for success and excellence in your various fields of endeavour, you are the gems on Cameroon’s crown. 

This is an election year in our country, and I call on you to show proof of patriotism, peace, and civility so that our beloved country can continue to rise up to the majestic heights of its own manifest destiny. 

In conclusion, let me thank the staff of the Cameroon High Commission and our various partners who have worked tirelessly to make this occasion special and memorable for us all. They sought to bring to you the flavours and tastes of Cameroon and we hope you will enjoy your time with us. 

May I now invite you all to raise your glasses in a toast to Peace and Prosperity for Cameroon, Peace and Prosperity for South Africa, Peace and Prosperity to the world. 

Long live the Republic of Cameroon, 
Long live Cameroon – South Africa Relations.