REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON PEACE-WORK-FATHERLAND
$6^{\text{th}}$ EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISE, SME AND PARTNERSHIP SHOW, PROMOTE 2017
YAOUNDE, 11 - 19 FEBRUARY 2017
OPENING SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT,
THE VICE-MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS - MINISTER DELEGATE FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ITALY,
HEADS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS,
THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY COMMUNITY (CEMAC),
THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES (ECCAS),
SENATORS,
HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,
THE GOVERNMENT DELEGATE TO THE YAOUNDE CITY COUNCIL,
THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE UNION DES PATRONATS DE L'AFRIQUE CENTRALE (UNIPACE),
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION INTER-PROGRESS, DELEGATE GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISE, SME AND PARTNERSHIP SHOW,
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF NEXTEL, THE PRESTIGE PARTNER OF PROMOTE 2017,
PRESIDENTS OF CONSULAR CHAMBERS,
REPRESENTATIVES OF SOCIO-PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS,
BUSINESS EXECUTIVES,
ECONOMIC OPERATORS,
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
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PERMIT ME, ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, HIS EXCELLENCY PAUL BIYA, TO WISH YOU A WARM WELCOME TO THIS MAGNIFICENT AND PICTURESQUE SITE OF NKOLNYADA, THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SENATE, OUR UPPER HOUSE, AND THE CONFERENCE CENTRE AND WHICH, WITHIN THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS, WILL HOST THE SIXTH EDITION OF YAOUNDE INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISE, SME AND PARTNERSHIP SHOW, PROMOTE 2017.
THIS SHOW, WHICH IS NOW A TRADITIONAL EVENT PLACED UNDER THE VERY HIGH PATRONAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, IS VITAL TO BUSINESSES, IN ALL THEIR DIMENSIONS AND AS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE CONCLUSION OF FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIPS, EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CORPORATIONS OR SOUTHERN CORPORATIONS AMONG THEMSELVES.
THROUGH ITS THEMATIC MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS DURING WHICH SEVERAL SECTORS ARE SCRUTINISED, PROMOTE SHOW ALSO ENABLES CAMEROON'S CORPORATIONS AND THOSE FROM ELSEWHERE TO SHOWCASE THEIR KNOW-HOW AND EXHIBIT THEIR PRODUCTS, WITH A VIEW TO INCREASING THEIR MARKET SHARES.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IN A CONTEXT MARKED BY INTERDEPENDENT ECONOMIES AND SOCIETIES, THE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE CAN BE BETTER ADDRESSED ONLY THROUGH A WIN-WIN PARTNERSHIP, WHERE SOME PROVIDE THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCING CAPACITY, AND OTHERS OFFER NATURAL RICHES TO BE CONVERTED.
DURING THIS MEETING OF GIVE AND TAKE, CAMEROON, AFRICA IN MINIATURE HAS MANY ASSETS WHICH MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE.
BEING THE MOST POPULATED COUNTRY IN THE CEMAC ZONE, WHICH SHARES MORE THAN 1,500 KILOMETRES OF BORDER WITH NIGERIA, THE TOP ECONOMY IN AFRICA, CAMEROON ENJOYS A UNIQUE STRATEGIC POSITION, AT THE CROSSROADS OF WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA.
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ITS ATLANTIC COAST, ITS RAILWAY NETWORK, ITS THREE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, ITS PORT AND ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH ARE ALL IN CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT, FOSTER ITS GOOD INTEGRATION INTO REGIONAL AND WORLD TRADE.
IT IS ENDOWED WITH NATURAL RESOURCES; ITS VARIOUS SOILS, CLIMATES AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ARE CONDUCIVE TO AGRICULTURE.