The accord was signed yesterday between MINEPAT boss and the German Ambassador to Cameroon.The Federal Republic of Germany has put at the disposal of Cameroon FCFA 32.2 billion to assist government in the implementation of the Forest-Environment sector Programme (PSFE), decentralisation and local development, health as well as the execution of the Paris Declaration. The amount is fruit of two bilateral agreements signed yesterday in the Conference Hall of the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT) between the governments of

Cameroon and Germany. One was a technical agreement to the tune of 21 million Euros (about FCFA 13.8 billion) and the other a financial agreement amounting to 28 million Euros (about FCFA 18.4 billion). MINEPAT boss, Louis Paul Motaze, signed for Cameroon while the German Ambassador to Cameroon, Karin E. Blumberger-Sauerteig, signed for her country.Speaking during the ceremony, Mrs Karin E. Blumberger-Sauerteig said the financial support will provide new funds for already existing programmes. She said the two agreements were as a result of the December 2008 intergovernmental negotiations between Germany and Cameroon, negotiations, which she stressed, resulted in technical and financial support to the tune of 25.35 billion dollars for two years in the three sectors of German cooperation in Cameroon. These include management and protection of natural resources, health and the fight against HIV/AIDS as well as decentralisation, good governance and local development. ??In this way Germany takes part in reducing poverty, in accordance to the Millennium Development Goals??. The diplomat urged government to judiciously use the money stating that, ??the fight against poverty is based on both the improvement of economic performances and the respect of human rights and democracy as well as the preservation of ecological balance??. She disclosed that so far, German assistance to Cameroon amounts to FCFA 1,348 billion including the cancellation of Cameroon??s external debts.Louis Paul Motaze described the assistance as timely, stating that it comes to strengthen ongoing government efforts in the sectors. He assured the German diplomat that nothing will be left to chance to ensure that the money is well used to improve the standards of living of the population. The ceremony was attended among others by the Ministers of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, and that of Forestry and Wildlife, Elvis Ngolle Ngolle.Godlove BAINKONG, CT

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