India and Cameroon hold 3rd round of Foreign Office Consultations

The 3rd round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Cameroon was held on August 7, 2023, in Yaounde, Cameroon. It was co-chaired by the Additional Secretary (C&WA) of India, Sevala Naik Mude, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon Oumarou Chinmoun.

The two reviewed bilateral relations, regarding politics, economy and commerce, investment, defence and security, development partnership, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people linkages, and ways to further strengthen ties between India and Cameroon, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

They exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, and agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral fora.

India and Cameroon have warm and friendly relations since before Cameroon’s independence. Bilateral relations have received further impetus with the opening of India's resident Mission in Yaounde in 2019.

Their bilateral trade has been growing steadily and it reached to US$ 1.1 billion during FY 2022-23 from US$ 523 million in 2018-19. India had extended two Lines of Credit (LoCs) worth US$ 79.65 million to Republic of Cameroon for Rice, Maize and Cassava plantation projects.

India has also been supporting Cameroon in capacity building by providing training to Cameroon officials in various areas under ITEC as well as scholarships/ fellowships under ICCR. Both sides agreed to hold the next consultations at New Delhi, India at a mutually convenient date.

During the visit, Mude also paid a courtesy call on Minister of External Relations of Cameroon Mbella Mbella Lejeune and discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest.