China on Thursday accorded a preferential loan of 11 billion CFA
francs (US$22.9 million) to Cameroon to fund the provision of clean
drinking water in Douala, the country's economic capital.
The agreement for the provision of the loan was signed by
Chinese ambassador to Cameroon Huang Changqing and Cameroonian
finance minister Polycarpe Abah Abah.
According to Huang, the loan "represents a concrete action by
the Chinese government within the framework for the implementation
of the promises, which were made by Chinese President Hu Jintao during his January 2007 official
visit to Cameroon".
On the other hand, the Cameroonian finance minister said, "the
contribution of China to Cameroon's socio-economic development has
been particularly remarkable in several sectors in recent years and
this goes to underscore the importance of South-South
cooperation."
For a number of years now, the population of the city of Douala
has been faced with a health risk owing to a shortage in the supply
of clean drinking water.
According to the finance minister, after the project is
completed at the end of 2008, the city's water supply capacity will
be increased from 15,000 cubic meters to 160,000 while the quality
of the water will improve tremendously.
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2007)
