Cameroon-Korea Relation Late or Timely?

South Korea one of the four ‘Asian Tigers’ is pushing towards the quest for more friendly bilateral cooperation with African countries including Cameroon. Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and other Korean organizations, the wind of economic expansion and influence is blowing across Africa embracing sectors that have long been neglected by other international donors with assistance given under very strict conditions to their beneficiaries. Is it a timely intervention for Cameroon to embrace Korea or a late move by Korea to push forward her endeavor to a more friendly relation with Cameroon?

The appellation “Asian Tigers” refers to Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan as a group of countries in Asia that since 1960 have stood shoulders high in mainstream economic growth and have equally overcome major financial and local crisis. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) classifies the “Asian Tigers” amongst the first 35 advanced economies in the world. South Korea is an indispensible hub when it comes to global manufacturing in automobile, electronic components and information technology. South Korea was recently classified as the 5^th innovative country in the world.

South Korea and Cameroon established diplomatic relations in 1960 but it was more of a galloping relationship which went dead or so silent and became vibrant again only after the re-opening of the Korean embassy in Cameroon in 2008. South Korea's style of embracing bilateral relationship with African countries seem to be ‘very selective and careful’ unlike their Chinese counterpart who keep going on very slippery and thorny paths. One good thing common about Asian countries is the “can do mentality” , and this has kept them to always aspire for innovation and progress at all cost. There are cases of accusation and counter accusation from European and American giants who accuse Asian countries of copying or stealing their automobile or communication technology. Despite all these, it has not stopped the Asians quest for rapid growth and expansion around the world.

When we take a closer look at the short period of time South Korea has re-established bilateral relations with Cameroon, one can say without any fear of contradiction that they seem to be importing their technology to Cameroon without any reservation. It may be a little late for the South Koreans who are coming after other Asian and European counterparts have been into the hinterlands exploiting and making enormous gains but much a timely intervention to Cameroon that has as its current slogan “2035 vision’’ as an emerging nation.

Korea’s late arrival in Cameroon may equally not be too late because she is coming at a time when mineral exploration is making headlines especially after Cameroon recently joined the “Kimberley Process on Diamond Certification” clearing the country from any ''blood diamond'' mines as it prevails in other African countries.

South Korea is proofing to be a friend indeed with a win-win policy. Unlike other donors or bilateral partners who impose projects to their beneficiaries, South Korea goes to the drawing board with partners to choose priority projects for their communities. The effectiveness of this policy will equally be measured on the project's interaction with the private sector.

The cities of Douala, Limbe and Sangmalima will soon benefit from Advanced Vocational Training Centres being constructed with loans from the Korean government. The Korean government is currently initiating a project for mechanized development for irrigated rice cultivation in Nkoteng Sub-Division in Upper Sanaga Division in the Centre Region. The First Cameroon-Korea Agriculture Workshop took place in Yaoundé on November, 13, 2012, and both parties agreed to share their experience and expertise in agriculture.

In 2010, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed an accord with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication in Cameroon for a project on the National Public Key Infrastructure, a secured platform for electronic transactions and an effective tool to fight against cyber crime that was recently launched in Yaoundé. KOICA is currently supervising work on the construction of a modern equipped emergency centre at the Yaoundé Centre hospital.

After years of turbulence, destruction and uncertainty, South Korea has become a leading nation transforming itself from a recipient to a donor nation among member states of the Organization of Economic Corporation and Development. (OECD) The “Korean miracle” that has culminated to spectacular growth in the past five decades from my own point of view is all about “hard work” and the will to pay back to their community that has molded them to what they have become in life. South Korea’s economy has made remarkable progress in recent years from a ‘’central planned government directed toward a more market-oriented one’’.    

 The Cameroon government has adopted the ‘’2035 vision’’ when Cameroon is expected to become an emerging economy. If numbers are anything to go by, then South Korea’s intervention in Cameroon is quite timely. Every year thousands of young and energetic youths graduate from universities with well brandished certificates ready to contribute to the needed labor force in the country but their dreams become hopeless with very few opportunities.

 Interconnecting the youth with professional base training that Korean experts are ready to share with Cameroonians especially in agriculture, information and communication technology, and the mining sector, is a great opportunity to build the prospects of the ‘’2035 vision’’. Cautious of the fact that three decades have passed with recorded successes of some achievements still debatable, the ‘’2035 vision’’ is a time line that should be watched with much enthusiasm. Time will tell if this vision is just another political slogan as has been for the past three decades.

Cameroon need to take advantage of her partners who show much interest in building bilateral relations that goes beyond round-table discussions. Lack of commitment from Cameroon will dampen its reputation and the next decades may still be without the necessary modus operandi to move the country forward to a desirable position. Cameroon occupies a strategic position in Centre Africa that business magnets around the world are anxious to pump in ready cash but this can only be achieved if authorities in power shift responsibilities to the vibrant youthful population who have waited for too long to feel a sense of belonging in their own fatherland.

Nfor Canicius