Never in history has any Cameroonian Head of State visited Turkey. The official visit of President Paul Biya to that country beginning March 25 to March 28 will therefore be the very first since independence.

Never in history has any Cameroonian Head of State visited Turkey. The official visit of President Paul Biya to that country beginning March 25 to March 28 will therefore be the very first since independence. It is in this light that President Biya received in audience Friday March 22, the Turkish Ambassador to Cameroon, Omer Faruk Dogan. The Turkish diplomat was at the Unity Palace to personally hand over the invitation letter from Turkish President, Abdullah Gül, to his counterpart of Cameroon. After the audience at the presidency, Omer Faruk Dorgan said Biya’s visit to Turkey is an official and large one. With an 84-man Cameroonian delegation to accompany the Head of State, the Turkish diplomat said is proof of the solidarity and cooperation binding both nations. Mr. Dorgan said approximately 10 bilateral accords will be signed between Cameroon and Turkey during the four-day visit in different sectors such as energy, mining, tourism, communication, defence amongst others. Ambassador Dogan added his country is ready to support small and medium size enterprises in Cameroon so as to boost the country’s industrial sector. Friday was the second time Omer Faruk Dorgan was meeting President Biya at the Unity Palace since he submitted his letters of credence on November 6 last year. It should be recalled that Turkish President, Abdullah Gül, paid a visit to Cameroon in March 2010 during which seven bilateral agreements were signed intended to cement relations between Yaoundé and Ankara.