CAMEROON: PM SALUTES "SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP" WITH

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 001143 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS EUCOM FOR J5-A AND POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KMCA PHUM PINR CM SUBJECT: CAMEROON: PM SALUTES "SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP" WITH U.S. REF: A. YAOUNDE 1140 ¶B. YAOUNDE 1134 ¶C. YAOUNDE 1088 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Ambassador Garvey, in her initial call on Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni on September 18, told the PM that the U.S. would continue to be "open, honest and supportive" of Cameroon and would maintain its focus on strengthening democratic processes, fostering economic growth, and improving collaboration on security issues. Inoni welcomed the Ambassador to Cameroon and thanked her for the "special relationship we enjoy with the United States" and for the "assistance of the Embassy and the Department of State." The PM and the Ambassador agreed on the importance of attracting more U.S. investment to Cameroon. End summary. Investment: Key to Economic Growth ================================== ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Garvey opened the meeting by congratulating Inoni on the new government lineup; she emphasized that the Embassy looked forward to working with the new cabinet team. She told Inoni the U.S. was pleased with President Biya's focus, in his recent public statement (ref A),on issues of mutual interest to both countries. Inoni, responding to the Ambassador's question on how the new government was settling in, identified the main challenge on the immediate horizon: economic growth. He said Cameroon needed to attract more investment, and acknowledged that the government needed to do more to remove obstacles. The Ambassador agreed, noting that positive experiences would be a strong selling point for other potential investors. ¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador thanked Inoni for his role in resolving the matter of the Sabga community members who had taken "refuge" on the Embassy's doorstep (ref C). Inoni indicated that he was maintaining a watchful eye on the situation in Sabga. ¶4. (SBU) Inoni, offering general comments about Cameroon, noted its strategic location in the Gulf of Guinea and its durable stability, which he attributed in part to the population's ethnic diversity. No single group from among the country's 250 distinct tribes, he explained, was dominant. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. This meeting was friendly throughout, with Inoni repeating several times that Ambassador Garvey should not hesitate to call him for any reason, at any time of the day or night. He clearly wants to continue the strong, positive relationship he has enjoyed with the Embassy during his tenure in office. We assured him that we want the same thing. End comment. GARVEY