New National Assembly complex stands as testament to win-win Sino-Cameroonian friendship ⁰

Many iconic buildings in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, which were built by Chinese builders, including the newly constructed parliament building, have been praised as a testament to win-win Sino-Cameroonian relations.

On Saturday, China officially handed over the keys to the building to Cameroon’s National Assembly Speaker Cavaye Yeguie Djibril at a ceremony attended by government officials, and diplomats, among others.

“I have already heard that this building is the largest, most beautiful and of incomparable comfort in all of Africa,” Cavaye said in a speech delivered at the ceremony.

In his eyes, the edifice is the most precious gift that China has given to the Cameroonian people.

“This day will remain memorable, it is historic. This is a good example of a true friendship. As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed. The entire Cameroonian people in oneness say thank you (to China),” Cavaye said.

The long-awaited new building will enable parliamentarians to fully execute their legislative roles and resolve the congestion challenge in the current bicameral parliament building, he said.

“The new National Assembly thus consolidates a friendship which in itself was already very solid. The excellence of these relations has been such that, even the successive crises which have shaken Cameroon in recent decades, have not been able to shake the foundation of this friendship. On the contrary, through thick and thin, China was constantly present alongside Cameroon, tirelessly continuing the work of building ever-fruitful cooperation,” Cavaye said.

In 2017, Cameroon’s parliament building was partially ravaged by fire. “The fire incident made work impossible at the building and we had to relocate to an inconvenient place,” Abba Alim, a member of the National Assembly of Cameroon, said.

Two years later, Cavaye laid the groundwork for a new parliamentary complex with China’s fund. Beijing Urban Construction Group Co., Ltd. (BUCG) commenced construction and works were finished in five years. The structure now stands out as an impressive landmark, with a commanding view of modern buildings sprouting up in the Ngoa Ekele neighborhood of Yaounde.

Widely referred to as an “architectural jewel,” the 15-story complex includes a 400-seat hemicycle, a celebration hall, an office building, a fireguard building, an equipment room, a janitorial building, and other functional rooms, as well as a plaza, roads, fountains, outdoor parking lot, fences and other auxiliary facilities.

The building embodies the traditional decorative motifs of Cameroon, while also showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of Chinese architecture.

“Unlike our former setting, this modern infrastructure is designed to foster collaboration and dialogue between members of parliament. With good offices and spaces adapted to exchanges, each member of parliament will be able to work in an environment conducive to consultation,” said Lawson Tabot, a member of the National Assembly, in an interview published by the National Assembly.

“Its design for inclusivity has taken into consideration the specific needs of men, women and the physically challenged, respecting the different segments of the population, with adapted facilities thus ensuring comfort for everyone,” said Muyali Meboka, also a member of the National Assembly.

Cui Jinping, BUCG project manager for the construction of the new National Assembly complex, said, skills were transferred and more than 1,000 Cameroonians were employed during the construction of the project. “Chinese workers and Cameroonian workers cooperated to complete the project construction tasks together.”

“At the beginning period of cooperation, they followed the model of masters leading apprentices, with one Chinese worker leading four or five local workers. After a period of training, the trained local workers could basically complete almost all the construction work independently,” said Cui, the project manager.

Jean Atangana, a construction worker with about 10 years of experience, considered the Cameroonian parliament building project to be the pinnacle of his career. “I admire the exquisite skills of my Chinese colleagues. It’s a great respect and honor to build my country together with them,” he said.

Many other iconic buildings in Yaounde have also seen the contribution from Chinese builders.

One notable structure is the Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex. A magnificent and imposing indoor sports arena, the complex is fondly called the “temple of sports and culture” because it hosts all types of national and international events.

Another remarkable building is the Yaounde Gyneco-Obstetrics and Pediatric Hospital, a China-funded project that officially opened in 2002. It is the country’s premier medical institution dedicated to gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics.

Edward Adamu, a member of the National Assembly, told Xinhua that the buildings stand as a testament to win-win Sino-Cameroonian relations.

“We have had a lot of bitter experiences working with the Western countries but the South-South cooperation is showing that is the path for now. It is a win-win relationship, no longer you win and I lose,” Adamu said. 

Source: Xinhuanet