The old song which goes like “Cameroon only knows how to consume foreign technology without mastering it” could soon be a thing of the past. Indeed, since 28 July 2016, the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, instructed the Minister in charge of Technological Development, during a cabinet meeting in Yaoundé, “to systematically include in contracts agreed with international partners, provisions on a technology transfer obligation”.
In other words, if a Chinese or French company, for example, wins a contract for the construction of a dam, bridge, road...in Cameroon, it will have the obligation of training Cameroonians in the construction, maintenance of these structures. In this way, the country will not always need to resort to foreign expertise to carry out some works.
To reach this decision from the Prime Minister, Ernest Gbwaboubou, Minister of Mining and Technological Development, demonstrated through a presentation that “there can be no industrialisation without technological development”. Before Philemon Yang’s instruction, Ernest Gbwaboubou indicated during this meeting that the government, to encourage technological knowledge, has already planned the creation of technological and innovation support centres of which seven have already been established.
Sylvain Andzongo