Commonwealth Day - Cameroon Highlights Technological Vision

E.k.

15 March 2010

The Commonwealth Day with science and technology as focus was commemorated in Cameroon last Friday.

Cameroon has requested all its international partners and corporate interests to accompany the country in its efforts to realise its scientific and technological vision in order to transform the lives of the population. The Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations in charge of the Commonwealth, Joseph Dion Ngute presented the request during commemorative activities of the Commonwealth Day organised last March 12 in Yaounde, though the Day was commemorated the world over on March 8. The appeal went directly to members of the diplomatic corps, researchers, inventors and other science and technology potential stakeholders who attended the ceremony at the Ministry of External Relations.

Chief Dion Ngute said Cameroon being fully aware of the benefits of science and technology and its challenges, has become a pacesetter by instituting the advancements in agricultural institutions, schools and other fields with palpable results. Acknowledging that the Commonwealth has been Cameroon's main partner in the scientific and technology pursuit, he said the organisation has been instrumental in awarding academic scholarships to the country's best students, professional scholarships to technocrats in highly technical domains. He disclosed that over 500 Cameroonians have benefitted from professional grants and academic scholarships since 1995.

The British High Commissioner, Bharat Suresh Joshi, on behalf of the Higher Commissioners of the Commonwealth member countries to Cameroon, pledged their continuous support and collaboration. His statement was in line with the message of Queen Elisabeth II, head of the Commonwealth that was equally read out during the event. She said, "Today's societies are constantly seeking ways to improve their quality of life, and science and technology play a vital part in that search", and added that, "the Commonwealth understands this, and should continue to aid and encourage our young people to participate in the exciting new opportunities that lie ahead, in the knowledge that progress is something which must be sustained and shared by all".

The official ceremony to commemorate the Commonwealth Day, crowned a series of week-long activities organised on the theme, "Science, technology and society". Prizes were awarded for the best scientific innovations, while sketches performed during the event exposed the benefits of the science and technological advancement on the one hand and cyber criminality on the other hand.