中喀合作发展实践
——专访喀麦隆驻华大使马丁·姆巴纳(Martin Mpana)
文| 本刊记者 裴安迪 杰特·恩杰邱（Jator Njechu）（实习） 翻译| 张慧雯
导读：
喀麦隆经常被誉为非洲缩影的主要原因,即非洲的所有自然资源都可在这一个国家找到。非洲的四个生态区全部在喀麦隆，同时，中小型投资的机会很多,特别是在农业联盟和旅游业方面
9月初，中非合作论坛北京峰会召开之际，《中国投资》记者对喀麦隆驻华大使马丁·姆巴纳进行了专访。就国家经济和投资机遇、两国长期友好关系、政府改善商业环境举措、确保投资双赢结果采取的奖励措施等问题进行了深入了解。
《中国投资》：长期以来，中国与喀麦隆建立良好的往来关系，您能举几个中喀成功合作的例子吗？
马丁·姆巴纳：喀麦隆和中国自1971年建交以来，在将近半个世纪的时间里始终保持丰富多元的相互往来。这里有几项里程碑意义的事件。
1975年6月9日，中喀双方签署公共健康领域的合作协定。据此协定，双方开展交流项目，帮助喀麦隆姆巴尔马约、盖德尔和雅温德主要医院的医护人员提升医疗水平。超过700名喀麦隆医护人员从中获益，尤其在治疗药物和传统中医领域。
中国在喀麦隆基础设施建设方面的作用也尤为关键，雅温德会议中心是19世纪80年代与中国合作建成的。如今，该建筑受到的盛赞在雅温德依然是空前未有的。拉格都水坝是在中国的援助下于1977至1982年间建成。这个水坝为北部地区所有相连城镇供电。随后，中国在巴卡西半岛问题上声援喀麦隆。
《中国投资》：同中国建立长期传统友好关系以来，两国合作对喀麦隆经济发展产生了什么样的影响？
马丁·姆巴纳：我们与中国的友好合作对经济的影响是非常直观的。目前，喀麦隆政府在能源短缺问题上得到了中国的大力支持。中国进出口银行为麦坎、隆潘卡尔和曼维莱多用途水库建设工程提供了大量资金。这些水坝建成后发电量可达到约2.5亿瓦。这些工程对我国经济发展发挥的重要性毋庸置疑。
中国的影响力在运输行业也有所体现。克里比深海港和巴门达-伊科姆快速路都与中国合作建成。雅温德-杜阿拉复式车行道和雅温德-尼斯马林快速路在中国专家协助下正在加紧施工。
中国在我国公共健康和体育领域的贡献尤为凸显，惠及整个喀麦隆的妇产医院链已在中国帮助下成功建立。同林贝和巴富萨姆体育/足球馆一样，位于雅温德的瓦尔达多功能综合体育馆都要归功于中国的援助。
简单来说，保罗·毕亚总统致力于在2035年之前将喀麦隆转型为新兴经济体，而在这个过程中，中国无疑已成为喀麦隆最可靠的战略伙伴之一。
《中国投资》：您觉得中国有哪些发展经验对喀麦隆的发展实践会有所帮助？
马丁·姆巴纳：首先，我知道中国人民充分相信并支持政府的政治和经济决策。中国共产党在过去六十年中，通过精心制定和严格实施的各项改革来履行诺言。该党在文化大革命等困难时期做出的各种调整，揭示了他的内在动力以及积极响应人民群众看法和感受的的意愿和能力。
其次，中国人民是非常勤劳、有纪律性和充满奉献精神的劳动者。他们明白这是一条发展之路。对于那些辛勤建设这个国家的中国农民工阶层，我印象深刻。他们牺牲自己来成就一个全新的中国，是现今所有中国人应该为之自豪和努力效仿的楷模。如果非洲愿意效仿并复制这样的中国楷模，那么我们也有望在几年后成为中国这样的国家。
我也开始学习并接受中国的想法，发展不是一个简简单单就能达到的目标。根据中国人的理念，它是一个不断努力的过程。他们不仅仅满足于今天所取得的进步，而是不断挑战他们自己，在所取得的成就基础上，不断完善。这就是为什么改革是中国不可分割的关键一环。这种坚定改革的心态支撑着中国对世界开放。邓小平同志提出的经济改革，和习近平主席提出的“一带一路”倡议都有着异曲同工之妙。
《中国投资》：喀麦隆与中国有着互惠互利和建设命运共同体的共同目标，您如何看待中非命运共同体的未来？
马丁·姆巴纳：中非命运共同体的未来的前景十分光明。尤其是我们的大部分人民开始从主要成就项目中获利之后。这些项目是由我国国家元首保罗·毕亚阁下前几年签署实施的。
试想一下，如果喀麦隆每天为500万中国人提供香蕉，单单是这一举措就能为喀麦隆提供至少1500万个就业岗位。中国是一个巨大的市场，其中产阶级群体还在不断扩大。而非洲国家所面临的挑战是如何改变他们的政策和生产方式，使他们的产品能够通过一套标准化流程打入这个巨大的市场。他们不应再售卖未经加工的原材料，比如木材和铁矿石等。我们一定要有想象力和创造力。而这种理念可以通过与中国的伙伴关系获得。
《中国投资》：您认为在于中国的双边关系中，目前最重要的任务是什么？有哪些方面亟待改善？
马丁·姆巴纳：事实上没有什么人类行为是不能被改善的，中非合作也是如此。如果我们想达到更高的标准，有一些差异可以改进。比如，两国民众都需要进一步深入把握中非合作的精髓。其次，我们的媒体没有充分的报道这种合作所带来的好处。同时，内在的文化差异抑制了合作的间隙。最重要的是要了解什么能使我们真正团结在一起，并变得更加强大。
《中国投资》：对于潜在的中国投资者们，您有哪些期待？
马丁·姆巴纳：尽管两国一直保持丰富多元的合作关系，潜在的中国投资者应该认识到，我们两国之间仍存在多种合作渠道。
仅仅在能源部门，就有着不可限量的投资机会。喀麦隆拥有非洲第二大的水力电气潜力。因此，任何想在这一领域投资的中国投资者，可以简单审查一下喀麦隆不同流域经过调整的可行性研究报告，例如，伊科姆-卡姆河、芒楚河或者雅左姆河等。
同时，穆巴拉铁矿矿床、马塔普铝土矿场和洛洛多夫铀矿床的开采机会极大。而投资出口矿产至全球市场的铁路线建设，也非常有利可图。
中小型投资的机会也很多,特别是在农业联盟和旅游业方面。非洲的四个生态区全部在喀麦隆。因此,你基本可以在喀麦隆种植非洲所有的作物；同样可以在喀麦隆尽览非洲的生物多样性。这一独特特点是喀麦隆经常被誉为非洲缩影的主要原因,即非洲的所有自然资源都可在一个国家找到。
除此之外，在大多数领域投资都有优厚的奖励。2013年4月18日第2013/004号法令概述了喀麦隆本国和外国投资者能够获得的不同奖励。例如，矿业公司在成立的最初两年内无需办理营业执照。对石油和矿业的研究有若干免税规定；甚至是对股东分得的红利都有优惠。部分中国投资者已经开始利用这项法律,在喀麦隆经营着利润丰厚的企业。
总的来说，喀麦隆拥有非洲一些最有优势的投资机会。它还是世界上最和平稳定的国家之一。喀麦隆人民的热情好客和双语能力(英语和法语)所带来的有利条件，哪怕是非洲以外的国家，都难以企及。（编辑： 裴安迪）
英文版：
In the wake of the Beijing Summit to mark the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) earlier this month, China Investment had a chat with the Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon on his country’s economy and some investment opportunities, longstanding and traditional friendly relation with China, as well as government effort dredging deep into improving the business climate and other motivations to ensure win-win spin offs from investing in Cameroon, the most resilient to shock and most diversified economy in Central Africa.
China Investment: From a perspective of history, can you underline some successful experiences of cooperation between China and Cameroon?
Martin Mpana: Cameroon and China established diplomatic relations in 1971. Therefore, they are age-old partners that have been entertaining rich and highly diversified ties for almost half a century now. In this light, it would be illusionary trying to present an exhaustive retrospective review of these ties without running the risk of several omissions. Therefore I will focus on just a few landmarks.
On 9th June 1975, both parties signed a Protocol Agreement on cooperation in the domain of public health. Through this Agreement, China has been enhancing the skills of Cameroonian medics through exchange programmes which are carried out in the Mbalmayo, Guider, and Yaoundé main hospitals. More than seven hundred Cameroonian medics have benefitted from this programme especially in the fields of remedial medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.
China has also been pivotal in infrastructural development in Cameroon. The Yaoundé Conference Centre was built in the 1980s with Chinese partnership. The fame and pride of that structure is still unparalleled in Yaoundé even up to today. The Lagdo dam was built with Chinese support between 1977 and 1982. This dam supplies electricity to towns connected on the Northern grid lines. In more recent times, China supported Cameroon over the Bakassi dispute.
China Investment: To what extent is the role of bilateral relations with China on economic development of Cameroon since its longstanding and traditional relationship with China?
Martin Mpana: The fallouts of our cooperation with China are clearly visible on our economic landscape. The Cameroon Government’s current effort to resolve its energy deficit has received strong backing from China. EXIM Bank China has heavily financed the construction of the Mekin, Lom Pangar and Mem Mve’ele multi-purpose dam projects. When commissioned, these dams are earmarked to produce cumulatively almost 250 Mega-watts of electricity. The importance of these projects to our economy needs no special emphasis.
China’s mark is equally evident on our transport sector. The Kribi deep sea port and the Bamenda – Ikom (in Nigeria) express way were built with Chinese partnership. The Yaoundé-Douala dual carriage way and the Yaounde-Nsimalen express way are currently being constructed with Chinese expertise.
China has left indelible foot-prints in our public health and sporting sectors. The chain of gynecological – obstetric hospitals throughout Cameroon has been achieved through partnership with China. The Warda multi-purpose sport complex in Yaoundé, just like the Limbe and Bafoussam Omni sport football stadia are all owed to this cooperation with China.
In a nutshell, China has distinguished itself as one of Cameroon’s strategic and most reliable partners in the implementation of President Paul BIYA’s effort to transform Cameroon in to an Emergent Economy by 2035.
China Investment: What are the lessons of development have you got in China that you think can be relevant back in your country?
Martin Mpana: Primarily, I have learnt that the Chinese People fervently belief and uphold the political and economic choices of their Government. Therefore, they are uninterested in acrimonious and sterile political debates. It is a type of national consensus, that power should be vested in the Chinese Communist Party. That Party has been delivering the goods through the various reforms it has crafted and implemented meticulously over the last six decades. The various adjustments made by that Party during difficult times such as the Cultural Revolution, reveals its internal dynamism and responsiveness to the views and feelings of the Chinese People.
Secondly, the Chinese are hard, disciplined and dedicated workers. They have understood that this is the path to development. I still have vivid memories of that class of Chinese “Migrant Workers” who toiled to build this country. I commend them. They are role models who sacrificed themselves to produce a new brand of China that the current generation of Chinese should be proud of and strive to emulate. If we in Africa are ready to emulate and replicate such Chinese models, then we can also dream to become like China in few years.
I have also learnt and imbibed the Chinese idea that development is not simply a point to be attained. According to the Chinese, it is a continuous endeavour. They are hardly contented with today’s progress. They constantly challenge themselves to improve upon their current achievements. That is why Reform is an integral and crucial issue in China. Such a Reformist mindset underpinned China’s openness to the world. The economic reforms instituted by President Deng Xiao Ping, and the “Belt and Road Project” that has been initiated by President Xi Jin Ping.
China Investment: Cameroon shares a common goal of mutual benefit, win-win outcome and building a community of shared future with China, how do you see the future of China-Africa community?
Martin Mpana: The prospects are really bright especially when most of our people will start reaping the benefits of the Major Accomplishment Projects, which our Head of State, H.E Paul BIYA launched a few years ago.
Just imagine the spin-offs if Cameroon could feed five million Chinese with banana on a daily basis. That single action could employ at least 15 million persons in Cameroon. China is a huge market with a buoyant middle class. The challenge is for African countries to change their policies and methods production so that their products can penetrate this vast market through standardization. They should cease selling mostly unprocessed raw materials such as timber iron-ore, bauxite etc. So, let us be imaginative and creative. That mindset can be achieved through partnership with China.
China Investment: What do you regard as the main priorities within the bilateral relations with China? Are there general aspects which ought to be improved?
Martin Mpana: There is hardly any human endeavour that cannot be improved upon, and this is true of Sino-Africa cooperation, which has few gaps which can be improved if we want to attain higher heights. For instance, the local populations on both sides are still to grasp the essence of Sino-African cooperation. Secondly, the benefits of this cooperation are not reported sufficiently by our media. There are still some embedded cultural variations which stifle this cooperation. The most important is to look into what can unite us and make us stronger.
China Investment: Do you have any word(s) of motivation in regards to potential investments?
Martin Mpana: Despite the rich and highly diversified cooperation ties between our two countries, potential Chinese investors should realize that there are still several avenues for cooperation between our two countries. I wish to equally reiterate here that my list will hardly be exhaustive.
There are almost infinite opportunities for investment in the energy sector. Cameroon has the second hydro-electricity potential in Africa. Therefore, any prospective investor in this sector could simply examine the several feasibility studies that have been fine-tuned on various river basins in Cameroon, such as the Rivers Ekom-Nkam, Menchum or Nyazom etc.
There are huge opportunities for exploiting the Mbalam iron ore deposits, the bauxite fields of Mini-Martap or the uranium deposits of Lolodorf. It would also be highly profitable to venture in the construction of the railway lines that would export these minerals to global markets.
There are equally several opportunities for small and medium size investments, especially in the agro-allied and tourism industries. Cameroon has all the four ecological zones of Africa. Therefore, you can grow virtually every crop that is cultivated in Africa in Cameroon; as well as see almost all of Africa’s biodiversity in Cameroon. This unique trait is the main reason why Cameroon is often referred to as an Africa in miniature i.e. all of Africa’s natural wealth found in one country.
In addition to the above, there are huge incentives for investments in most of these sectors. Law N°2013/004 of 18 April 2013 outlines the different incentives for local and foreign investors in Cameroon. For example, Mining companies are exempted from a business license during the first two years of their existence. There are several tax exemptions on oil and mining research; and even on the dividends paid to shareholders. Certain Chinese investors are already taking advantage of that Law and are currently operating highly lucrative businesses in Cameroon.
Summarily, Cameroon has some of the most interesting investment opportunities in Africa. It remains one of the most peaceful and stable countries in the world. The legendary hospitality of its people and their bilingual character (English and French) are assets which are unparalleled even beyond Africa.
