Emmanuel Kendemeh
12 January 2009
The Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura was in cameroon for two-day working visit.
The official visit of the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Koichiro Matsuura to Cameroon is now history. On the invitation of Cameroon's Head of State, Paul Biya, Koichiro Matsuura was in the country from 4:42 p.m on Friday 9 January 2009 to 2:00 p.m on Saturday 10 January 2009. Initially programmed to be a one-day visit to last from 12:30p.m to 9:30 p.m on Friday, it finally became a two-day working visit due to the late arrival of the UNESCO Director General.
What remains memorable and historic about the visit is the high level discussions and the number of places in which Koichiro Matsuura had working sessions. When the plane carrying him touched down at the Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport at 4:42 p.m on Friday, Koichiro Matsuura received the warm welcome of the Cameroon government and its people. This was through the words a flower-carrying young lady addressed to him, "The Director General of UNESCO, His Excellency President Paul Biya, Madam Chantal Biya and the people of Cameroon say welcome". After the words of welcome, the young lady handed a bouquet of flowers to Koichiro Matsuura. At the foot of the plane, the Minister of External Relations, Henri Eyebe Ayissi and his counterpart of Basic Education, Haman Adama officially welcomed the UNESCO Director General on behalf of the government.
From the Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport, Koichiro Matsuura and his entourage drove straight away to the Unity Palace where he had discussions with President Paul Biya. The high point of Koichiro Matsuura's discussions with Paul Biya was the toast the Head of State proposed to him during a diner and the UNESCO's boss' response. On the same night, Koichiro Matsuura visited the Chantal Biya International Reference Centre (CBIRC) for Research on Prevention and Management of HIV/AIDS at the Melen neighbourhood in the capital city, Yaoundé.
At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Koichiro Matsuura and his entourage were at the Ministry of External Relations. There, he had a working session with Cameroon government ministers who are members of the national UNESCO Commission. Before moving to the Nsimalen International Airport for departure at 2:00 p.m, Koichiro Matsuura also visited the UNESCO office in Yaounde where he had a working session with the organisation's staff. Just as during the arrival of the Director General of UNESCO, Cameroon's Ministers of External Relations, Henri Eyebe Ayissi and that of Basic Education , Haman Adama, said goodbye to him at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport. Koichiro Matsuura left Yaounde on board a special plane offered by the Head of State, Paul Biya.
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