In this exclusive interview with Diplomat Magazine, Her Excellency Madeleine Madeline Liguemoh Ondoua, Ambassador of Cameroon to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, offers a comprehensive look into the diplomatic relationship between Cameroon and the Netherlands. As only the second Cameroonian ambassador to be resident in the Netherlands since diplomatic relations were established in 1960, Ambassador Liguemoh Ondoua, has been committed to enhancing cooperation since her appointment in 2020.
Discussing the longstanding partnership, she highlights areas of recent collaboration, including security, economic growth, and sustainable development. Ambassador Madeline Liguemoh Ondoua, shares insights into Cameroon’s ongoing efforts to attract Dutch investment in renewable energy, agriculture, education, and health and underscores the value of joint initiatives supporting local communities in Cameroon. Her mission reflects a commitment to strengthening the bonds between Cameroon and the Netherlands, with a shared vision for mutual prosperity and resilience.
Could you present the current state of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cameroon and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as well as the areas of cooperation and recent developments?
Before I respond in detail, allow me to express my sincere thanks for this valuable opportunity to speak about my beloved country, Cameroon, and its multifaceted relationship with the Kingdom of the Netherlands—a friendly and strategic partner to Cameroon in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
Diplomatic relations between Cameroon and the Netherlands at the ambassadorial level date back to 1960. Following coverage within the BENELUX framework, Cameroon’s first resident Ambassador to the Netherlands was H.E. Odette Melono. Since 2020, I am honored to serve as the second. Since the closure of the Dutch Embassy in Yaoundé in 2011, the jurisdiction of the Dutch Embassy in Benin was extended to cover Cameroon. Despite Yaoundé’s authorities consistently advocating for its return, diplomatic relations remain dynamic.
Upon my appointment on September 11, 2020, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Netherlands, with extended responsibilities for Luxembourg, I was tasked by the Cameroonian Government to reinforce and energize cooperation with these countries. I was provided with a roadmap, guided by the state priorities outlined by President Paul Biya, who also serves as Chief of Diplomacy.
Aligned with Cameroon’s foreign policy principles, this roadmap emphasized maintaining an active presence in diplomacy, promoting Cameroon’s development to investors in areas such as education, health, water, renewable energy, agriculture, horticulture, livestock, aquaculture, digital economy, and the industrial sector. Additionally, it encouraged the Dutch government to support the Presidential Reconstruction and Development Plan for the Northwest and Southwest regions. Notably, we aim to create synergies with the Cameroonian diaspora in the Netherlands and Luxembourg to foster transformative investments that contribute to Cameroon’s development.
These initiatives coincide with the Dutch government’s focus on economic interests under Prime Minister Rutte, which guided its 2017–2021 development cooperation policy towards security, rule of law, water management, food security, education, research, innovation, reproductive health, and sexual rights. Moreover, it aimed to assist countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), enhancing democratic governance, upholding the rule of law, and increasing resilience and climate adaptation.
Given these converging strategies, we have identified promising opportunities to strengthen cooperation between our two countries. A significant example was the Cameroon Economic and Cultural Week in The Hague in May 2022, which showcased Cameroon, known as “Africa in miniature” and a land of opportunity, to Dutch institutional authorities and the broader private sector. This event fostered numerous projects and amplified Dutch economic interest in Cameroon.
Furthermore, since 2023, the Netherlands has been actively supporting specialized social economy structures. For example, in 2023, they funded equipment for the JCI Nature cooperative, which transforms natural plant bark into remedies and produces cosmetics using snail mucus and aloe vera. This year (2024), they provided significant funding to the Local Social and Solidarity Economy Network of Batchenga (Reless) for the transformation and packaging of agricultural products for commercial sale.
The Netherlands also contributes to strengthening security in crisis-affected areas of Cameroon. For instance, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) received Dutch financial support to construct a new gendarmerie building in Kolofata, a locality in northern Cameroon affected by Boko Haram insurgency. This building was inaugurated on October 25, 2024, embodying the Netherlands’ vision of bilateral and multilateral cooperation for impactful and field-driven development.
Several cooperation agreements are under negotiation between Cameroon and this partner country, and we hope that their successful conclusion will further strengthen our diplomatic relations.
Economic cooperation and investment opportunities between the two countries, focusing on sectors of mutual interest.
Economic and trade cooperation between our two countries is very dynamic. At the end of 2022, the Kingdom of the Netherlands imported 1,634,600 tonnes of goods from Cameroon, representing a 26.8% market share. In the same year, Cameroon exported 8,205,000 tonnes of goods, according to the Institut National de la Statistique (INS).
Compared with 2021, this represents an increase of 45.5%. Analysis reveals a major shift in Cameroon’s trade partnerships, with the Netherlands overtaking the market as the country’s main customer. The Netherlands gained 14 percentage points as revealed by INS data. This European Union country, which ranked third among Cameroon’s customers in 2021 with 467,200 tonnes of imported products (12.4% market share), mainly imports crude petroleum oils (60.4%), raw cocoa beans (24.7%), liquefied natural gas (10.5%), and cocoa paste (1.6%). “These items will account for a massive 97.2% of my country’s exports to this European country in 2022”, justified the INS at the time.
Since I took office, five economic missions made up of Companies from our two countries have visited Cameroon and the Netherlands respectively, notably in March 2022 in Cameroon under the leadership of my Dutch counterpart in Benin, in May 2022 in the Netherlands under the impetus of H.E. Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of Cameroon, in November 2022 in Cameroon under the supervision of our Embassy, in February 2023 in The Hague, under the direction of the Centre des Réseaux des Filières de Croissance (CRFC), in August 2023 in the Netherlands under the presidency of the Chambre d’Agriculture, des Pêches, de l’Elevage et des Forêts (CAPEF), then in September 2024 in Cameroon by the ING bank.
These various missions have enabled the establishment of contacts and Public/Private Partnerships between economic operators from both countries in fields as varied as agribusiness, livestock, fisheries, ICT, processing, industry, and many others. Several Dutch companies are active in Cameroon in various fields, including Boskalis Westminster Cameroun, Africa Road Construction, Close the Loop, Wijman Cameroun S.A., Holland Farm, Heineken, Sims international (Partner of Libitco b.v), All Round Shipping BV, Fugro (Geofor Cameroun), and many others. ALVARO COMPANY
On a completely different front, the Dutch authorities have been involved in a number of development projects in Cameroon, including: training and education; water supply; rural hydraulics and civil engineering; infrastructure; horticulture; environment and nature protection (conservation, sustainable management and social development); and health (commissioning and maintenance of medical imaging equipment at the Sangmélima referral hospital). The Netherlands provides financial support from the FMO entrepreneurial development bank for Cam-Hydro S.A.’s construction of the Minkouma hydroelectric dam in the center of the country.
In August 2023, the President of Cameroon’s Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry (CAPEF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Dutch NAFTEC/FANEC/MFS consortium, represented by investor Yan Hak, in the agribusiness sector. The Dutch bank ING visited Cameroon to explore financing opportunities for SME projects in the above-mentioned sectors.
As part of our attractiveness policy, the Embassy of Cameroon in The Hague recently took part, for the second time, in the Embassy Festival organized in the Dutch capital, where the assets and investment opportunities of the seaside city of Kribi were showcased.
Investment opportunities in Cameroon include mining, water and energy, road and port infrastructure, and communications. The Government of Cameroon, through its New Development Strategy 2020-2030 (SND30), projects the country’s emergence by 2035. In this respect, investments from all our partners are welcome to help us achieve this goal of emergence over the long term, but much sooner, through the operational commitment of Cameroon’s partners to the new import-substitution policy promoted by my country.
The business climate is highly conducive to investment, and the government has set up a guarantee line worth 200 million FCFA to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Overall, economic relations between Cameroon and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have developed considerably over the past three years. Locally, some fifteen companies operate through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or joint ventures in various sectors, including the port, agriculture, maritime and medical sectors, etc.
Cultural exchanges and tourism initiatives that strengthen interpersonal ties between Cameroon and the Netherlands
On the cultural front, some 4,400 Cameroonians are active in the Netherlands. Under the supervision and support of the Diplomatic Mission of Cameroon, cultural activities take the form of fairs and other charitable events.
To mark Cameroon’s national holiday every May 20, the Embassy provides a platform for compatriots to express their artistic and cultural talents against the backdrop of the country’s rhythms and identity. In the same vein, federative events such as the Festival des Ambassades are ideal settings for cultural performances such as folk dancing and traditional music.
In Cameroon, Luxembourg laid the foundation stone for the Centre Culturel Luxembourgeois, the first of its kind in Central Africa, in April 2023. This future achievement testifies to the two countries’ determination to consolidate their cultural relations. And we hope that the Kingdom of the Netherlands will also be able to establish a Cultural Centre in Cameroon, which would promote greater understanding between the peoples of our two countries, and the birth of new opportunities for cooperation as only human encounters know how to generate. In so doing, we have invited an incredible artist to visit the Netherlands, just as we encourage the creation of cultural bridges between our peoples.
It’s worth pointing out that renowned Cameroonian artists have chosen the Netherlands as their country of residence, where they showcase their skills to the world; and this constitutes an emulation for other artists.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our intention to strengthen our bilateral exchanges in the fields of culture and tourism. In 2025, for example, we aim to organize a major cultural synergy and gastronomy event, which will once again showcase our rich cultural heritage and encourage Dutch citizens to include Cameroon among their favorite destinations.
In any case, I’m convinced that culture and tourism are two central pillars that contribute indefectibly to strengthening relations between people, and between the Netherlands and Cameroon in particular.
It is for this reason that since my arrival at the head of the Embassy, numerous initiatives have been put in place to bring our rich and diverse cultural heritage closer to the Dutch population, with the support of the Cameroonian Government. In this respect, I’m thinking of the Cameroon Economic and Cultural Week organized in The Hague in May 2022, as well as the various festivities organized by our Embassy over the years. All these initiatives have been great moments of friendship, sharing and fraternity.
Strategies to promote the shared values of democracy, human rights and international law between (Cameroon and the countries under your jurisdiction) our two nations.
With a view to making Cameroon an emerging country by 2035, the current state of governance can be verified through :
Effective separation of powers: governed by the constitution of January 18, 1996, the Constitution recognizes three distinct types of power: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. The configuration of Parliament into two chambers, the Lower House (the National Assembly) and the Upper House (the Senate), enables it not only to better control the action of the Executive, but also to better fulfill its legislative function. In addition, the judiciary is independent and autonomous, and carries out its duties with complete transparency and respect for the general principles of law and human rights.
Independent electoral system institutions : ELECAM (Elections Cameroon) and the Constitutional Council are two institutions responsible for managing the electoral process in Cameroon in terms of credibility, neutrality and transparency. Elections Cameroon is responsible for the material organization of elections, while the Constitutional Council deals with any disputes arising from these elections, with the exception of municipal elections.
A security and law and order system at the service of the State and its citizens, with a multiplicity of police, gendarmerie, customs and army forces throughout the country.
The reality of local governance through effective decentralization: The January 18, 1996 Constitution states that “Cameroon is a decentralized unitary State”. The creation of the Region in 2021 completes the picture previously constituted by the Commune and the Urban Community, each entity being vested with specific prerogatives. The transfer of administrative powers from the State to the Decentralized Territorial Collectivities is perceptible and estimated at 11%.
The existence of institutions responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating governance at national level, such as the National Governance Program (PNG). The creation of institutions to monitor governance and public wealth, such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC), the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) and the Special Criminal Court (TCS). The main mission of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC) is to monitor and evaluate the effective application of the government’s anti-corruption plan in Cameroon. The Tribunal Criminel Spécial (Special Criminal Court), on the other hand, is a court set up to hear cases involving offences against public assets involving sums in excess of 50 million CFA.
In terms of international law, Cameroon has ratified several international agreements on democracy and respect for human rights.
Equality between men and women is constitutionally established
And the fight for gender equality is a major political commitment on the part of the Government, through a Ministerial Department dedicated to the Promotion of Women and the Family, but even more so through a sensitive gender policy promoted by the Head of State. In this context, the higher school enrolment rate for girls in Cameroon, higher than that of boys in urban and many rural areas, is an evocative example and a benchmark in Africa. Equal pay for men and women also illustrates the egalitarian model of society that the government is striving to build, under the leadership of the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA.
What are your objectives and expectations for strengthening relations between Cameroon and the Netherlands during your term as ambassador?
I’d like to raise cooperation between Cameroon and the two countries in the jurisdiction (the Netherlands and Luxembourg) to a higher level through reciprocal visits by political authorities and the signing of partnership agreements. In the same vein, I would like to see an increase in the number of economic missions between economic operators in our various countries. Business on all fronts. Strengthening cooperation in the agro-industrial sector, with particular emphasis on the processing, packaging and distribution of agricultural products, as well as on related services (supply of fertilizers, seeds and equipment) and, by extension, all agricultural production systems. Other sectors of interest include energy, water management and transport infrastructure.
The current entry of the Zone de Libre-Economique Economique Africaine (ZLECAF) is an exceptional opportunity to optimize the potentials of cooperation. Cameroon is a decentralized country. Therefore, strengthening the partnership between the decentralized local authorities of my country and those of the area of competence would contribute to the accomplishment of the development missions defined by the Cameroonian Authorities. We will encourage contacts between the cities of these three countries (Cameroon, Netherlands, Luxembourg) through twinning conducive not only to the exchange of experiences and expertise, but more for targeted local development operations impacting the lives of the populations of the zones that are concerned. Thank you.
