Representatives from Cameroonian government and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) lay the foundation stone for the construction of the headquarters of Cameroon's General Directorate of Customs in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital, on Dec. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)

YAOUNDE, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian authorities on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the construction of the headquarters of Cameroon's General Directorate of Customs.

The construction contract was awarded to China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), Cameroonian Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze said at the ceremony.

"The (Cameroonian) government attaches great importance to China-Cameroon relations. The construction project of the headquarters of Cameroon's General Directorate of Customs is a perfect illustration and an achievement of bilateral cooperation," Motaze said.

The new building is expected to embellish the capital city of Yaounde, as part of a broader program to modernize state services, he added.

Cui Haozhen, representative from the CMEC, said the company was determined to build the site into a new landmark of the capital, contributing China's strength to Cameroon's governance modernization.

"We will mobilize our best teams, the most reliable technologies and materials, and the advanced management from China to fully guarantee the quality, safety, and accelerate the progress of the project," Cui said in his speech during the ceremony.

"We will work closely with the client, the supervision team, the engineers, and all partners transparently and efficiently to ensure that this project becomes a model project-safe, reliable, and of superior quality," he added.

The project, located in Yaounde near the Presidential Palace, is to provide a modern office environment and enhance administrative efficiency. ■

Cameroonian Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze delivers a speech during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the headquarters of Cameroon's General Directorate of Customs in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital, on Dec. 9, 2025. Cameroonian authorities on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the construction of the headquarters of Cameroon's General Directorate of Customs.

The construction contract was awarded to China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), Cameroonian Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze said at the ceremony. (Xinhua/Kepseu)