China on Thursday accorded a preferential loan of 11 billion CFA francs (US$22.9 million) to Cameroon to fund the provision of clean drinking water in Douala, the country's economic capital.

The agreement for the provision of the loan was signed by Chinese ambassador to Cameroon Huang Changqing and Cameroonian finance minister Polycarpe Abah Abah.

According to Huang, the loan "represents a concrete action by the Chinese government within the framework for the implementation of the promises, which were made by Chinese President Hu Jintao during his January 2007 official visit to Cameroon".

On the other hand, the Cameroonian finance minister said, "the contribution of China to Cameroon's socio-economic development has been particularly remarkable in several sectors in recent years and this goes to underscore the importance of South-South cooperation."

For a number of years now, the population of the city of Douala has been faced with a health risk owing to a shortage in the supply of clean drinking water.

According to the finance minister, after the project is completed at the end of 2008, the city's water supply capacity will be increased from 15,000 cubic meters to 160,000 while the quality of the water will improve tremendously.

(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2007)