From: "U.S. Dept of State Listserver" Subject: DOSTRAVEL Cameroon Consular Information Sheet 07/28/99 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 20:39:50 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Reply-To: "U.S. Dept of State Listserver" Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:2303 Path: world!root Sender: US Dept of State Travel Warnings Message-ID: <199907292040.PAA65374@piglet.cc.uic.edu> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Comments: To: dostravel@uic.edu Lines: 176 Cameroon - Consular Information Sheet July 28, 1999 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Cameroon is a developing African country. Facilities for tourism are limited. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: A passport and a visa are required. Travelers may obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon, 2349 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 265-8790/94. Overseas, inquiries should be made at the nearest Cameroonian embassy or consulate. SAFETY/SECURITY: U.S. citizens should avoid political rallies and street demonstrations and maintain security awareness at all times. CRIME INFORMATION: Armed banditry is a serious problem throughout the country, including tourist areas in Cameroon9s far north province and in all major cities. To curb banditry, security personnel may request persons to show their passport, residence card, driver9s license and/or vehicle registration at random checkpoints. The risk of street and residential crime is high. Reports of carjackings and burglaries also remain high, particularly in Yaounde and Douala. Incidents of carjackings have been reported on rural highways. The U.S. Embassy advises travelers to always remain aware of their surroundings and to follow routine security precautions such as locking car, hotel, and house doors at all times. Travel after dark is extremely risky and should be avoided, if possible. Tourists and business people should note that there is an increasing circulation of counterfeit U.S. and Cameroonian currency in the country. In recent years, business travelers have experienced difficulty in obtaining adequate services from Cameroon9s banking sector. Business travelers are also advised that using the services of a local agent is a strongly recommended first step in establishing a presence in the Cameroonian market. Caution is required in pursuing joint ventures and licensing arrangements in Cameroon. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the U.S. Embassy. The pamphlets 3A Safe Trip Abroad2 and 3Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa2 provide useful information on personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, telephone (202) 783-3238, or via the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs. MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical facilities in Cameroon are limited. Sanitation levels are low, even in the best hospitals. Not all medicines are available. Travelers are advised to bring their own supplies. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health care services. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. MEDICAL INSURANCE: Please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, including provision for medical evacuation. Please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death. Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State9s Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, 2Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad,2 available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://www.cdc.gov or autofax: (202) 647-3000. OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION: Malaria prophylaxis and vaccination against hepatitis A and B, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, typhoid, and meningococcal meningitis are recommended. Cholera certification and yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry. Children9s immunizations should be up-to-date. Further information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention9s international traveler9s hotline at telephone 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394- 8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299) or by visiting the CDC Internet home page at http://www.cdc.gov. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Cameroon is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance. Safety of Public Transportation: Poor Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Fair to Poor Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor to Nonexistent Cameroon9s road network, both paved and unpaved, is underdeveloped and unsafe. In general, roads and vehicles are poorly maintained. During the rainy season, many roads are passable only with four-wheel-drive vehicles. There are few road and traffic signs. Livestock and pedestrians create constant road hazards, and road safety rules are routinely ignored. Buses and logging trucks traveling at high speeds are a hazard. Drivers are advised against nighttime travel. Outside major towns, especially in the far north province, armed bandits pose a threat. AVIATION OVERSIGHT: There is no direct commercial air service at present, nor economic authority to operate such service, between the U.S. and Cameroon. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards oversight of Cameroon9s air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at telephone 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet home page at http://cas.faa.gov. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at telephone 703-697-7288. CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country9s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Cameroonian law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Cameroon are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines. PHOTOGRAPHY RESTRICTIONS: While photography is not officially forbidden, security officials are sensitive about photographs taken of government buildings, military installations, and other public facilities, many of which are unmarked. Photography of these subjects may result in seizure of photographic equipment by authorities. Due to the threat of harassment and the lack of signs designating sites prohibited for photography, photographs should be taken while in private homes and amongst friends. CURRENCY REGULATIONS: Credit cards and checks are rarely accepted. Cash in local currency is usually the only form of payment accepted throughout the country. Credit card cash advances are not available, and most banks do not cash personal or traveler9s checks. Two banks in Douala, Societe Generale du Cameroun, telephone (237) 43-00-02 and Cofinest, telephone (237) 43-10-53, have wire transfer services through Western Union. The U.S. Embassy does not provide currency exchange, check cashing or other financial services. Y2K INFORMATION: U.S. citizens contemplating traveling or residing abroad in late 1999 or early 2000 should be aware of potential difficulties. They may wish to consider taking practical precautions against possible disruptions of services triggered by the Y2K computer phenomenon. Please monitor the home page of the Bureau of Consular Affairs for updates on Y2K issues at http://travel.state.gov/y2kca.html. CHILDREN9S ISSUES: For information on international adoption of children, international parental child abduction, and international child support enforcement issues, please telephone (202) 736-7000 or refer to our internet site at http://travel.state.gov/children9s_issues.html. EMBASSY LOCATION/REGISTRATION: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde or with the U.S. Embassy Office in Douala, and to obtain updated information on travel and security in Cameroon. The U.S. Embassy is located on Rue Nachtigal in Yaounde. The mailing address is B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon, telelephone (237) 23-40-14, fax (237) 23-07-53. The U.S. Embassy Office in Douala can be contacted at telephone (237) 42-53-31, fax (237) 42-77-90. * * * * This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated May 7, 1998, to update information on Entry Requirements, Crime, Medical Facilities, Road Conditions and Safety, Aviation Oversight, Photography Restrictions, Criminal Penalties, and Embassy Location/Registration, and to add sections on Safety/Security, Medical Insurance, Otherl Health Information, Currency Regulations, Y2K Information, and Children9s Issues.