North Korean foreign minister Pak Ui Chun paid an official visit to Cameroon on Wednesday as part of a two week diplomatic tour of western and central African nations.

The tour, which has seen Pak’s Foreign Ministry delegation also visit Benin, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been touted by North Korean media as an effort to foster “friendly and cooperative” relations in the region.

In Cameroon, Pak told Minister of External Relations Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo that he hoped North Korea and Cameroon would continue to strengthen their bilateral relations, local media said on Wednesday.

Pak also congratulated “the government