TO AUTHORIZE AN HONORARY CONSULATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Cameroonian residents, foreign nationals and U.S. based companies in metropolitan Chicago, Illinois and eight (8) other neighboring Mid-Western States seeking educational, scientific, cultural, touristic, trade and business information spend an average 7-10 business days in receiving feedback(s) from the Cameroon embassy in Washington D.C. The purpose of establishing an honorary consulate in Chicago is to expedite the processing of consular services within 3-5 business days and developing a cost-effective platform for the promotion of trade and investment opportunities between citizens of Cameroon and the United States. The urgency in authorizing an honorary consulate of the Republic of Cameroon in Chicago will provide a convenient forum for embassy officials to appraise first hand, the consular needs of the estimated 8,000 Cameroonian nationals living in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. We therefore request the government of Cameroon to open an honorary consulate in Chicago to serve the consular needs of its nationals and foreigners. While we recognize the attendant financial difficulties in staffing a full-time consulate, we are confident that our government-which has proven itself adept in responding to urgent consular services of its nationals in Houston, Texas and Los Angeles, California, will expedite the authorization of an honorary consulate in Chicago as well. This petition will be mailed (in snail and e format) to the Minister of External Relations by January 31, 2010. If you support our efforts to open an honorary consulate in Chicago, please add your signature below.