Cameroon-France : Taking Partnership To Higher Heights!

In friendship and solidarity, Cameroon and France are more than ever determined to work together; in mutual respect and understanding, to make today and tomorrow better for the two States and peoples. The Presidents of the two countries: Paul Biya of Cameroon and Emmanuel Macron of France, held an in-camera high-level discussion in Yaounde yesterday July 26, 2022 at the State House to assess the long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries and jointly seek ways of deepening them looking at the current global stakes.  
This was the hallmark of the official visit of the French President to Cameroon on the invitation of his Cameroonian peer, Paul Biya. It was a second major international trip of President Macron’s second term which both Heads of State said, confirm the priority given to the Euro-African partnership within the framework of the French President’s foreign policy.
The Biya-Macron tête-à-tête had an uphill challenge of making a headway in a disturbing global context marked by terrorist threat that has been present for several years in the Sahel and continues to spread to the Gulf of Guinea and the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war that is leaving a heavy toll on the global economy. 
In effect, France, like Cameroon, is concerned about persistent insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin and the Gulf of Guinea. History holds that France has shown firm commitment to assisting Cameroon in its fight against the Boko Haram insurgency, separatist movements and disruption of public order in the North West and South West Regions as well as cross-border crime. Reason why President Macron’s visit coupled with the close to two-hour discussions with President Paul Biya and declarations thereafter, rekindled  hopes that Cameroon could have sustained support for plans to rebuild the crisis-affected North West, South West and Far North Regions as well as strengthen the much-cherished decentralisation process. 
New Horizons
Facing the national and international media that thronged the Unity Palace for the visit, President Paul Biya and his august guest praised each other for the interest shown their respective countries, pledging a strong determination to work harder to consolidate achievements and break new grounds. President Paul Biya saluted Mr Macron’s presence in Yaounde which he said tells of Cameroon-France friendship and comforts all and sundry of the need to mutually cooperate to seek common solutions to common problems. 
The two Heads of State disclosed that looking at the challenges at hand, there is need to deepen cooperation in a...