France advices Cameroon and Nigeria on Boko Haram

The French president, François Hollande has advised the Cameroonian and Nigerian heads of state to "have the best relationship to fight" against the Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram, which affects the stability of both countries and that of their neighbours; Chad and Niger.

"Soon, the Nigerian president will be here in Cameroon. It is necessary for Nigeria and Cameroon to have the best relationship to act against the Islamic sect. This is very important," said the French head of state after a one on one meeting with the Cameroonian president, Paul Biya, in Yaoundé.

From Luanda in Angola after Cotonou in Benin, François Hollande arrived in Yaoundé in the company of a delegation from the Group of France - Cameroon friendship and a large number of businessmen from his country in search of markets abroad, yesterday evening.

It was the first visit by a French president, after 14 years, since Jacques Chirac’s presence at the France-Africa Summit held in Yaoundé in January 2001. The French president’s visit was an event addressed by the Cameroonian authorities as a significant new step in the strengthening of relations with their partner.

It was a meeting which lasted more than an hour at the Cameroonian presidential palace with President Paul Biya to discuss on pertinent issues. It also included the signing of four cooperation agreements for a total of 76 billion francs CFA ($150 million) in the areas of infrastructure, rural development and support to the private sector.

"The fight against Boko Haram is reckoned prominently in our discussions." The recent deadly bombings that struck Nigeria and Chad are part of the long list of atrocities of this terrorist group. They have, in the past months, caused many deaths and destructions in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon", stressed the head of the Cameroonian State.

"There is the need for a unification of efforts by the affected countries and the international community to put an end to this murderous trend which grows stronger. Cameroon has not relented efforts against this barbaric cult attacks. I commend the bravery and dedication of our soldiers who have inflicted a serious setback on the enemy and managed to preserve the integrity of our territory."

According to François Hollande, this regional and international cooperation requires, most importantly, a better collaboration between the Yaoundé and Abuja authorities. "I think that it corresponds to the conclusion we came out with when we gathered at the Paris Summit (in May 2014) for important decisions on Boko Haram."

He said he was willing to hold a similar meeting to intensify the fight against the terrorist threat which continues to intensify despite the coalition formed by Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger. “A meeting in Paris helped to create coordination between the most affected states in the region last week,” he recalled.

"France supports military cooperation based on the formation of Cameroonian soldiers, the information that we collect and the images that we can capture. France supports the efforts of countries to defeat the Boko Haram group," said Hollande who believes that "the fight against terrorism is a fight across the whole world and no country is spared."

According to the French leader, France has in recent years lost ground with Cameroon as the leading investor in the country. The authorities have undertaken a policy of diversification of partnerships where China, for example, is considered the first point of contact before the hexagonal partner.

According to a statement released by the Embassy of France in Yaoundé on Thursday, since the resumption of sovereign lending its support to the Cameroon government in 2010, the executive director of the French Development Agency (AFD), Anne Paugram, who accompanied Hollande on the tour revealed a total of 530 billion CFA francs ($ 1.06 billion) on agreements.

Some 6,000 french nationals and more than a hundred French companies are recorded in this country. Other investors are looking to follow suit.
“I came with a delegation that includes companies already established in Cameroon and others who are planning to invest," confirmed François Hollande.
He returned to Paris that same Friday night, around 11:20 p.m.(10:20 p.m. GMT), according to the official program.

Meanwhile, more than 50,000 Cameroonians including about 8,000 students live in France, according to official statistics.