Yaoundé claims to be first African state to partner France in defence

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the Cameroonian Minister of Communication (Mincom), and Philémon Yang II government spokesman, officially spoke on Thursday about the State visit of the French president to Cameroon on Friday, July 3, 2015.

Facing the national and international press, the spokesman of the Cameroon government extensively addressed the "very old" relationship between Cameroon and France avoiding the subject that stirs anger, which is the 6 hours François Hollande will spend on the Cameroonian territory.

Public opinion considers the short time an "insult" but Issa Tchiroma Bakary reminded Cameroonians that they were going to witness "an important event" because their country was receiving a distinguished guest.

François Hollande is the leader of a country that has spent several billion CFA francs in the development of Cameroon, through the contract of debt and development (C2D), and a lot of financing placed on other projects implemented by the Agence française de développement (AFD), highlighted Mincom.

The Cameroonian official added that "with regard to defence and security cooperation, France intervenes traditionally with Cameroon in three areas: assistance in staff, assistance in training and material assistance. As such, it can be said that Cameroon is the first partner of France on cooperation in defence and security in Africa," enforced the Member of the Government, without providing figures.

Multiple signatures of agreements have been announced to be signed on Friday between Paris and Yaounde.

France and Cameroon have a longstanding relationship as Yaoundé has a record 30 000 officially registered Cameroonians living in France against 12 000 French formally identified in Cameroonian land.

The Cameroonians, without survey, but according to opinion and the media believe that after almost 14 years, they deserve better than a simple stopover of a few hours.