President François HOLLANDE has hailed the hospitality of Cameroonians for accepting to host people from Nigeria and the Central African Republic as a result of violence rocking the two neighbouring countries. He made the remarks in his preliminary declaration at a press conference at Unity and later in the toast he proposed at the state dinner offered to the French leader by the Presidential Couple on the occasion of his State visit to Cameroon.
Earlier, the President of the Republic His Excellency Paul BIYA and the Cameroonian people received the visiting French President François HOLLANDE who arrived Yaounde on the eve of Friday 3 July 2015 for a State visit with a very colourful and magnificent ceremony. At the foot of the French presidential plane, which landed at the Nsimalen International airport shortly after 5 pm, the Head of State had a warm accolade with his French counterpart. After receiving a bouquet of flowers, he was also greeted by the Senate President Marcel NIAT NJIFENJI, the Prime Minister Philemon YANG, the Secretary General at the Presidency Ferdinand NGOH NGOH, the Director of the Civil Cabinet Martin BELINGA EBOUTOU and the Minister of External Relations Pierre MOUKOKO MBONJO.
The French President was given full military honours with the execution of the national anthems of Cameroon and France, the inspection of the troops and a 21 round of shots that rang through the Yaounde sky to announce the presence of a special friend. After a brief stop in the Presidential Lodge, the two Heads of State drove by motorcade to Unity Palace.
The two leaders had tête-à-tête discussions before witnessing the signing of cooperation agreements between Cameroon and France. The two leaders then hosted a joint press conference on the 1st floor of the main building of Unity Palace.
President Paul BIYA outlined some of the issues that were discussed by the two leaders: the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group with a lot of support from France; the progress of democracy in Cameroon with the holding of regular elections, the respect of human rights and the putting in place of the institutions required by the constitution; the economic cooperation between the two countries with the participation of France and French companies in the development of Cameroon; the fight against corruption, amongst others.
President François HOLLANDE’s preliminary remarks harped on the same issues, and promised greater help in the fight against Boko Haram and climate change, especially as the French will be hosting a United Nations summit later in the year on the issue. He took time to pay tribute to Cameroon for its hospitality in receiving refugees and even internally displaced persons and promised the continued solidarity of France on these and other matters.
The two leaders later renewed their pledges of partnership and cooperation during toasts that were pronounced at the beginning of the State diner offered by President Paul BIYA and Madam Chantal BIYA to the French president.
President François HOLLANDE will meet later with the French community at the French Embassy in Yaounde before flying back to Paris later in the night, after visiting Cameron, a country he describes as the summary of Africa, with its Anglophone and Francophone heritage, multiplicity of religions and a very welcoming people.
