Cameroon’s Head of State, Paul Biya, has asserted the importance of dialogue as a means to resolve wars and conflicts during his speech in Provence, France, on August 15, 2024.
He made the address place the 80th anniversary of the Provence Landing, an event that honors the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to free France from German forces in 1944.
Invited by French President Emmanuel Macron, Biya spoke on behalf of his African colleagues, addressing a gathering of world leaders.
He expressed concern over the current state of global peace, noting that the world is increasingly being challenged by nations engaging in an arms race, which he believes contributes to revenge, domination, and violations of state sovereignty.
“This commemoration must also highlight our collective responsibility to preserve peace and liberty in the world. We must find responses to terror and injustice and foster trust in multilateralism to bring about concord and make the world safer,” Biya stated.
He further lamented the ineffectiveness of international organizations established after the World Wars, suggesting that the challenges faced today may indicate a failure in their missions.
However, he expressed confidence that international solidarity and a better understanding of the interests of countries in the global South could lead to lasting peace.
“Cameroon has always prioritized peaceful resolution as a key approach to stopping war and striving for peace,” he added.
Ironically, while preaching peace and dialogue in France, President Biya has consistently rejected calls for genuine dialogue to resolve the ongoing Anglophone conflict in Cameroon, which has resulted in over 6,000 deaths.
He called for a “Major National Dialogue” in 2019 to resolve the ongoing conflict, but it was criticized for excluding separatist leaders who are masterminding the armed conflict.
In his Thursday speech, Biya also paid tribute to the fallen heroes of the Provence Landing, acknowledging the heavy price they paid for the freedom that France and its allies enjoy today.
The Provence Landing, which took place on August 15, 1944, was a major operation led by Allied forces, primarily Americans and French.
Known as Operation Dragoon, it aimed to open a new front in France and quickly liberate the southern region.
Significantly, more than half of the 450,000 troops who participated in the operation were African infantrymen from Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and the West Indies.
The August 15 commemoration is an opportunity to pay tribute to these soldiers and remember the critical role they played in the success of the Provence Landing, often referred to as “The Forgotten Landing.”
