The French Minister of foreign Affairs has expressed deep concerns over Cameroon’s violent Separatist conflict in the North West and South West region.
Addressing members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, Jean Yves Le Drian also demanded the release of the leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, Prof Maurice Kamto, arrested earlier this year, after spearheading a protest.
While giving his opinion on his country’s position towards some pressing files in Africa, Le Drian told French MPs that the Separatist conflict affecting the English speaking part of Cameroon is deepening. “In the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, the situation continues to deteriorate, the human losses are more and more heavy. “he said
But he assured them that, the French Government, alongside the European Union and United Nations will continue to push Paul Biya to find a lasting solution to the prevailing crisis.
The Quai d’Orsay chief also says the situation of detained CRM leader and international jurist, Maurice Kamto is disturbing . “We hope that this important figure of Cameroon can be released,” he said. “We are pressuring regularly, strongly. Including the President of the Republic(Emmanuel Macron) who has called on President Biya to find solutions.”
It is not the first the French Government has openly called on the Cameroonian leader to address these pressing problems. Emmanuel Macron on his way to Nigeria last year reportedly called Paul Biya to express his worries, urging him to speed up decentralization in order to water down the Anglophone crisis.
At the end of his visit in Nigeria, he told rechoed his position and has done it again in his National Day message to Biya.
At a press conference on January 29, 2019, three days after the arrest of CRM leader, Maurice Kamto, the French Ministry spokesman said they are closely following the developments and Le Dian later revealed that Macron has urged Biya to organise an inclusive dialogue and fasttrack decentralisation.
The French foreign chief’s comments comes a day after Cameroon’s External Relations Minister, Lejeune Mbella Mbella met with diplomats in Yaounde to give Government’s stance on the two preoccupations.
Nsoesie Peter
Mimi Mefo Info
+237679135573
