For part of the country’s civil society, the French president has above all come to defend the interests of Paris and avoid a rapprochement with Russia.
by
Between bitterness, disappointment but also hope on memorial issues, Cameroonian civil society was shared in the aftermath of the French president, Emmanuel Macron. This “will not change” to the life of Cameroonians, struck hard by the rise in food prices and by the scarcity of gasoline, estimates Philippe Nanga, coordinator of the NGO a world future. For the activist, she will also have made it possible to move forward on the most painful files: the current conflict since 2017 in the two English -speaking regions, the repression struck certain defenders of human rights and journalists, the liberation of the many prisoners policies that languish in the overcrowded jails of the country.
“Twenty years back, the French president would have demanded that a number of political prisoners were released before he arrived in Cameroon. However, he came when there are imprisoned political leaders”, denounces Philippe Nanga, for whom France, whose influence is losing momentum in Africa, “no longer has any grip on dictatorships”. “We have sent many correspondence to President Macron on cases of human rights violations and we have not obtained an answer,” abounds Jean Claude Fogno, executive secretary of the NGO Mandela Center International. Paris regularly explains approaching the subject of human rights with the leaders encountered, but making it closed doors for more efficiency.
military cooperation agreements with Moscow
Emmanuel Macron came to Cameroon for two main reasons, “defend French interests” and “avoid bringing the country with Russia”, very present at the Central African neighbor, assures Philippe Nanga. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, many African countries have abstained during votes condemning Russia to the United Nations. Including Cameroon, where the signing of military cooperation agreements with Moscow recently made the headlines.
Questioned on this subject, President Paul Biya, 89, spoke of renewal of a “preexisting agreement”, of “an act in the routine of diplomatic relations between our two countries”, of “an act pure management of a bilateral relationship “. Regarding the war in Ukraine, “we did not address this question and there was no question for us to approach it,” swept the head of state, who directs the country with a hand iron for forty years.
You have 64.9% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.