Gen. Francisco Soriano discusses security issues with Biya

President Paul Biya received on Thursday, the French general, Francisco Soriano. The Commander of the French troops in Gabon, General Francisco Soriano, was accompanied by the Ambassador of France in Cameroon, Christine Robichon, yesterday at the Palace of unity, to meet the Head of State.

The hosts of the Head of State told the press that the talks with President Paul Biya centred on the security challenges facing Cameroon lately, and the support he brought from France, adding that Paris is committed to regional security, while assuring that, in this situation, France is in support of Cameroon. Soriano recalled that these security issues concern the entire sub-region. In this they require regional solutions, he continued.

These solutions are to search for, in his opinion, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroon and other countries of the sub-region. It is appropriate to recall that, in the logic of a common and concerted response, the French president, François Holland organized in May in Paris, 'the Summit of t Elysée' for security in Nigeria. This meeting brought together counterparts from Cameroon, Paul Biya, Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, Chad, Idriss Deby, Mohamadou Issoufou, Niger and Benin, Thomas Yayi Boni.

During the meeting, foundations were laid for cooperation between these countries to deal with the Islamist boost born in the Nigeria. Before the Paris meeting, the same regional approach to the rise of insecurity, president Paul Biya had gathered his peers in June 2013 in Yaoundé, in the context of the Summit on the security and maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea.

The interregional coordination Centre for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (Cic), inaugurated last week in Yaounde, came from the implementation of the resolutions of the Summit.