Useful Consultations Between Idriss Deby and Paul Biya

The arrival in Yaounde yesterday 22 May 2014 of Chadian President, Idriss Deby Itno, for a friendly and working visit just five days after both Heads of State met in Paris on 17 May for a Summit on security concerns in Nigeria caused by the Boko Haram sect, must leave some keen observers perplexed. Such critical watchers may be right to wonder why President Biya and his Chadian counterpart did not complete their discussions in Paris, and so on.

However, beyond mere conjectures, the context of President Deby Itno's visit to Cameroon is edifying. The toast made by the leaders at the Unity palace yesterday definitely gave concrete clues on why they thought it wise to meet again. With a summit of member countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, to hold today 23 May 2014 in Libreville, Gabon as well as the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) that has resulted in an influx of refugees and the risk of insecurity in both countries, there is much to examine. In addition, the African Union-led MISCA forces that are ensuring peacekeeping in CAR recently saw the withdrawal of Chadian troops following criticisms and misinterpretations on their presence in the war-torn country. The recent decision by Chad to close its frontier to refugees from the CAR at a time when all countries of the CEMAC sub-region are needed in efforts to restore stability in CAR and of course, the spectre of insecurity caused by the systematic infiltration of arms across the borders of both countries, are sufficient issues to preoccupy any conscious leaders and warrant regular consultations.

Incontestably, Chad and Cameroon remain some of the key countries that must work together to tackle the trans-border security problems that the instability in CAR and the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria are causing in terms of setbacks to economic progress and the free movement of people and goods within CEMAC.

While rightfully conjecturing that the in-camera talks between both leaders yesterday 22 May could have been a logical prolongation of last Saturday's summit in Paris, the two-day friendly and working visit by President Deby Itno to Cameroon would enable the two Heads of State to delve into some bilateral and multilateral concerns that affect their countries. President Paul Biya noted in Paris on Saturday that Boko Haram threats were no longer a problem for Nigeria alone, but a regional and why not continental question. Thus, no efforts can be too much in tackling the growing challenges, especially in a context where Chad and Cameroon not only share boundaries with Nigeria, but have citizens with ethnic links in their two countries and Nigeria. The geographical, social and economic ties between Cameroon and Chad can easily be jeopardised by the situation in Nigeria and CAR. The 1,700-km pipe line that links Chad to Cameroon and which was constructed in 2003 has been one of the most outstanding examples of the ties that both countries share and they have every reason to consolidate the initiative and build more of such bridges.

Consequently, by meeting often, the two leaders are not only demonstrating what ought to be within the CEMAC Sub-region, but also showing the example for the rest of the populations of CEMAC. Evidently, the Chadian President is one of such leaders who strongly believe in taking into consideration the view points of Mr. Biya in bilateral and multilateral issues. For instance, between 2009 and May 2014, he has been in Cameroon four times: 29 December 2011, 29 December 2012 and the current visit. All of the trips fell within the context of bilateral cooperation between Chad and Cameroon and at the "Africa 21" International Conference in Yaounde on 19 May 2010 during festivities marking the 50th anniversary of the independence of Cameron and the Yaounde Summit of 24-25 June 2013 on maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.