Yaounde bids four COPAX participants farewell

Presidents Obiang, Bongo, Deby and PM Trovoada left for their respective countries on February 16, 2015.

Three Heads of State, Presidents Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon and Idriss Deby Itno of Chad were the first set of guests to leave Yaounde after the extraordinary summit geared at fighting against Boko Haram.

The wave of satisfaction threaded through the three dignitaries as well as the population that turned out at the Yaounde Nsimalen Airport to bid them farewell.

The first President to takeoff was Teodoro Obiang Nguema who on arrival at the airport went straight to his plane.

This was not the case with Presidents Ali Bongo Ondimba and Idriss Deby Itno who had brief stops at the VIP lounge where they made time to give their impressions to the press.

From all indication, the two Heads of State left fully satisfied with the arrangements made at the Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Council for Peace and Security (COPAX) in Central Africa on the Fight against the Boko Haram Terrorist Group.

Whereas the Gabonese leader described the Yaounde summit as a translation of solidarity and an occasion for member States of COPAX to extend their hand of support to Cameroon and Chad, two of the members directly affected by the Boko Haram Islamist group, the Chadian President on his part expressed homage to the fallen soldiers of both nations warning that the fight against Boko Haram is going to be a long one.

The last departure for the evening was that of Patrice Emery Travoada, Prime Minister, Head of Government of Sao Tome and Principe. All the guests were accompanied at the airport by Philemon Yang, Cameroon’s Prime Minister and Head of Government.

Two Presidents, Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo and Catherine Samba Panza, Transitional President of the Central African Republic are expected to take off yesterday February 17, 2015.