Biya salutes Equato-Guinean President for a successful AFCON

President Paul Biya, of Cameroon has addressed a letter to his Equatorial Guinean counterpart Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo thanking him for the successful hosting and organization in extraordinary conditions of the final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations 2015.

"I have the pleasure to send you my warm and sincere congratulations following the successful organization by your country of the 30th edition of the African Cup of Nations football.

Under your excellent management, Equatorial Guinea has successfully met the challenge of preparing and organizing, in a short time and in a particular context, the African Cup of Nations tournament. You have now given the best proof of the potential of your country and of African solidarity,” wrote the Cameroonian Chief Executive.

President Biya added that the challenge of organizing the competition in less than two months has been won. In a typical Cameroonian style, the President lashed out at detractors of the African continent observing that many spoke of a bluff and predicted that CAF and Equatorial Guinea were heading for a complete and total fiasco. “Thank God it did not happen” concluded the Cameroonian Head of State.

For his part, the President of the African Football Confederation Cameroonian born Issa Hayatou was also full of praise for the Equatorial Guinea leader.

“This is an opportunity for me to thank once again the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, His Excellency Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who for the image and the honor of Africa, did not hesitate a moment to accept the tournament under the conditions that we all know.

I take this opportunity to reiterate what I said at the ceremony of the draw on December 3 here in Malabo. Those who give cannot remember, but those who receive should never forget.

CAF will never forget the act of solidarity, courage of President Obiang Nguema, and the demonstration of its commitment to the development of Africa and its youth,” Issa Hayatou said.