The Civil Cabinet of the Presidency has thrown light on President Biya's comforting activities in the north of Cameroon and Cameroon's voice in Congo, Kinshasa.
National and international events have often dictated the level of involvement of the Head of State, President Paul Biya in any situation. Thus, he did not only carry the concerns of the entire nation to victims of recent floods in the North and Far North Regions of the country but also made the voice of Cameroon heard in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the just ended 14th edition of the Francophonie Summit as indicated by the 5th edition of "Le temps des Réalisations." As an event within an event, the publication by the Civil Cabinet has as one of its cover stories the audience which the Head of State had in Congo, Kinshasa with his French counterpart, François Hollande on Saturday October 13, 2012 given that it was the first time both leaders were meeting since Hollande was elected in May this year.
The significance of the two events has been through the editorial of the newspaper by-lined by the Minister, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, Martin Belinga Eboutou. He recalls that, the Presidential Couple carried the "nation's comfort and solidarity to the affected population" in the north and had in 2010 suggested the creation of a fund to assist disaster victims within the International Organisation of the Francophonie.
In effect, during the 13th Francophonie Summit that took place from October 22-24, 2010 in Montreux, Switzerland, "President Paul Biya suggested the setting up by the International Organisation of the Franciophonie, of a fund to assist countries that suffered from natural disasters." Belinga Eboutou writes in his editorial. Not only has the idea been accepted by member countries, but finances have started being disbursed by some of the countries of the Francophonie for the fund.
Since experience is said to be best teacher, President Biya's idea of a solidarity fund to help victims of catastrophes was coincidentally topical in the north where thousands of Cameroonians have been affected by floods. Visiting the two northern regions affected by torrential rains from the 19th to 21st September 2012, the Head of State expressed the solidarity of the entire nation towards the victims and announced the creation of a support fund at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation to cater for victims of natural disasters in the country.
Most illustrations in the 36-page coloured news magazine focus on the activities of the Head of State and wife, Chantal Biya in the north to sympathise with flood victims. There are pictures of President Biya granting audiences, the First Lady showing her usual compassion to kids and bewilderment at the extent of the floods as well as pictures showing victims of the floods and the general public that came out in the northern regions to welcome the Presidential Couple.
Concerning the International Organisation of the Franciophonie, the President's interview after the audience with President François Hollande is accompanied by pictures of the audience and other images showing the various activities by Mrs Biya in Kinshasa. Thus, the publication carries pictures of the Head of State and his peers in Kinshasa as well as those of the First Lady, Chantal Biya and other first ladies present in the DRC during the summit.
The document ends with speeches made by the representative of the Head of State at the 67th United Nations General Assembly Debates that took place from September 18th to October 1st in New York read by External Relations' Minister, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo and texts signed by the Head of State within the months of September and October that the 5th edition of the magazine covers.
