State Visit to Cameroon of H.E. François HOLLANDE, President of the French Republic Yaounde, 3 July 2015
Joint Press Conference by Presidents BIYA and HOLLANDE at Unity Palace
# Questions posed by Journalists to both Heads of State
Severin Tchounkeu, La Nouvelle Expression/Equinoxe TV:
President HOLLANDE, Debt Relief and Development Contracts have revealed a very high propensity to award projects to French enterprises. The Cameroon Employers Union expressed concern on several occasions. Can we expect, under new projects, a shift in favour of Cameroonian enterprises?
Mr President, 50 years after independence, there is still a latent and historic conflict on the period of French administration in Cameroon. Is it not time to address this issue by declassifying related documents? Can Cameroon look forward to an approach similar to the one you implemented in Algeria?
# Response by President HOLLANDE
This partnership can only be beneficial because there can be no lasting establishment of French enterprises in Cameroon without alliances with Cameroonian enterprises. We do not intend to replace Cameroonian enterprises. We want to work with Cameroonian enterprises. The French Development Agency is here for the Development Contract. We do not establish any link with national enterprises. It happens, and I am not complaining, that when calls for tenders are launched, French enterprises also participate and are selected on the basis of their quality, competence and know-how.
It is true that there had been extremely turbulent and even tragic moments given that after independence there was repression in the Sanaga-Maritime and in the Bamileke region, and we are, as I have done everywhere, receptive to the opening of history books as well as archives.
# Gérard Grizbec, France2
My question is addressed to the President of Cameroon. You have been in power since 1982. Today, you are one of the longest-serving Presidents in the world. You have been elected several times. You have served many seven-year terms and, of course, Cameroon's Constitution does not limit the number of terms of office. There will be another term in three years. We wish to know your state of mind. Do you intend to hand over the relay baton and, maybe, consider a well-deserved retirement? What is your state of mind today?
2
Response by President BIYA
I will start by saying that only those who can, and not those who wish, stay in power. My second observation is that I am not at the helm of power by force. I did not come to power through dictatorship. I have always been elected by the people and I am currently serving a term of office granted me by the people. Besides, there were other candidates in this election which I won. Although the 2018 Presidential elections in Cameroon will take place for sure, they are still far away. We have time to think about that and when the time comes, Cameroonians, our French friends and everybody will know if I will run or retire.
Charles NDONGO, CRTV