Each Other’s Keeper

A keen ear to the words of the Chadian President throughout his stay in the national capital over the weekend points to a new kind of relationship based not only on trust, but also on regular physical contacts.

Let’s take trust. It takes two to tango, so it is said and President Deby’s regular visits to Cameroon is a way of saying that good friendship should be regularly maintained and has never given a damn as it were as to whether every visit here is returned or not as diplomatic practices would require. Moreover, the Chadian President, obviously in a show of respect for his elder, has often pushed aside diplomatic requirements that would in any manner inconvenience his host. This is really where relations between Cameroon and Chad under Idriss Deby Itno take their specificity.

The Almighty had wanted things to be so through History and Geography. As President Biya noted last Friday, we are aware of the depth, density, and solidity of the ties binding us. But these ties take an entirely different dimension when, upon hearing that danger strikes anywhere on the national territory in a significant manner, the Chadian President makes it a duty to be around with some soothing words.

By acting this way, President Deby is also giving the much-needed African touch to the way and manner relations between African countries be organized. Chadians have every reason to be concerned about what happens in Cameroon because one cannot afford to turn one’s attention away from where one’s treasure is stored or pay little attention to news about a community in which one has numerous relatives. The Chadian President has never missed any opportunity to restate all the good intentions of his country over Cameroon and never misses any opportunity or meeting organized in Cameroon.

Mr Deby’s most recent stay in Cameroon was in February 2015 for the summit on peace and security in Central Africa, COPAX and before then, he had been in Yaounde for a brief working visit in May 2014. Cameroon and Chad are bound to be each others’ keeper and the best illustration of such a posture is to...