Nsimalen: Veritable Convergence Of Presidential Views

The five Presidents of the CEMAC countries tookoff at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport with full determination reverse the sub region’s economic malaise.

There was vissible determination threading through the five Presidents of the Central African Sub region who left Yaounde last Friday and Saturady December 23 and 24, after participating in the stormy extraordinary summit convened at the initiative of President Paul Biya of Cameroon. Speaking to the press shortly before takeoff, all of them expressed the zeal to see things change for the better in the sub region. They all expressed surprise at what they considered wild rumours on the eventual devaluation of the CFA Franc.  

President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad, the first to takeoff questioned why people could be thinking of devaluation. “The sub region is going through difficulties but these are caused by insecurity which has pushed countries to divert their resources to and the fall in the price of oil”, he said, stating that the Central African sub region has enough resources that can be well harnessed to reverse the situation. France and the IMF that all participated in the Yaounde summit, he said, are important partners and have expressed their readiness to bring in technical and financial assistance for the sub region.

The President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and  that of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba who arrived at the airport almost at the same time for departure all had their say on the disturbing economic situation in the CEMAC sub region. The Equoto-Guinean leader was rather frank in his declaration in stating that they asked France and the IMF to help them in the implementation of the structural adjustment programmes as well as in redressing the  situation in the sub region.  In the spirit of the final statement issued after the summit, President Ali Bongo stated clearly that all countries are looking at the same direction. “We are determined to act together in the face of this difficult situation and we are equally committed to reinforcing sub regional cooperation”, he said.

President Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo did not hide his satisfaction after the summit. “I am satisfied with the conclusion of he summit”, he said. Even though he said all these had been discussed at the Malabo summit, he admitted that the Yaounde summit has b...