Cameroon-Vatican: Strengthening Bonds

The official visit of the Presidential Couple to the Holy See was an occasion to once more fortify relations between Vatican City and Yaounde

Since October 1996, when relations between Cameroon and the Vatican started effectively with the establishment of diplomatic ties, everything has been done to continuously strengthen them. The official visit of President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal Biya to the Vatican last Thursday was yet another occasion to fortify the ever growing relations. The cordiality and appropriate protocol familiar to such visits was in place at the Vatican on that memorable day with the arrival of the Presidential Couple at the Saint Damase Courtyard where they were welcomed by the Prefect of Pontifical House before going through a guard of honour mounted by the Swiss guards. The role of the Gentlemen of His Holiness in the organisational set up in the Vatican adds colour in such occasions. They accompanied the Presidential Couple into the inner chambers of the Holy See, leading them to the presence of Pope Francis and taking the First Lady to the Hall of ambassadors. At the private library of the Holy Father, President Paul Biya had more than thirty minutes discussion with his host. Nothing filtered out of this in camera discussions, but the growing healthy relations between the Vatican and Cameroon are expected to have been among the subjects.
 After this téte-a-téte, the First Lady and the rest of the delegation accompanying the Head of State were brought in for introduction to the Holy Father before the exchange of gifts. In this sequence, the familiarity and intimacy between President Paul Biya and Pope Francis was easily visible as they separately explained the significance and symbolism of the gifts. Stage two of the Vatican visit of the Presidential Couple was the meeting with the Cardinal Pietro Parolin Secretary of State of the Holy See where in camera discussions also took place accompanied by exchange of gifts, before their final departure from the Vatican. The vis...