Diplomatic row: Gov’t silent as Chad recalls Ambassador!.

While Cameroonians have been left with the version of what Chadian officials made public Thursday April 20, to justify the decision, Yaounde has remained silent! Nothing has been heard (at least publicly), from either the Presidency of the Republic, Ministry of External Relations, MINREX or the Minister of Communication, who doubles as government’s spokesman, in relation to the diplomatic row.

In as much as the contours of the discord appear slippery, critics have been quick at fingering the Biya regime for denying citizens the right to understand what appears to be giving the country a stain in its long history of diplomacy across the globe.

Chad on reason (s) to recall Ambassador

In a note at sunset Thursday April 20, the Minister of State, Secretary General at Chad’s Presidency, Dr Gali Ngothe Gaita, informed the world that it had recalled its chief diplomat to Yaounde. Dr Gali said the action was taken to protect Chad’s interest.

 In the note, the scribe at Chad’s Presidency said his country is not comfortable with the maneuvers of what he said are Cameroonian personalities to acquire the shares of petroleum giant, ExxonMobil, through a subsidiary of the company, Savannah Energy. It is understood that Chad considers the said company as “nebulous”.

 It should be recalled that ExxonMobile, Chad and Cameroon were the three main actors in the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project. ExxonMobil had put up her shares for sale and quit the pipeline deal in 2021. It is the shares that have become a point of discord.

Beyond Cameroon, Chad also said there are personalities from other African countries who are behind Savannah Energy.

 The Chadian Minister said his country only learnt through the media of the signing of a convention; indicating that Savannah Energy had sold 10 percent of its shares to the National Hydrocarbons Corporation, SNH. The country of late the Idriss Derby Itno claims they were not informed and that the deal didn’t follow the statutes of the Cameroon Oil Transportation Company, COTCO.

Chad is also faulting Cameroon for being the only country in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, that has not responded to its request to buy over the assets of Malaysian energy group, Petronas, on its soil. 

This, the letter noted, is supposed to have been done in line with the requirement of CEMAC’s Community Competitiveness Council.

“More than one month after, it is only Cameroon that has not responded to a request demanding a non-objection letter sent by CEMAC, to Trade Ministers of all member countries. The letter is important for the convening of the CEMAC Community Competitiveness Council in line with the regulations in force,” the Dr Gali-signed letter read in parts.

 The release further notes that Chad took the decision to recall its Ambassador after what it says is repeated provocation from Cameroon and her representatives within CEMAC institutions that have been frustrating documents from Chad.

“Chad has found itself in a situation where it has the obligation to defend its interests and respectability and denounce the actions of Cameroon and its representatives…,” the Chadian Presidency wrote, before concluding that: “Consequently, Chad has decided to recall its Ambassador to Cameroon for consultation”.

Before settling for this option, the release from the Chadian Presidency also indicated that the country had explored all diplomatic avenues to address concerns raised with Yaounde but all attempts were fruitless.

 Understanding the conflict 

The Chad-Cameroon Pipeline, covering a distance of a little over 1000 kilometres eases the exportation of crude oil from Chad, a landlocked country, through Kribi in the South Region to the global market. Chad manages the pipeline on its soil which is incorporated as Chad Oil Transportation Company, TOTCO. 

Meanwhile, the portion of the pipeline in Cameron is incorporated as the Cameroon Oil Transportation Company, COTCO.

When ExxonMobile sold its 40 percent shares in the deal last year, Chad opted for a visional to nationalise the assets. Experts say opening up the venture for external investment could be viewed by Chad, which owns all the oil, as a potential threat.