At end of second military cooperation conference: Minister tasks defence attaches, advisers to put Cameroon’s interest supreme.

Minister Beti Assomo gave the charge Friday August 11. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Second Cameroon Military Cooperation Conference in Yaounde. 

The confab which spanned August 9 to 11 was staged under the theme: “Cameroon military cooperation in the era of multi-polarity in international relations”.

According to Minister Beti Assomo, through the capacity building, the officers have been given fresh impetus on how to best deliver in their areas of command. 

He reminded the military attaches and advisers of the need to cover the length and breadth of countries under their command and not idle on the same spot.

Insisting on the need to respect hierarchy in Cameroon’s diplomatic representations, the officers, the minister underscored, must work to look for new partnerships and get vital intelligence in strict respect of the laws in their host countries.

Citing the current mutations on the international scene, Minister Beti Assomo sounded confident that, thanks to the conference, the military attaches and advisers have acquired fresh knowledge on how to best function in a challenging international context.

Given the emergence of new forces and alliances across the globe, the member of government reiterated that, the officers have been empowered on issues such as security especially in areas such as the Gulf of Guinea; negotiations and financial governance among others.

Participants of the confab were also charged to monitor state institutions and property abroad to guarantee security. The minister also reminded them on their role in monitoring activists in the Diaspora and citizens working to preserve Cameroon’s interest.

Beyond delivering on their job specificities, Minister Beti Assomo told the defence attaches and military advisers to ensure a judicious management of resources put at their disposal. 

He assured them of government’s determination to gradually resolve certain concerns raised so as to boost productivity.

Stressing on the need to regularly submit semester reports, the minister told his collaborators abroad to do so while also exchanging notes with Cameroon’s Ambassadors and High Commissioners.

Beti Assomo saluted the collaboration between the Ministry of External Relations and the Ministry of Defense in ensuring the success of the conference. 

He described such as a show of uniformity and unity in the discharge of government action and instructions of the Head of State, Paul Biya. 

Speaking at the event, the Dean of military attaches, Colonel Avom Nnang Jean Jacques, who is also military attaché at Cameroon’s embassy in the People’s Republic of China with seat in Beijing, thanked President Paul Biya for approving the training.

Colonel Avom Nnang on behalf of his peers saluted the quality of knowledge received on key aspects relating to their jobs. 

He underscored that, they are now ready to relate with new forces, the military hierarchy, Cameroon’s diplomatic hierarchy and perform their role at optimum when it comes to military diplomacy.

With emerging treats to world peace, Colonel Avom Nnang, also thanked the Minister of Defense for getting the best of resource persons to update and boost the capacity of military attaches and military advisers posted to different diplomatic services abroad. 

Colonel Enteng Victor Mua, Defense Attaché at Cameroon’s High Commission in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, described the training as timely. 

While saluting the pro-activeness of the military high command to have organised the conference, he averred that “it has come at a time which is very demanding”.

Colonel Mua said after brainstorming with stakeholders and updating capacity, they are “going back to our various posts with new impetus to assist our heads of diplomatic missions in our domains to succeed in what we have been assigned to do”. The event also saw the award of certificates to the military officers.