US Congress hails Cameroon’s fight against terrorism in Lake Chad Region.

Congressman French Hill, who has represented Arkansas’ Second Congressional District since January 2015 and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, who represents Pennsylvania’s 6^th District in Congress, were speaking in Yaounde Tuesday. 

This was during an audience the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute granted the visiting US lawmakers. 

Both officials were accompanied to the Star Building by the US Ambassador to Cameroon, H.E Christopher John Lamora.  

Speaking to reporters at the end of the audience, Congressman French Hill, who is leading the visiting delegation said their sojourn in the country is to acknowledge Cameroon’s commitment in the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad Region.

The US representative, who doubles as member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said: “We have come to say Thank You to the government of Cameroon, for the outstanding partnership that we have together in the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad Region”.

Congressman French Hill, who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said Cameroon has been US government’s “most trusted and most effective partner in the fight against Boko Haram and related terrorists”. 

The Chairman of the new subcommittee tasked with overseeing all areas related to digital assets and financial technology, added that: “We appreciate that commitment and the United States stands firmly in Cameroon’s partnership against that fight”.

The audience, Congressman French Hill said, also touched on review of existing relations between Cameroon and the US and ways to explore further avenues to strengthen ties. 

“We also had the opportunity to talk about a number of issues that are important to both the United States and Cameroon, including public health. And we reaffirm our commitment to be in support of the public policies that are important in Cameroon like the fight against HIV/AIDS and the PEPFAR and also fighting malaria,” the Congressman stated. 

PM says gov’t fast-tracking decentralisation….

PM Dion Ngute, in his welcome remarks, thanked the US government for efforts made over the years to train generations of Cameroonians.

The Head of Government said Cameroon remains grateful to the US government for its support to curb malaria and other communicable diseases. 

The Star Building occupant also thanked the US justice department for bringing to book, Cameroonians residing in the US, who are fanning the flames of the ongoing armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions of the country. 

Dion Ngute told the visiting US representatives that since the holding of the Major National Dialogue in 2019 to address the concerns of aggrieved English-speaking compatriots, the government has fast-tracked the decentralisation process in order to accommodate the views of disgruntled compatriots in the decision-making process.  

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3143 of Wednesday June 19, 2024