At symposium on constitutional instability in Central Africa: Experts review strides, challenges, propose solutions.

The symposium kicked-off Wednesday September 11, at the Amphitheatre 250 of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC. The gathering was organised by the Ministry of External Relations, MINREX. The Secretary General of MINREX, Chinmoun Oumarou, presided over the opening ceremony on behalf of Minister Mbella Mbella. 

Also in attendance was the Senior Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Hilarion Etong, who was recently elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, APF.

Representatives of members of government, members of the diplomatic corps, the Director of IRIC, and the Rector of the ICT University also sat through the discussions. 

Some officers of the Combined Services Military Academy, EMIA, and students of the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM, were also part of the event. 

The colloquium is taking place under the theme: “Constitutional stability in Central Africa in the light of the Resolution of the Yaoundé Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie, CMF”. 

Reflection during the conference focused on five themes. They include; constitutional stability and democratic challenges in Central Africa, constitutional justice and political stability, good governance and political processes in Central Africa, parliament and constitutional stability, constitutional stability and the functioning of state institutions. 

According to organisers, the colloquium provided an opportunity to revisit what has been achieved, and to consider the future of peace and political stability in Central Africa and, by extension, French-speaking Africa as a whole.

The conference equally took stock of the causes of constitutional instability in Central Africa and identifying solutions to what they have described as a worrying trend.

Enter MINREX SG

In his opening speech, the MINREX scribe said the colloquium was a continuation of the 44th Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie, which held in Yaounde in November last year. 

According to Chinmoun Oumarou, the gathering will serve as a platform to reflect and follow-up on the recommendations from the Yaounde CMF event. 

Chinmoun also added that the symposium is holding in prelude to the Paris Summit in October to hold in France. 

He said through the colloquium, they intend to mobilise experts, researchers, administrations and institutions, among others, whose actions in the field contribute to the construction, defense and consolidation of the rule of law, as well as the promotion and respect of human rights, and to support electoral processes in Central Africa. 

The MINREX officials disclosed that they will be identifying the causes and its consequences and to propose, on the basis of the Yaoundé Resolution, what needs to be done to avoid the worst in a complex political transition.

Speaking earlier, the Central African Representative of the L’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, OIF, Alphonse Waguena, said that many countries in Central Africa suffer from instability. 

He attributed this setback to the constitutions of these countries which are generally due to multiple constitutional revisions they undergo. 

The OIF representative said that as an organisation, La Francophonie has not folded its arms. He insisted that they have played an active role to maintain peace and assure peaceful transition and promote democracy. 

It is important to note that the 44th ordinary session of the Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie, CMF, took place in in Yaounde, from November 3-5, 2023.

The La Francophonie bloc during the session, renewed its commitment to fostering democracy, social cohesion and the continuous prosperity of the organisation’s member states.

Outlining the commitments in a five-page resolution, the over 200 delegates and ministers, who participated in the gathering, said La Francophonie bloc is fixed on ensuring that it attains a remarkable level of prosperity capable of providing a befitting space for all its citizens.

The officials said the promotion of democratic values, good governance and human rights will be revamped and placed at the heart of its actions to ensure all member nations, amongst others, escape the rising rate of instabilities hindering development and progress in the bloc.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3228 of Friday September 13, 2024