After reception by the Cameroonian Head of Government at the Yaounde-Nsimalen airport, Chadian Prime Minister Albert PAHIMI PADACKE was received by his counterpart for an audience at the Prime Minister’s Office.  The two Prime Ministers reviewed the fraternal relations between the two brotherly peoples.

At the end of a 30-minute audience, during which he transmitted the message he was carrying to President Paul Biya, H.E. PAHIMI PADACKE revealed the purpose of his visit to the press.

“We arrived Yaoundé to present a message from President Idriss Deby Itno to his brother President Paul Biya. This message is part of the fraternal relations between the two Heads of State and the two peoples.  It is part of the constant dialogue between the two Heads of state on bilateral, continental, global, and sub-regional issues. Among other issues, it was about the election of the African Union Commission Chairperson”, he said.

A candidate for Central Africa

Due to this diplomatic proximity, N'Djamena is seeking Yaoundé's support to its candidate for the succession of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as head of the African Union Commission.

“Chad submitted the candidacy of Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chad for decades, former Prime Minister and several times Minister. President Idriss Deby Itno felt that this candidacy could not be that of Chad alone and that it must also be that of Cameroon, Central Africa and ECCAS. For this reason, it was important to give pride of place to his brother Paul Biya”, he said.

The election of the AU Commission Chairperson which was postponed last July is scheduled to hold at the 28th summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government, from 30 to 31 January 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A statement released by the organization revealed that the process of selecting new candidates for the position of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and the eight (8) Commissioners reopened in August 2016.

In line with this, Chad proposes the candidacy of the diplomat Moussa Faki Mahamat and tries to bring-in other countries of the sub-region. Before Yaounde, the Chadian delegation stopped in Malabo.

The 56-year old Chadian candidate appears to fit in that position. Moussa Faki Mahamat is highly experienced. With his long experience as head of the Chadian diplomacy, he is seen as someone who has as good mastery of international and continental matters. The experienced diplomat had time to create useful contacts for such occasions. He is fluent in English, Arabic and French

Enhanced bilateral cooperation

The audience was also an opportunity for Philemon Yang and his guest to discuss the bilateral cooperation between Yaoundé and Ndjamena. Regarding the construction of the railway, PAHIMI PADACKE said that studies are progressing. Issues on security, including the fierce fight against the common enemy Boko Haram, and interconnection in the field of energy, were also discussed.

The seven-man Chadian delegation will leave Yaoundé this evening.