The Head of State, H.E Paul Biya has approved the creation of a French Liaison and Contact Detachment at the Maroua-based Military Staff of Operation EMERGENCE 4.

The announcement which authorises two French officers from Operation BARKHANE Military Staff Headquarter in Chad to join the Maroua-based Operation Emergence 4, is contained in a press release signed by Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

The press release states: “The Minister of Communication hereby informs national public opinion that the Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, has given his Very High Approval for the establishment of a French Liaison and Contact Detachment at the Military Staff of Operation EMERGENCE 4 based in Maroua.

The French detachment, made up of a commissioned Officer and a non-commissioned Officer from the Operation BARKHANE Military Staff based in N’Djamena, Chad and in charge to fight against terrorism in the Sahel region, has been integrated into the Military Staff of Operation EMERGENCE 4 under the auspices of the Cameroonian defence and security forces engaged in the fight against Boko Haram in the Far North region.

Still on very high instructions of the Head of State, and for reasons of reciprocity, a detachment of two Cameroonian officers, like those from the other Lake Chad Basin countries, has been integrated within the Coordination and Liaison Committee of the Military Staff of Operation BARKHANE.

This exchange of detachments aims to strengthen cooperation in information between Cameroon and France for more efficiency in the implementation of joint strategies for the fight against terrorism in the areas concerned.

This falls within the framework of the effective implementation of the new partnership and defence agreements signed in May 2009 between Cameroon and France.

The Minister of Communication hereby seizes this opportunity and behalf of the Government, to laud the excellent relations between Cameroon and France in general and in this case, the military cooperation between our two countries in the fight against terrorism in Central and West Africa, and even around the world.

The Minister of Communication is on behalf of the Government, urging all our people and all the driving forces of the Nation, to continue to give their unconditional support to our brave soldiers on the war front and to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Biya, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, in the fight which they are victoriously undertaking against the barbaric and criminal attacks of the obscurantist sect Boko Haram.”