The European Union is ready to support Cameroon in ongoing efforts to ensure peace and security in the East and Far North Regions of the country, as well as in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Head of the European Union Delegation to Cameroon, Françoise Collet, made the declaration in Yaounde yesterday, July 17, 2014 during discussions at the first annual political structured dialogue between Cameroon and the European Union.

The consultation session co-chaired by Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo and the Head of the European Union Delegation to Cameroon, Françoise Collet, centred mainly on economic and security issues. Security concerns included the strategy for the Gulf of Guinea.

The most pressing security issue discussed was the security situation in Far North Cameroon where government has deployed armed forces to combat militants of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram that has been carrying out armed attacks and holding Cameroonians and foreign nationals hostage.

The refugee situation in East Cameroon caused the conflict in the Central African Republic was also examined, all in a bid to see how the European Union partner could help Cameroon face the security challenges.

Concerning economic issues, Cameroon and European Union officials discussed the business environment in Cameroon, the facilitation of exchanges and regional integration.

Economic partnership was topical Minister Moukoko Mbonjo informed the EU delegation officials that Cameroon’s Parliament during the just-ended June 2014 ordinary session adopted the bill to authorize the President of the Republic to ratify the interim agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its members States, on the one part, and the Central African party, on the other.

He said Cameroon expected much dividends from the agreement, when the Head of State must have promulgated it into law. The Head of the EU Delegation saluted the voting of the bill on the agreement and stated that Cameroon and the EU needed a strong partnership to face economic and security challenges.