Cavaye Yeguei Djibril, Speaker of the National Assembly says the successes of Cameroonian legislators in continental and regional institutions are an indication that Cameroon has a dynamic parliamentary diplomacy – with “master of orchestra,” being Paul Biya, the President.

Cavaye who has been Speaker of the National Assembly for close to 30 years, raised only two issues in his address as he opened the June session of parliament today June 10 – successes of parliamentarians and the need for continued effort to wipe out Boko Haram.

He praised CPDM MP Roger Nkodo Dang who was elected President of the Pan African Parliament in a highly competitive election in Midrand, South Africa earlier this month. He urged him to be Cameroon’s ambassador and to ensure he leaves behind something remarkable at the Pan African Parliament for posterity.

Dang was elected into the bureau of the Pan African Parliament alongside another CPDM MP and National Assembly Questor, Njingum Musa – Musa was actually voted for the third consecutive time into the post of President of the Monetary and Financial Affairs Commission of the Pan African Parliament.

Hilarion Etong, First Vice President of the National Assembly was congratulated for his reelection as Vice President of the CEMAC Parliament while Marie Rose Nguini Effa was elected President of the African Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development. Effa was elected during an international parliamentary conference which took place in Berlin, April this year.

Cavaye also reminded them that Martin Chungong has been Secretary General of the Inter-parliamentary Union since March 2014 and pointed out that Etoung Abena, former Deputy Director of Legislation in Cameroon’s National Assembly ascended to the post of Secretary General of the CEMAC Parliament a few days ago.

To Cavaye, President Biya whom he called the head of Cameroon’s diplomacy deserves credit for the successes of these MPs and Former MPs. He said the President’s “rare perspicacity, absolute visionary mind, excelling in the art of prospective, follow-up and support to the National Assembly has never failed. He constitutes in reality the main or only pivot for our successes”; the house speaker said.

He reminded parliamentarians, government officials and representatives of diplomatic missions represented in Cameroon that the war against Boko Haram is still on-going and called on them to remain steadfast in their support in the war against the armed group.