A working session held in Yaounde on July 31, 2013 between Cameroon and a delegation from CAR.

Events of March 24, 2013 in the Central African Republic (CAR) which saw former President François Bozize deposed by Michel Djotodia, left a bitter pill for neighbouring Cameroon to swallow. The country witnessed an influx of more than 100 military officers of the crisis-rocked country and since then, joint efforts have been made to send them back in their country.

After a special envoy from CAR met with the Head of State, Paul Biya on July 29, 2013 and another with Prime Minister, Head of Government Philemon Yang on July 30, 2013, an official delegation from that country was at the Ministry of External Relations on July 31, 2013 to discuss possible ways of getting the fugitive CAR soldiers back home. The Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, received in audience the delegation led by Minister, Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of CAR, Idriss Salao, after which they held a working session.

Accompanied by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o and high ranking military officers, Moukoko Mbonjo and the visiting delegation worked on how to encourage those who are willing to go back as well as convince the hesitant. But according to Moukoko Mbonjo, the move respects international treaties which stipulate that the repatriation of military staff must be on basis of willingness. “It is voluntarily that a military officer or soldier who fled from his country accepts clearly to be repatriated home,” he explained. He hinted that the Head of State sent a mission to the East Region, diplomats from the Ministry of External Relations and a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross to see who is willing to go back to CAR and work for the development of that country.

The meeting held in compliance with instructions from both Heads of State and Moukoko Mbonjo revealed that a team would be in the East Region on Friday, August 2, 2013 where a greater number of the soldiers have taken up residence. “The two delegations will meet with the military officers and talk to them to make sure that they freely go back to their country with guarantees of dignity and security,” the Minister said. Some of the fugitive soldiers are in Yaounde in the Centre Region and Douala in the Littoral Region.

Idriss Salao expressed satisfaction at the level of collaboration from Cameroon. He said accepting to host fleeing soldiers from the country was testimony of Cameroon’s hospitality. He however, assured the fleeing soldiers of the respect of their rights and benefits back home.