In a tour that also includes both Benin and Guinea-Bissau, French President Emmanuel Macron stated during his visit to Cameroon's capital, Yaoundé, that his country "will not

abandon the security of the African continent." He also pledged to "reinvent" Africa's military and security apparatus, which had begun since the Paris announcement of its withdrawal from Operation Barkhane from Mali following the coup d 'état carried out by the ruling military junta. Macron added that his country intended to expand France's military apparatus outside the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea and countries that now had to confront terrorist groups.

"France will remain firmly committed to the security of the continent, in order to support our African partners and at their request," Macron said during a speech to the French community in Yaoundé.

The development of the military would be geographical and organizational, and had begun since the announcement of the withdrawal of Operation Barkhane from Mali in front of the junta's hostility.

"We are reorganizing our system by withdrawing from Mali because the political framework is no longer available, with a view to expanding our machinery, outside the Sahel, to the Gulf of Guinea and States that now have to confront terrorist groups that are expanding and causing turmoil to the entire region."

"We will remain committed to the Lake Chad Basin States to help them fight the terrorists who have been spreading death for many years in Cameroon's far north", where Boko Haram is active.

France should "be there even more clearly, at the request of African States, which is clear and explicit, through our greater presence on the issue of military training and equipment, providing support to African armies and staying close to them, to help them increase their capabilities, by always linking our apparatus to security, defence, diplomacy and development".

Macron stressed that "only this tripartite can respond to the security emergency in the face of terrorism and address the root causes of terrorism."

Macron made sure to deny some of the "lies" that had spread in the context of the war in Ukraine.

"We are under attack by some who say that European sanctions are the cause of the global food crisis, including Africa. This is completely wrong, as simply food, as energy, has become a weapon of war for Russia ".

There was a need to "build collective new partnerships with a new approach by linking existing companies, start-ups, associations and civil society".

Macron arrived at Cameroon's presidential palace to meet his 89-year-old counterpart Paul Biya, who has run the country with an iron fist for nearly 40 years.