By DOH JAMES SONKEY
The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has held secret talks with the President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya. Both men held the talks under closed doors last October 27, 2017 at the Unity Palace in Yaounde as the UN boss while on transit from the Central African Republic decided to pay a courtesy call at the Unity Palace.
Though nothing filtered out of their in-camera discussion to the press, it is believed that their discussion must have focused on the Anglophone crisis and the way forward as well as the situation of refugees in Cameroon.
Antonio Guterres spent four days in the Central African Republic, where he showed support for communities affected by escalating violence.
Though the UN chief Antonio Guterres did not disclose the subject of his conversation with President Paul Biya, he is reported to have hinted French Press Agency, APF in Bangui that he would meet President Paul Biya that Friday so that “We are going to be able to assess the recent evolution of (the situation of) the Anglophone community.”
Before his coming to Cameroon, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres had always called on the government to unconditionally free all Anglophones still held in custody in connection with the Anglophone crisis and to engage in a meaningful dialogue in order to look for a lasting solution to the socio-political crisis.
He visited Cameroon at the time government is yet to solve the crisis which had paralyzed life and activities in the two Anglophone regions for over a year now.
It should be recalled that President Paul BIYA and Mr. Antonio Guterres met last month in New York, on the sidelines of the 72ndUN General Assembly.