Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697719687918.pdf (Cameroon)
REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN Peace – Work – Fatherland Paix – Travail – Patrie -------- -------- ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ------------ ---------- CABINET DU PRESIDENT SPEAKER’S OFFICE ------------- -------------- 9ème LEGISLATURE 9TH LEGISLATIVE PERIOD -------------- ANNÉE LEGISLATIVE 2014 2015 LEGISLTIVE YEAR ---------------- 2ème session ordinaire 2nd Ordinary Session --------------- ------------- OPENING SPEECH BY RT HON.
CAVAYE YEGUIE DJIBRIL SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF CAMEROON Yaounde, 10 June 2015 1 - Mr President of the Senate; - Mr Prime Minister, Head of Government; - Members of Government; - The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; - The Attorney General of the Supreme Court; - Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps; - Honourable Parliamentarians and Dear Colleagues; - Distinguished Members of the Civil Society; - Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish first and foremost, at this solemn moment, to warmly welcome you to the National Assembly for this plenary sitting devoted to the opening of the second ordinary session of our House for the 2015 legislative year.
2 I note that in spite of the passage of time, the conviviality that has always characterized reunions between members of the National Assembly has remained constant.

This again augurs a serene conduct of our proceedings throughout this session.

- Your Excellencies, - Ladies and Gentlemen, I am filled with indescribable joy as I address this august assembly today.
The level and quality of achievements of our House on the international front during recess have sent rays of new sunshine on the National Assembly of Cameroon.

3 Indeed, on 10 April 2015, in this Chamber, I announced, with some apprehension, the candidacy of our colleague, Hon.

NKODO DANG Roger, for the prestigious post of President of the Pan-African Parliament headquartered in Midrand, South Africa.

Today, it is a dream come true.


After a fierce campaign on the continent, and at the end of a highly contested election, characterized by new developments and rough negotiations, our compatriot won hands down in the face of tough contestants.

On behalf of the entire House, I wish to hail this landslide victory and seize this opportunity to solemnly express our heartiest congratulations to the happy elected representative.

4 - Mr President, You are at the zenith of African parliamentary government.
But know that you are Cameroonian and remain Cameroonian.

For this reason, be Cameroon’s ambassador, its torchbearer so that one day posterity will remember you as that person, that Cameroonian who ushered in a new era in the Pan-African Parliament.

In the same vein, I wish to extend our heartiest congratulations to: - Hon.

Hilarion ETONG, Senior Vice-President of our House, who was re-elected Vice-President of the CEMAC Parliament during its recent session in Malabo; - Hon.
NJINGUM Musa MBUTOH, Questor in the Bureau of the National Assembly, who was also re- 5 elected and for the third consecutive time for the important post of Chairperson of the Commission of Monetary and Financial Affairs of the Pan-African Parliament; - Lastly, Hon.

Marie Rose NGUINI EFFA, who was elected President of the African Parliamentarians’ Forum on Population and Development.
She was elected during the International Conference of Parliamentarians within the framework of the German presidency of the G7, in the Federal Republic of Germany, on 16 and 17 April 2015.

In addition to the elected representatives, senior employees of our House have continued to distinguish themselves.
After Mr CHUNGONG Martin, who became Secretary-General of the Inter-parliamentary Union since 6 the month of March 2014, Mr ETOUNG ABENA Parfait has, since a few days ago, been heading the Secretariat General of the Parliament of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa.

Former Deputy Director of the Legislative Department of the National Assembly of Cameroon, this erstwhile senior employee of our House has had a brilliant career.
This has certainly earned him today the great trust of CEMAC authorities.

We extend our congratulations to you, Mr ETOUNG ABENA.

We encourage and wish you total success in your new functions.

- Your Excellencies, - Distinguished Guests, - Ladies and Gentlemen, 7 Beyond the merits and glory of some individuals, it is the dynamism of our parliamentary diplomacy which should be hailed here.
The feats of arms we are currently celebrating have come to consolidate the influence, credibility and aura noted time and again of the National Assembly of Cameroon in the world parliamentary circles.

It is equally the off-shoot of the rich experience garnered by our House, through the legislative periods.

I also see in this the result of the faith and commitment of all the members of the National Assembly.
These high-level developments are by and large the outcome of pertinent choices, under the distinguished leadership of His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic, Head of State and Head of the Cameroonian diplomacy.

Veritable organizer, endowed 8 with rare foresight, absolute visionary, excelling in the art of forecasting, he has always given his support to the actions of the National Assembly.

This, in actual fact, is the main if not the sole guarantee of our successes and victories.
I therefore wish to seize this opportunity offered me on this rostrum to extend to him, on behalf of all of us, our profound gratitude.

We also want to reaffirm our commitment by him and under his distinguished leadership to always work to raise Cameroon’s standard higher again.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 9 Although hectic due to the euphoria of the victory that I just mentioned, I have not forgotten that, like in previous sessions, this session is opening again a backdrop of a security crisis.

The islamist Boko Haram sect, certainly reduced to the point of agony, nevertheless, still obliges us to be vigilant, its demonic spirit is capable of resurrecting at any time, with regrettable consequences.
In this vein, I would like to commend the mobilization and the maturity of Cameroonians that we represent in this plenary hall.

The celebration of the 43rd National Day, the Feast of Unity, 20th May 1015, was undoubtedly a demonstration of force, that of cohesion of Cameroonians, that of their commitment and their support for the institutions of the Republic, incarnated 10 by the Head of State, and that of their dedication to Peace and National Unity.
It means that no exogenous force will be able to deliberately destabilize the granitic bedrock which constitutes the Republic of Cameroon, unless with the complicity of some internal force in such attacks.

But Cameroon is standing tall, solid, advancing and acting in spite of its social and political or religious diversity.
Once more, I wish to reaffirm here, the support, the total support of the Nation’s Representatives to the President of the Republic, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, in his crusade against evil, be it Boko Haram or any other.

We pledge total support to the Defence and Security Forces, these men and women, whose bravery, patriotism and commitment give honour to the nation.
We equally reaffirm our sympathy and 11 affection to the populations, both national and foreign, who, at one time or another, have been amid turmoil due to the barbaric acts of the Islamic sect.

Finally, valiant people of Cameroon, you have shown, you have stood together, when the circumstances so required.

We, your elected representatives, we launch this call: do not be discouraged.

Remain as vigilant as ever, for the enemy is still roaming.
We should redouble our efforts and support, to deal the final knockout blow; all of us should work for its extermination.

While reiterating my wishes of welcome, I declare open, the proceedings of the second ordinary session of our Chamber for the 2015 legislative year.

I wish us success in our deliberations.

12 Long live the National Assembly!

Long live the Republic, Cameroon, our Dear and Beloved Country!
Long live her illustrious Leader, His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic, Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces!!

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