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Central Africa: Nsimalen in Total Ecstasy
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Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé)
24 June 2008
Posted to the web 24 June 2008
Lukong Pius Nyuylime
The joy in the hearts and minds of the citizens of five member countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) who turned out at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport yesterday to welcome their Heads of State was, to say the least, at its peak.
The ambiance was a true reflection of the dimension of the event, the ninth summit of the CEMAC Heads of State which opens in Yaounde today. On five occasions, President Paul Biya, the current Chairman of the sub-regional organisation, went out of the Presidential lounge to welcome his guests in strict diplomatic setting. The exercise was circumscribed into four major stages, handshake between the two presidents in each case, mounting of the rostrum and singing of the CEMAC Anthem, reviewing of troops and greeting of the constituted corps and brief audience at the Presidential Lounge. On hand to grace the occasion were residents of the various countries who came out in their full colours accompanied by dance groups.
It all started at 3:15pm when the plane carrying President François Bozizé of the Central African Republic, touched down at the tar mark. 45 minutes later, exactly at 4pm, it was the turn of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea who arrived on board the Utonde, a Boeing 737 plane. The drizzle that punctuated their arrival did not disrupt the smoothness of the ceremony. Other Heads of State received at Nsimalen included: El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon w ho arrived at 4:45pm, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo and Fradique de Menezes, President of Sao Tome and Principe. The Chadian Prime Minister, Youssouf Saleh Abbas, who is representing President Idriss Deby Itno, was, on its part, welcomed by Ephraim Inoni, his Cameroonian counterpart.
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