The Head of State His Excellency Paul BIYA received a group of senior French officials led by the French Ambassador to Cameroon, Madam Christine ROBICHON, on Friday 22 November 2013. The delegation included Alexandre ZIEGLER, Director of Cabinet of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent FABIUS; Jean Christophe BELLIARD, Director of African and Indian Ocean Affairs in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Philippe ERRERA, Director of Strategic Affairs at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and General Antoine NOGUIR, Head of the Military Cabinet at the French Ministry of Defence.

The delegation of high level French officials is coming to Cameroon shortly after the kidnapping of a priest of French origin, Father Georges VANDENBEUSCH on the night of 13 to 14 November 2013, by suspected elements of Boko Haram, the Nigerian islamist group. It also comes shortly after Cameroon was attacked by a group of armed assailants, who brought death and havoc to the locality of Gbiti in the East Region on the night of 16 to 17 November 2013.