<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <strong>The Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, and her counterpart from Cameroon, Joseph Beti Assomo, signed yesterday in Madrid a framework agreement for cooperation to intensify defence activities between both countries.</strong> Robles, accompanied by the Secretary General of Defence Policy, Admiral Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez, received the Cameroonian minister at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence and, during the meeting, highlighted the importance and the "central" role that Cameroon occupies in the Security of the Gulf of Guinea, an important area for the European Union, according to a press release from the Ministry. The note adds that both ministers agreed to support the objectives of the Yaoundé architecture for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea area and analysed the potential for cooperation between the two countries in matters such as military health care, defence training in cyberspace and attention to new operational environments, especially in the area of maritime security. In this regard, Margarita Robles highlighted that, since 2011, there have been up to 17 stopovers of Navy ships in Douala, establishing professional and friendly ties between the sailors of both countries. Although in January 2024 both ministers held a video conference, the last face-to-face meeting at this level between Spain and Cameroon dates back to 2012, for which Robles thanked her Cameroonian colleague for the visit. The minister also recalled that the Navies of both countries already signed a technical agreement in January, which shows that this year will see a boost in cooperation between the Armed Forces of both countries.
