A Historic Letter: Macron Concedes French Role in Cameroon’s Violent Past

In a historic letter to Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, French President Emmanuel Macron has conceded his country’s central role in the nation’s violent past. Macron formally accepted France’s “role and responsibility” for a brutal war aimed at crushing Cameroon’s independence struggle.
This concession follows the work of a joint commission of historians who investigated the period from 1945 to 1971. Their report confirmed that French forces engaged in widespread violence and continued to support a repressive Cameroonian government even after the country’s formal independence in 1960.
For many years, France has been criticized for its “amnesia” regarding the more brutal aspects of its colonial empire. This letter marks a significant departure, prompted by growing pressure from historians, activists, and a shifting geopolitical climate in Africa that is increasingly hostile to neo-colonial influence.
Despite its historic nature, the letter is also notable for what it omits: a formal apology and any mention of reparations. This has led many to view the gesture as an important but incomplete step towards true reconciliation between the two nations.