French president admits to France's repressive war during Cameroon's independence struggle

French President Emmanuel Macron has formally acknowledged that France waged a war in Cameroon during the country’s struggle for independence - marking the first time Paris has used the term “war” for its actions in that period.

In a letter dated 30 July and addressed to Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, Macron accepted responsibility for acts of repressive violence carried out against insurgent movements both before and after Cameroon gained independence in 1960.

His statement was based on the findings of a historian's report presented to both governments in January, which concluded that French forces “probably killed tens of thousands of Cameroonians” between 1945 and 1971.

Macron specifically admitted to France’s role in the killing of independence leaders from the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, including the 1958 assassination of Ruben Um Nyobè. He also acknowledged the colonial forces’ role in the Ekité massacre, where at least dozens of people were killed on 31 December 1956.

This admission follows Macron’s broader effort to confront France’s colonial history, which has included recognising the country’s role in the 1944 Thiaroye massacre, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, and the Algerian war of independence.

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