CAMEROON–SWITZERLAND PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY

Speaker Datouo receives Swiss National Council President as Cameroon deepens bilateral parliamentary ties

The Right Honourable Speaker of the Cameroon National Assembly, Théodore Datouo, on Wednesday 8th of July 2026 welcomed the President of the Swiss National Council, Pierre-André Page, who paid him a courtesy visit at the National Assembly as part of his participation in the 51st Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF) taking place in Yaoundé.

The high-level audience, attended by the Swiss Ambassador to Cameroon, H.E. Natalie Kohli, and members of the Swiss parliamentary delegation, reflected the cordial and enduring relations between Cameroon and Switzerland, while underscoring the growing importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

A highlight of the visit was a solemn tribute to Tilo Frey, the pioneering Swiss parliamentarian of Swiss-Cameroonian origin whose remarkable political journey continues to embody the historical and cultural links between the two nations.

As a symbol of this shared heritage, President Pierre-André Page presented to the Speaker of the National Assembly a ceramic plaque reproducing “Tilo”, the celebrated artwork by Swiss artist Renée Levi, which has adorned the tympanum of the Swiss Federal Palace since 2023. The commemorative piece is destined for the Museum of the Cameroon National Assembly, further enriching its collection with a powerful emblem of parliamentary history and international friendship.

Born in Cameroon and later settled in Neuchâtel, Tilo Frey made history in 1971 as one of the first eleven women elected to the Swiss National Council and became the first person of African descent to serve in the Swiss Parliament. Her legacy remains an enduring testament to inclusion, diversity and democratic representation.

Following the presentation ceremony, President Page held discussions with the Cameroon–Switzerland Parliamentary Friendship Group, chaired by Honourable Joshua Osih, before attending the closing plenary sitting of the Cameroon National Assembly.

The visit to the National Assembly highlighted the central role played by Speaker Théodore Datouo in promoting parliamentary diplomacy and fostering strategic partnerships between Cameroon and its international counterparts. It also reaffirmed the shared commitment of both legislatures to strengthening dialogue, cooperation and exchanges within the Francophone parliamentary space.

Coming at the close of the 51st APF Plenary Session in Yaoundé, the meeting added fresh momentum to the longstanding friendship between Cameroon and Switzerland, opening new prospects for enhanced parliamentary collaboration and deeper bilateral engagement.