Africa News of Friday, 23 June 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

France's LGBTQ+ ambassador cancels trip to Cameroon after stiff opposition

The LGBTQ+ flag | File photo The LGBTQ+ flag | File photo

Ambassador Jean-Marc Berthon, France’s LGBTQ rights ambassador announced the cancellation of a planned trip to Cameroon following opposition by the host country.

The Cameroon government formally objected to the visit stressing in a Foreign Ministry statement that homosexuality was criminalized under existing laws.

Jean-Marc Berthon was due to visit the Central African country from 27 June until 1 July to discuss gender rights, multiple media channels reported earlier this week.

But Cameroon's foreign minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella in a French language circular sighted by GhanaWeb noted that the government disapproves of the planned visit.

Homosexuality the statement said “qualified as a crime of common law” in Cameroon.

Recently Cameroon's National Communication Council warned the media against promoting homosexual content, the BBC Africa LIVE report added.

SARA