• Macron acknowledges France's role in violent repression during Cameroon’s independence struggle.
• The letter reflects findings from a January report stating France's actions caused tens of thousands of deaths.
• France offers to open archives and form a working group to enhance historical understanding.

French President Emmanuel Macron recently acknowledged in a letter that France waged a "war" in Cameroon characterized by "repressive violence" during the country's struggle for independence in the late 1950s. This admission, made to Cameroonian President Paul Biya, follows a historical report that detailed the violent repression that occurred both before and after Cameroon gained independence in 1960, resulting in "tens of thousands of lives" lost, and many others displaced, according to TRT World, Reuters, and Le Monde.

In this letter, Macron stated, "the colonial authorities and the French army carried out repressive violence of several kinds," and recognized France's responsibility for the killings of Cameroonian independence leaders, including Ruben Um Nyobè. The historical commission's findings indicated that French military operations were responsible for numerous atrocities, marking a significant reconsideration of France's colonial past, as reported by Africanews, Reuters, and Le Monde.

Macron announced plans to facilitate access to French archives and the formation of a bilateral working group aimed at enhancing understanding and research into this dark chapter of history. This initiative follows prior steps taken by Macron to acknowledge France's colonial legacy, although critics argue that he has yet to fully address the extent of France's past atrocities, as noted by TRT World, Africanews, and Reuters.