Yaoundé, Cameroon – The request for the seizure of MTN and Chococam’s accounts in Cameroon, initiated by business magnate, Baba Danpullo following serious difficulties encountered by his company, Bestinver in South Africa, perfectly illustrates the concrete application of the principle of reciprocity.
Reciprocity is a fundamental principle of international relations and trade, which is based on the idea that exchanges between two entities, whether nations, companies, or individuals, are made for mutual gain. This mechanism, which allows, if necessary, a proportionate reaction to the actions of one’s interlocutor, far from being a simple tool of reprisals, guarantees balance and justice in bilateral relations. This principle aims to guarantee fairness and avoid the exploitation of one party by another.
Bestinver, the company owned by Baba Danpullo, has suffered a real dispossession on South African soil, with all actions undertaken to reach a fair judgment proving unsuccessful. In a context where commercial relations between Cameroon and South Africa are characterized by significant exchanges, this situation created an imbalance that is imperative to correct.
The referral to the courts in Cameroon to seize MTN’s accounts represents a more or less proportionate response to the difficulties experienced by Bestinver in South Africa. Rather than escalating into unmeasured reprisals, Baba Danpullo’s approach is based on the logic of fair reciprocity. By requesting this measure, it is not a question of unnecessarily harming MTN but of restoring a balance disrupted by events that have weakened the economic position of his company and his country in South Africa. This approach, which aligns with the principles of commercial justice, reminds economic players that commitments made in international markets must be reciprocal and respect established rules.
The profits generated by Bestinver contribute to Cameroon’s Gross National Product (GNP), just as MTN’s activities on Cameroonian soil contribute to South Africa’s GNP. By weakening Bestinver in South Africa, the South African authorities are indirectly harming Cameroon’s GNP, depriving it of expected revenues from this company. At the same time, South African GNP continues to grow, supported by profits made by MTN and Chococam in Cameroon. For both countries to benefit, it is essential that the principle of reciprocity is applied equitably.
The Cameroon justice system finds itself at a decisive turning point where the rigorous application of the principle of reciprocity must imperatively guide its decision. The reduction in Bestinver’s profits, due to the difficulties encountered in South Africa, is weakening Cameroon’s national economic balance, while the South African GNP benefits from the profits made by MTN and Chococam in Cameroon. It is therefore essential that justice intervenes to restore fairness in these transnational relations.
Faced with this situation, the Cameroon justice system must take a decision protecting the economic interests of the country and guaranteeing true reciprocity. Whether it involves cancelling the seizure of MTN’s accounts or putting in place adequate compensatory measures, the objective will be to restore financial balance between the partners. Such a decision, based on the principles of justice and equity, will contribute to establishing a climate of trust and promoting harmonious and lasting international economic relations.
All eyes of Cameroonians are turned towards the Supreme Court, where the last phase of this economic match between Cameroon and South Africa is being played, with the advantage that the referees are all Cameroonians.
