Ambazonia Crisis: Former US Assistant Secretary of State predicts tougher U.S. stance against Biya ⁰

Tibor Nagy, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during Donald Trump’s first term, has suggested that Washington’s policy on the ongoing separatist crisis in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions could see a shift. which has simmered since 2016, could see a shift. In a recent tweet, he wrote: if “Trump selects certain people whose names have come up for high level posts the Yaoundé regime will get much more pressure over its mistreatment of its Anglophone population.” Nagy, who previously engaged with this issue, believes that the Biden administration has largely neglected the crisis, a situation that he expects could change with new leadership in the White House. “Cameroon [government] has gotten a relatively free ride with Biden; hopefully that will change,” he added.

During Trump’s first term, U.S. diplomacy took an assertive stance on Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis, with Washington repeatedly condemning the Cameroonian military for alleged human rights violations and abuses against civilians. “I receive more emails about Cameroon than any other African issue—10 to 20 daily, with horrific photos and videos of people decapitated with machetes, security forces committing terrible acts…We need a de-escalation,” Nagy said in a 2019 interview. His comments led to strained relations between Yaoundé and Washington, with Cameroon’s Minister of Communication, René Emmanuel Sadi, responding that such statements reflected “a lack of understanding of the issues, realities, and facts” and constituted an “unacceptable attempt at interference in Cameroon’s internal affairs.” After meeting with President Paul Biya in Cameroon, Nagy later adopted a more measured tone.

In recent years, Washington has taken a more collaborative approach with Yaoundé regarding the Anglophone crisis. The U.S. has even prosecuted U.S.-based Cameroonians accused of trafficking arms to separatists in the troubled regions, a move welcomed by the Cameroonian government, which had long sought American cooperation to neutralize these leaders.

However, analysts argue that Washington’s assistance in pursuing those behind attacks in the separatist regions is driven primarily by broader geopolitical strategy. Amid rising tensions with Russia, especially over the Ukraine conflict, the U.S. has aimed to isolate Moscow by offering reassurances to certain Kremlin partners. This dynamic, however, could shift if Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Source: Business in Cameroon