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23, January 2025

Southwest region draws half of recovery zone investments ⁰

Of the three economically distressed zones in Cameroon the Far North, Northwest, and Southwest the Southwest has emerged as the most appealing to investors. On January 15, Finance Minister Louis Paul Motazé revealed in Buea, the region’s capital, that it is home to half of the 33 projects benefiting from tax and customs incentives tied to this special status.

“The Southwest alone accounts for over half of the projected investments, with 17 companies involved,” Motazé said. He added that 10 companies in the region have also registered under Cameroon’s 2013 private investment promotion law, securing tax benefits and creating tens of thousands of jobs.

Indeed, unlike the Far North, which is economically underdeveloped, and the Northwest, which lacks industrial capacity, the Southwest has several advantages. Key cities like Buea, Limbe, Kumba, and Tiko are near Douala, Cameroon’s economic hub. An efficient road network connects the Southwest to Douala, simplifying trade and logistics.

The Southwest also shares a border with Nigeria, Cameroon’s largest trading partner, and has modern road infrastructure supporting cross-border trade. The Far North also borders Nigeria but lacks comparable infrastructure.

Proximity to the Atlantic Ocean further strengthens the region’s economic appeal. The Southwest hosts informal maritime trade with Nigeria and includes the Cap Limboh oil terminal, which supplies crude oil to Cameroon’s national refinery (Sonara). Plans to build a deep-sea port in Limbe could further boost the region’s economic potential.

In 2019, Cameroon designated the Far North, Northwest, and Southwest as economically distressed zones, granting businesses tax breaks and other incentives for three to ten years. This initiative aligns with a broader investment promotion law from 2013, revised in 2017.

The Far North received its designation due to repeated Boko Haram attacks since 2013, which have devastated its already fragile economy. The Northwest and Southwest regions, meanwhile, have faced unrest since 2016, driven by armed conflicts between government forces and separatist groups in the country’s Anglophone regions.

Source: Business in Cameroon

23, January 2025

Football: Claude Le Roy holds special piece of Africa Cup of Nations history ⁰

Claude Le Roy’s first two TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals tournaments saw his team finished on the podium but the achievement that the popular Frenchman is most famous for is a record nine appearances as a coach.

His is a record that might take decades to beat. “Records are meant to be broken! But for me it’s a privilege that I had all these opportunities and even more important for me is the fact I was never sacked, I always decided to leave. And that’s a big privilege,” recalls the 76-year-old, who still follows the African game with a keen eye.

“And everywhere I worked, people always asked me to come back. I’m proud of that.”

His first game in 1986 was a thrilling 3-2 win over Zambia in Alexandria where Cameroon led slip a two-goal lead but then won the match with a late penalty while a burst of three goals in the space of six minutes saw them beat Algeria 3-2 to finish top of the group. After Roger Milla’s goal accounted for Cote d’Ivoire in the semi-final, Cameroon met host Egypt in the decider, going down on penalties 5-4 after a goalless draw.

Two years later, however, the Indomitable Lions were crowned champions, overcoming hosts Morocco in a fiery semi-final and then edging Nigeria in the final in Casablanca with Emmanuel Kunde’s second half penalty settling the outcome.

Le Roy coached Senegal at the 1990 and 1992 finals, finishing fourth the first time in Algeria but then being disappointingly eliminated by his old Cameroon charges in the quarter-finals when Senegal hosted the 1992 finals.

Le Roy missed the next six Cup of Nations finals before taking the Democratic Republic of Congo to the 2006 tournament in Egypt, where they reached the last eight.

In 2008, he coached a host nation for the second time, this time Ghana but there was a disappointing semi-final exit to Cameroon again.

In 2013, Le Roy was back with the Leopards but three draws in their first round meant they finished third in the group. It was the first time in seven tournaments the coach had not taken a side beyond the first round.

Congo had missed six successive finals before Le Roy qualified them for the 2015 edition in Equatorial Guinea and saw them to the quarter-finals as they won their group.

Le Roy’s last tournament was in Gabon in 2017 with Togo and his record 38 games as a coach at the finals has seen 16 wins, 12 draws and 10 losses with a positive goal tally of 44 scored to 38 conceded.

Le Roy at the Cup of Nations finals

1986 (Cameroon)

Cameroon 3 Zambia 2

Cameroon 1 Morocco 1

Algeria 2 Cameroon 3

Cameroon 1 Cote d’Ivoire 0

Egypt 0 Cameroon 0

1988 (Cameroon)

Cameroon 1 Egypt 0

Cameroon 1 Nigeria 1

Cameroon 0 Kenya 0

Morocco 0 Cameroon 1

Cameroon 1 Nigeria 0

1990 (Senegal)

Kenya 0 Senegal 0

Cameroon 0 Senegal 2

Senegal 0 Zambia 0

Algeria 2 Senegal 1

Senegal 0 Zambia 1

1992 (Senegal)

Senegal 1 Nigeria 2

Senegal 3 Kenya 0

Senegal 0 Cameroon 1

2006 (DR Congo)

DR Congo 2 Togo 0

Angola 0 DR Congo 0

Cameroon 2 DR Congo 0

Egypt 4 DR Congo 1

2008 (Ghana)

Ghana 2 Guinea 1

Ghana 1 Namibia 0

Ghana 2 Morocco 0

Ghana 2 Nigeria 1

Ghana 0 Cameroon 1

Ghana 4 Cote d’Ivoire 2

2013 (DR Congo)

DR Congo 2 Ghana 2

DR Congo 0 Niger 0

Mali 1 DR Congo 1

2015 (Congo)

Equatorial Guinea 1 Congo 1

Congo 1 Gabon 0

Burkina Faso 1 Congo 2

Congo 2 DR Congo 4

2017 (Togo)

Cote d’Ivoire 0 Togo 0

Morocco 3 Togo 1

DR Congo 3 Togo 1

Source: CAF

23, January 2025

Yaoundé: Hope and Despair in the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison ⁰

Tsi Conrad, a Cameroonian journalist who has been unjustly imprisoned since December 2016, is hopeful that President Donald Trump will continue to call out the Biya regime’s abuses and push for democracy in Cameroon.

When the news that Donald Trump had been reelected reached my cell in Cameroon’s Yaoundé Central Prison, I was filled with both hope and despair. I felt despair because it was a reminder that I have been wrongfully imprisoned for eight years—I was arrested in December 2016, in the wake of his first electoral victory. But I also felt a glimmer of hope, because during his last administration, President Trump took important action to hold the government of Cameroon accountable, and I am hopeful that he will continue to call out the Biya regime’s abuses and push for democracy in Cameroon.

As an independent journalist in Cameroon, I always knew that my work could land me in trouble. Reporters Without Borders has called Cameroon “one of the continent’s most dangerous countries for journalists,” and with good reason—journalists have been harassed, arrested, kidnapped, and even killed. My reporting is particularly sensitive, as it relates to the Anglophone crisis—the civil unrest in the country’s English-speaking regions —and the abuses and atrocities that have occurred in these areas. This topic is not just a professional interest, but a personal one as well: I am from Bamenda, the epicenter of the Anglophone protests.

On December 8, 2016, I was arrested while filming a demonstration at which police shot and killed four people. The police seized and destroyed my camera and tortured me into signing a false confession. In May 2018, after an unfair trial in which I was not even allowed to call defense witnesses, I was convicted on a variety of baseless charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

It is widely recognized that my detention is nothing more than retaliation for my reporting. In fact, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention not only found that my detention is arbitrary and in violation of international law, but also concluded that it “resulted from the exercise of [my] right to freedom of expression.” Numerous human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch, have similarly called for my release.

December 8, 2024, marked the eight-year anniversary of my detention. If this is to be the last Christmas that I celebrated in prison, and if human rights in Cameroon are to stand a chance, then the Trump administration will once again need to step up.

First, the new administration should refuse to reinstate Cameroon’s benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). In 2019, the Trump administration suspended Cameroon from trade preference benefits under AGOA due to “persistent gross violations of internationally recognized human rights,” including “extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and unlawful detention, and torture.” However, Cameroon has recently been lobbying for reinstatement, and the outgoing US ambassador to Cameroon reportedly told Cameroonian officials that the United States is ready to support the country’s reinstatement. But this would send exactly the wrong message, as Cameroon has only become more repressive over the past few years. In 2017, for example, Cameroon received a score of 24 out of 100 in Freedom House’s annual Freedom in the World report; by 2024, its score had declined to 15 out of 100. And as the US State Department has documented, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and torture remain serious concerns.

Second, the United States should impose targeted sanctions on the government officials responsible for serious human rights abuses. Despite Cameroon’s consistently deplorable human rights record, including the repression and detention of journalists, there are no government officials on the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list (though the US State Department did announce a policy of imposing visa restrictions relating to the Anglophone crisis in 2021).

And third, with Cameroon’s October 2025 presidential election fast approaching, the Trump administration should emphasize in all its meetings with Cameroonian officials that a free and fair election cannot occur without a free and independent media. While there are many restrictions on the media that need to be addressed, perhaps the most important—and the easiest for the government to fix—is the detention of journalists who criticize its actions. The United States should therefore demand that I and the other detained journalists be released before the election so that we—and the many others who have been intimidated into silence—can do our jobs.

Culled from Freedom House.Org

22, January 2025

Miss Cameroon: COMICA increases age limit for contestants to 35 ⁰

The Miss Cameroon Organizing Committee (COMICA) announced on January 16 that it has updated its eligibility criteria, raising the maximum age limit for contestants from 28 to 35. This change, shared on the committee’s social media platforms, aims to “allow more young women to compete and represent the beauty, intelligence, and diversity of Cameroon,” according to COMICA.

In addition to the age increase, the minimum age for participation has also been raised from 17 to 18. COMICA President Ingrid Solange Amougou clarified in an interview with SBBC that this decision is not modeled after other pageants, such as Miss France, which recently eliminated its age limit of 24 to allow all women over 18 to participate. “We’re not imitating anyone. The expansion came a little late, but it’s to align with international pageant standards,” she stated during a phone interview.

Amougou noted that the decision was partly inspired by Miss Universe and numerous requests from women over 28 who expressed interest in competing. This adjustment follows other inclusion initiatives implemented by COMICA in 2023, which permitted young Muslim women to compete while wearing their veils and allowed contestants to choose whether or not to participate in the swimsuit segment. Additional measures were introduced to enable young mothers with children over two years old to compete.

The Miss Cameroon competition, established in 1960, has experienced several periods of inactivity before being relaunched in 2002 under COMICA’s leadership. Each year, the competition attracts many young women aspiring to win the prestigious title. The 17th edition, concluded on June 28, 2024, saw Raïssa Noura Njikam from the Northern region crowned by Chantal Biya, Cameroon’s First Lady.

Source: Sbbc

22, January 2025

Douala: Gov’t targets customs corruption in new crackdown ⁰

To mark International Customs Day, Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance launched a campaign on January 14 in Douala to tackle corruption in the country’s customs service. The campaign, which will run until January 22, focuses on educating customs officers in Douala, Kribi, Limbe, and Yaoundé about the harm corruption causes to the nation’s growth.

The effort is backed by Africa Global Logistics (AGL), a key partner in the initiative. Speaking at the launch, Mama Nsounchiat, Deputy Managing Director of AGL Cameroon, underlined the need for accountability. “Corruption has no place in a system that aims for excellence. AGL is dedicated to supporting this fight by providing modern tools and innovative solutions to improve governance,” he said.

Corruption in customs has been a major issue in Cameroon for years. A 2016 report by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Conac) detailed widespread fraud and misconduct within the sector. The report estimated that between 2010 and 2015, corruption cost the public treasury CFA1,246 billion in lost revenue.

Investigators also uncovered extravagant lifestyles among customs officers. Some were found to own luxurious properties in Douala and other cities, as well as significant bank balances. One case involved a customs officer in Maroua, in the Far North region, who reportedly owned 13 villas, a five-story building, 10 plots of land, trucks, buses, and several luxury cars.

The diaspora has also expressed frustration. In December 2024, Cameroon’s liaison officer to Interpol, Richard Evina Engolo, relayed complaints from Cameroonians abroad to the country’s ambassador in France. These grievances pointed to corruption and other unethical practices by customs officers at the ports of Kribi and Douala.

Source: Business in Cameroon

22, January 2025

Champions League: Liverpool make it to last 16, Barcelona beat Benfica ⁰

Mohamed Salah scored his 50th European goal for Liverpool on Tuesday as they qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League after a 2-1 victory over Lille at Anfield. Barcelona beat Benfica 5-4 in a dramatic nine-goal Champions League match.

Mohamed Salah (R) was on target as Liverpool beat Lille 2-1 at Anfield in the Champions League. — Liverpool’s Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah during a match between Liverpool and Lille LOSC at Anfield in Liverpool on January 21, 2025. © Paul Ellis, AFP

Liverpool beat Lille 2-1 on Tuesday to maintain their perfect record in this season’s Champions League and clinch qualification for the last 16, while Barcelona produced a stunning comeback to beat Benfica 5-4 in a classic to secure their own place.

The Anfield side are the only team with a maximum 21 points from seven matches in this new, expanded Champions League and they now know they will skip next month’s play-offs and head straight to the last 16 in March.

Mohamed Salah ran clear to give Liverpool the lead at home to a Lille team who have also impressed this season, and the visitors appeared in trouble when they had Aissa Mandi sent off just before the hour mark.

Jonathan David swept in an equaliser for Lille, but Harvey Elliott’s shot took a wicked deflection on its way in to give Liverpool the points.

“We’re happy that we are top eight. That’s the only thing that tells me something, because this league table doesn’t tell you anything,” said Slot when asked about being through to the last 16.

The biggest drama on the night, however, came in the rain in Lisbon, where Barcelona trailed 4-2 with 12 minutes of the 90 remaining, but somehow recovered to win 5-4.

Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick in the first half-hour for Benfica, including a penalty, while Robert Lewandowski netted from the spot for Barca, who were 3-1 down at the interval.

Raphinha pulled it back to 3-2 when a clearance by the goalkeeper ricocheted back off the Brazilian’s head and in, but a Ronald Araujo own goal midway through the second half appeared to have secured the win for the Portuguese side.

Raphinha celebrates after scoring the winner as Barcelona beat Benfica in a nine-goal thriller. © Patricia De Melo Moreira, AFP

However, another Lewandowski penalty on 78 minutes gave Barcelona renewed hope, and Eric Garcia headed in the equaliser on 86 minutes, before Raphinha ran away to settle an incredible game.

“The mentality of the team, they always believe in themselves and this was unbelievable to see,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick.

The Catalans are second with six wins out of seven, and will finish in the top eight to go straight to the last 16. Benfica, with 10 points, must still sweat to reach the play-off round.

Alvarez gives Atletico victory

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid are third on 15 points and certain to at least be in the play-offs after a Julian Alvarez brace secured a 2-1 home victory over Bayer Leverkusen in a game both teams finished with 10 men.

Atletico had Pablo Barrios sent off midway through the first half, and Piero Hincapie then put Leverkusen ahead just before the break.

Argentina star Alvarez levelled seven minutes into the second half, and Hincapie was sent off for the Germans before another Alvarez goal won it for the home side in the last minute as they climbed above Leverkusen.

Last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta are also guaranteed at least a play-off place after crushing Sturm Graz of Austria 5-0.

Mateo Retegui, Mario Pasalic, Charles De Ketelaere, Ademola Lookman and Marco Brescianini all scored for the Italians.

Monaco got back to winning ways after some disappointing results had seen their campaign stall, as Wilfried Singo’s early goal proved enough for them to beat Aston Villa 1-0.

Both teams are set to progress to the knockout phase and both could still finish in the top eight.

Julian Alvarez got both goals for Atletico Madrid in their win against Bayer Leverkusen. © Javier Soriano, AFP

Last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund should also be fine despite a 2-1 defeat away to Bologna, as substitutes Thijs Dallinga and Samuel Iling-Junior scored a minute apart in the second half after Serhou Guirassy’s early penalty had put the Germans in front.

Club Brugge held Juventus to a 0-0 draw in Belgium as that duo both look set to go through to the play-offs at least, while PSV Eindhoven are poised to advance following a 3-2 win at Red Star Belgrade.

PSV led 3-0 at the break thanks to a Luuk de Jong double and a Ryan Flamingo strike, but the latter was sent off early in the second half and Red Star pulled goals back courtesy of Cherif Ndiaye and Nasser Djiga.

VfB Stuttgart maintained their hopes of reaching the play-offs with a 3-1 win away to Slovan Bratislava, who have lost every game.

Jamie Leweling bagged a brace for Stuttgart and Fabian Rieder sealed their victory after Idjessi Metsoko had pulled one back.

(AFP)

22, January 2025

Ireland: Election of taoiseach delayed as dáil suspended amid disorder ⁰

The election of a new taoiseach has been delayed after a bitter row in the Dáil (Irish parliament), forcing the suspension of proceedings twice.

The Irish parliament returned to nominate Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin as the new taoiseach (prime minister) before he is formally appointed to the office by President Michael D Higgins.

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy called for a 15 minute suspension after Teachtaí Dála (TDs) refused to “stop shouting” at her and take their seats.

After it resumed several TDs continued to challenge her over a decision to allow independent TDs who are supporting the government to sit on the opposition benches.

They refused to take their seats and the proceedings were then suspended for 30 minutes.

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspended the Dáil for 15 minutes

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou said it was a “brazen” move by the government to allow this arrangement to happen.

Source: BBC

21, January 2025

US: Trump wants to end birthright citizenship ⁰

From behind his desk in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders and decrees aimed at cracking down on immigration.

From one order tackling the definition of birthright citizenship, to another declaring illegal immigration at the border a national emergency, Trump swiftly made moves on his promises to tighten the US-Mexico border.

But some of his plans – particularly around changing the definition of birthright citizenship – are likely to face significant hurdles.

He is already facing legal challenges from immigration advocacy groups, which have reacted furiously to his announcements.

One organisation said his plans “do not uphold American values”, and another said Trump’s administration was “actively trying to destroy our lives”.

In his inaugural address earlier in the day, Trump vowed that “all illegal entry will be halted” and that millions of “criminal aliens” would be deported.

He also signed an order declaring Mexican drug cartels terrorist organisations. “I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions,” he explained.

At another event at Washington’s Capital One Arena, Trump formally revoked nearly 80 executive actions of his predecessor Joe Biden. He had previously vowed to scrap Biden’s policies “within five minutes”.

Following his inauguration, he also signed a proclamation that gave officials the authority to “repel, repatriate, or remove” migrants until he was satisfied that “the invasion at the southern border has ceased”.

Although the details of the order are not yet known, officials have said that Trump plans to end birthright citizenship.

That refers to an approach of the US government whereby anyone born on American soil is considered a citizen at birth, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

Trump appears to be seeking to change the rules so that that the children of undocumented migrants living in the US will no longer automatically be considered US citizens. It would not apply retrospectively.

Exactly how he intends to achieve this is unclear, however, because birthright citizenship is enshrined in the constitution and would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress to change.

Trump has instructed federal agencies to stop issuing documentation to children born in the US to parents who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas, which could effectively deny them access to public services.

Advocacy group the American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU) immediately said it was suing the Trump administration over the order. “Denying citizenship to US-born children is not only unconstitutional – it’s also a reckless and ruthless repudiation of American values,” it said in a statement.

The new administration has also moved to swiftly scrap CBP One, a mobile application used by migrants to book appointments to appear at a port of entry.

Biden administration officials had credited the app with helping reduce the number of detentions at the border since it was first introduced in January 2023. It was the only legal pathway to request asylum at the US-Mexico border.

Now, the Customs and Border Protection website notes that the app is “no longer available”.

App users also now are shown a message noting that “existing appointments scheduled through CBP One are no longer valid”.

According to CBS, the BBC’s US partner, the Biden administration had scheduled roughly 30,000 appointments via CBP One for migrants to enter the US in the next three weeks.

Other estimates had suggested that as many as 270,000 migrants were in Mexico waiting for an opportunity to enter the US using CBP One.

In the Mexican border city of Tijuana, some migrants reported feeling defeated and deflated after learning of CBP One’s demise.

“I hope God touches his [Trump’s] heart,” said Oralia, a Mexican woman who fled cartel violence in her home state along with her epileptic son. “We really do need the help.”

She had been waiting for an appointment through CBP One for seven months.

Among his other day-one moves, Trump ordered a shutdown of another Biden-era initiative, which allowed up to 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to fly to the US per month. Like the CBP One app, it was designed to lower the number of illegal crossings.

Source: BBC

21, January 2025

Football: Mbappé says he overcame bad start with Real Madrid ⁰

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe said Tuesday a shift in mentality helped him improve his ‘situation’ in the Spanish capital after struggling initially following his dream move from Paris Saint-Germain.

The French superstar played inconsistently in his first months at Madrid after joining last summer, but in recent weeks has returned to his devastating peak.

“You always have to be calm and focus on your game and what you can improve,” Mbappe told a news conference ahead of Madrid’s Champions League clash with RB Salzburg on Wednesday.

“I knew that I could change the situation, and now the situation has changed.”

Mbappe missed penalties against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao towards the end of 2024 and admitted at the time he had “hit the bottom”.

The 26-year-old pledged to show his personality and overcome his shaky start, and now has scored eight goals in his last 10 games across all competitions.

“It was more of a mental thing… I knew I was good physically, good with the team, the group, but I had to do more and I knew it,” continued Mbappe.

“It was the moment to say that now I had to change everything, change the situation, because I didn’t come to Madrid to play badly.

“Now it’s all changed, and I have to continue, because playing well for a month is good, but it’s easy.”

During his spell of poor form and while struggling with a thigh problem, Mbappe was left out several France squads for Nations League games in the final months of last year.

However the striker said he was looking forward to returning to action with his country.

“There’s no issue with the national team… I can understand the criticism (in France),” said Mbappe, who won the World Cup with France in 2018.

“I’m excited to return in March and try to reach the Nations League semi-finals. “My love for the national team has not changed.”

Source: AFP

21, January 2025

Biya regime pays FECAFOOT €560 million ⁰

The State of Cameroon has just paid 560 million to the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT). The money will be used to pay the salaries of players playing for clubs in the Elite One and Elite Two leagues.

In a press release issued on Tuesday 21 January, the Cameroon Football Federation announced that the Cameroon government had made available the sum of 560 million CFA francs. According to the statement issued by Cameroon’s football governing body, these funds represent State support for the payment of the salaries of players from clubs involved in Elite One and Elite Two.

To ensure the transparent management of these funds, FECAFOOT has asked the Cameroon National Football Association (ANFC) to take the necessary steps to allocate the quotas. Proof of payment of players’ salaries is required for this purpose.

By Rita Akana