Headline News

21, May 2023

Football: Mbappe goals secure PSG Ligue 1 title ⁰

A brace by Kylian Mbappe propelled Paris Saint-Germain to a 2-1 win at Auxerre on Sunday that effectively secured a second straight Ligue 1 title and a ninth in the last 11 seasons.

Mbappe’s goals, his 27th and 28th of the season in Ligue 1, both came in the first eight minutes at the Stade Abbe-Deschamps and set PSG up for victory.

Auxerre pulled one back early in the second half through Lassine Sinayoko but Paris held on for a victory which leaves them six points clear of second-placed Lens with two games remaining.

They require just a draw away to Strasbourg next weekend to officially be crowned champions for a French record 11th time.

However, a goal difference advantage of 16 over Lens means they are almost certain to win the title even if they end the season level on points with their rivals.

Mbappe opened the scoring in style, collecting a Fabian Ruiz pass and turning home defender Gauthier Hein inside out before shooting high into the net.

It was 2-0 two minutes later, as Hugo Ekitike left a Lionel Messi pass for Mbappe to rifle in a shot from the edge of the area.

Rayan Raveloson hit the bar late in the first half for the hosts, who reduced the deficit six minutes after the break when Nuno da Costa headed on a long clearance downfield for Sinayoko to run through and score.

Christophe Galtier’s PSG team had hoped to celebrate winning the league on Sunday, but a 3-1 victory for Lens in Lorient earlier ensured they would have to wait at least another week regardless of their result in Auxerre.

The result left Auxerre still one point and one place above the relegation zone with two matches of the season to play.

Source: AFP

21, May 2023

Southern Cameroons and La Republique celebrate National Unity Day ⁰

Cameroon has been celebrating 51 years as unified nation with a military and civilian parade on National Unity Day in its capital Yaoundé.

For all but 10 of those years it has been ruled by just one man, President Paul Biya.

And at 91 years old he is now the oldest head of state in the world.

The country is now less united than ever: Thousands of people have been killed since 2016 and over a million people displaced after a group of Anglophone Cameroonians began to fight Biya’s Francophone government.

Some of those who watched the parade sounded optimistic about their country’s future and welcomed the day.

“It is to remind that we are one people, it’s to remind that it’s together that we can build and develop, it’s to remind that it’s together that we can be happy, it’s together that we can live in peace,” said Therese Temgoua, a Francophone Cameroonian who is a bank executive.

“I think it’s a happy day, and what I’ve seen today shows that Cameroon’s democracy is actually in the right direction,” Enobi Akepe, an anglophone Cameroonian who is a university lecturer, said.

But one francophone journalist described the unity of the country as a “facade.”

“Today, Cameroonians agree that we are living in a certain facade of unity. First, because in the North-West and South-West, you know that there are secessionists who do not let us breathe. On the other hand, we see the rise of hatred in the country,” said Pierre Youte, a journalist and the director of Soleil d’Afrique newspaper.

This rainy season Cameroon is also facing a cholera epidemic which has spread to all of its regions and is known to have infected around 20,000 people.

The figure is likely to be higher as only those infected people who manage to reach hospital are counted.

On Friday, on the eve of National Unity Day, the authorities closed down some of Yaoundé’s food markets to prevent the spread of the deadly bacterial disease.

Source: Africa News

20, May 2023

Football: Chelsea eyeing a swap deal for Andre Onana ⁰

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is looking to swap Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic with Inter Milan’s goalkeeper Andre Onana over the summer. The Blues are impressed by the development of the Cameroonian goalkeeper, who is set to play the Champions League final against Manchester City.

According to the reports from Inter Live, the Blues are optimistic about landing the Inter Milan goalkeeper. The hierarchy has expressed displeasure on Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy’s inconsistencies. Hence, they are looking for a fresh face in the middle of the sticks.

Onana has been linked with a £40m move to Chelsea. However, the transfer is not in advanced stages, as it emerged before the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as manager. The board feels that a signing before the official appointment of a manager could bring a conflict of interest between them and the manager. Hence, they hope to receive the green light from the former Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Despite involving Kovacic in the deal, the Blues are also looking to bolster their midfield options for next season. There are links with Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo as partners for Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the park. However, Boehly’s main priority is reducing the club’s wage bill.

Chelsea have had a horrific 2022-23 season, as they are on course to finish outside the top 10 in the Premier League for the first time this century. Manchester City also knocked them out of the FA Cup and League Cup, respectively. Lastly, they lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. Now, the board hopes to right the wrongs of last summer and have better options to compete next season.

Source: Clutch points

20, May 2023

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh’s war cabinet in self-destruct mode ⁰

The recent announcement by the attention-seeking Fai Yengo Francis that 18 Ambazonia fighters have surrender to Cameroon government forces not only failed to advance the sinister goals of the Biya French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé but laid bare deep divisions and dissensions in the entire Biya cabinet.

It was evident when Etoudi ordered the arrest of its spy chief Léopold Maxime Eko Eko over the Martinez Zogo affair prompting some of Eko Eko’s acolytes to abruptly abandoned the Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh’s camp.

Unfortunately, anti Southern Cameroons work within the Minister Ngoh Ngoh camp is not progressing well due to much pressure from very inexperienced cabinet ministers trying to impose their views on military affairs.

Mindful of the numerous unannounced and unceremonious departures from the Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh camp, disputes within this so-called “Chantal Biya Men” have reached worrying levels. Threatening messages and death threats are being exchanged between different factions deep within the Biya cabinet.

Harassment has not been limited to individuals around the 90-year-old President Biya. Those already detained at the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé are also receiving threats if they dare make any startling revelations. Ngoh Ngoh is reportedly the principal architect behind the threats and many within the security apparatus of the state have hinted this reporter that the Ngoh Ngoh’s primitive and cheap design is simply to gain notoriety.

It is precisely this battle to succeed President Biya within the French backed Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime that would justify Governor Fai Yengo Francis recent anti Southern Cameroons announcement. Unity among the Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh gang has not been possible mainly because his supporters have attacked other members of the Biya entourage, stating that Ngoh Ngoh should be recognized as the only possible Biya replacement given his special relationship with the Biya family.

Political analysts opine that another internal CPDM conflict that has erected a stone wall against the Southern Cameroons peace process is the confrontation between some Francophone nationalists headed by Ngoh Ngoh and the pro decentralization plans promoted by the former spy chief Léopold Maxime Eko Eko.

It seems there are several political visions within what is being dubbed as the race to succeed President Biya. It is true we can find notable differences in the political views of members, but at the level of discourse, we find ourselves within the Francofools family resemblance idea. That is, despite serious differences, they all fall under the same political discourse. Agreements and disagreements within that diverse Beti Ewondo group are expressed in the same language, that of Francofools.

All members of the so-called Vice President Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh group view themselves through what many in Southern Cameroons called the “Francophone supremacists”. Similarly, all members of this Ngoh Ngoh group paint others like Eko Eko clamoring for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Southern Cameroons as black legs. The Ngoh Ngoh doctrine simplifies Cameroon into good and bad: Beti Ewondo political dominance and Anglophone barbarism. Minister Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh’s doctrine is presently being observed in all departments of government despite numerous and violent differences among its various members.

Despite glaring differences, all these stances can be understood within the same Francophone political discourse, whose goal is to destroy everything Anglo-Saxon and replace it with some new Made In Yaoundé political structure in which Southern Cameroons will no longer have political relevance.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

19, May 2023

Yaoundé: IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement with Cameroon on the Fourth Reviews ⁰

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Ms. Cemile Sancak, Mission Chief for Cameroon, visited Yaoundé during May 4-17 to discuss progress on reforms and the authorities’ policy priorities in the context of n the fourth reviews of the three-year program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements. The arrangement was approved by the IMF Executive Board for a total amount of SDR 483 million (about US$689.5 million) on July 29, 2021.

At the conclusion of this visit, Ms. Sancak issued the following statement:

“The mission has reached staff-level agreement with the Cameroonian authorities on the economic and financial policies that could support the approval of the fourth reviews of the program under the ECF and EFF arrangements. Completion of the fourth reviews by the IMF Executive Board, scheduled in late June 2023, would enable the disbursement of SDR 55.2 million (about US$73.8 million).

“Following an incipient recovery that started following the COVID-19 shock, Cameroon is facing renewed risks from the external environment, including tight global financial conditions and increased oil price volatility. The economic recovery has continued, and growth is estimated at 3.7 percent in 2022. Headline inflation reached 7.3 percent year-on-year at end-2022, up from 3.5 percent at end-2021. While domestic food prices have been the main drivers, non-food and non-energy prices have also increased.

“The overall fiscal deficit declined to 1.1 percent of GDP in 2022 from 3 percent in 2021 while the non-oil primary deficit increased to 4 percent of GDP in 2022 from 3.9 percent in 2021. Non-oil revenue performance improved substantially in 2022, due to both tax and non-tax revenues. In terms of program performance, the non-oil primary deficit target under the program was met, though a substantial part of the subsidies for petroleum products for 2022, which was validated only in 2023, will be integrated into the revised 2023 budget. The temporary and minor breaches of the target on non-accumulation of external payment arrears point to the need to improve liquidity management and limit spending through exceptional procedures. Public debt at end-2022 reached 46.5 percent of GDP, declining slightly from 46.8 percent of GDP at end-2021.

“Medium-term prospects remain favorable provided reforms continue, and the external environment is supportive. Economic growth is expected to increase modestly to 4 percent while inflation is expected to moderate from 7.3 percent year-on-year at end-2022 to 5.9 percent at end-2023. The authorities are preparing a revised budget for 2023 and have expressed their continued commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and to further reducing the overall fiscal deficit to 1 percent of GDP and the non-oil primary fiscal deficit to 2.4 percent of GDP in 2023.

“Meeting the objectives of the national development strategy for 2020-30 (SND30) requires a substantial expansion of fiscal space for priority spending, especially infrastructure, while maintaining debt sustainability. To meet these objectives, the authorities recognize the need to further mobilize non-oil revenues, better target priority spending, and improve expenditure efficiency. They are implementing measures to mobilize domestic non-oil revenues and broaden the tax base following the review of tax policy. Implementing recommendations from the public investment management assessment (PIMA) follow-up of 2020 and from the public expenditure and financial accountability review (PEFA) currently underway will help to improve the efficiency of public spending.

“Meeting the SND30 objectives also requires a sharp acceleration in the pace of reforms to support a deep structural transformation of the economy. This includes a concerted effort to improve the business climate for the private sector and underpin inclusive and resilient growth. The mission welcomed steps to strengthen public financial management. A credible budget and disciplined budget execution would help avoid the accumulation of unpaid domestic obligations and support timely completion of major infrastructure projects, especially in the transport and energy sectors. The mission welcomed measures to strengthen the performance and financial management of public enterprises and the planned rehabilitation of SONARA. The mission also welcomed the launch of the financial inclusion strategy and recent steps to strengthen governance, especially the launch of a broad diagnostic of economic governance and plans to strengthen the Supreme Court’s Audit Bench.

“The IMF team met with the Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, the Minister and Secretary General of the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, the National Director of the BEAC, Emmanuel Nkoa Ayissi, and other senior officials. The mission also met with representatives of development partners, the diplomatic community, the private sector, and civil society.

“The team wishes to thank the Cameroonian authorities for their excellent cooperation and for the frank and constructive dialogue.”

Culled from IMF

19, May 2023

UN says more than a million people displaced by Sudan crisis ⁰

More than a million people have been displaced by fighting in Sudan so far, including a quarter of a million refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson says.

The latest figure includes some 843,000 people displaced internally and around 250,000 people who have fled across Sudan’s borders, Matthew Saltmarsh told a Geneva briefing on Friday.

With hundreds of casualties and the streets of the capital Khartoum being turned into battle zones, the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been engaged in weeks-long conflict.

Refugees have flocked to the neighboring countries of Sudan, including Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, all of which are experiencing severe humanitarian crises.

Since the start of the conflict, Egypt has received the largest amount of Sudanese refugees than any other country, around 110,000, according to Saltmarsh.

“Many of those who have approached us are in a distressed state having been exposed to violence or traumatic conditions in Sudan, and having suffered arduous journeys,” Saltmarsh said. The pace has increased in recent weeks, he added, with some 5,000 arriving each day in Egypt.

Thousands of people have been injured and hundreds of people have died as a result of the fighting in the northeast African country so far.

Source: Presstv

18, May 2023

Football: Arsenal Star William Saliba visits Cameroon, meets Eto’o ⁰

Arsenal defender William Saliba has returned to his roots visiting Cameroon during his injury recovery.

The France international opted to represent the country of his birth despite his mother hailing from Cameroon.

He is currently in the African country and took the opportunity to visit iconic striker Samuel Eto’o at his FECAFOOT office.

In photos shared on social media, the Arsenal star was also spotted having a good time with his family in Yaoundé as he enjoyed the local delicacies.

Saliba has been out with injury since March and his absence seems to have cost Arsenal the title after losing grip of their place at the top of the table.

The France defender will be out for the rest of the season, as reported by Metro.

His performances, however, have guaranteed the Gunners a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League as Arsenal are set to finish the season in the top two positions.

Saliba has been a completely transformed player since returning to London at the start of the season following the end of his loan at Olympique Marseille.

Source: Sportsbrief

18, May 2023

Yaoundé: Calls for peace, reconciliation ahead of May 20 ⁰

Thousands of people are demonstrating this week, calling for peace and reconciliation ahead of National Day on May 20. Peace caravans led by activists, clerics and traditional rulers are calling for an end to hate speech and the separatist conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people in Cameroon since 2017.

A band of youths leads several hundred Cameroonians in protests against hate speech in the capital, Yaounde, on Thursday. The protesters are also calling for peace and reconciliation in the central African state.

Organizers say the protests began in towns and villages across Cameroon on Monday ahead of the country’s National Day on May 20.

Thousands of Christians from Cameroon’s Catholic, Presbyterian and Baptist churches joined the protest in Yaounde Thursday.

Reverend Father Humphrey Tatah Mbui is the director of communications at the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon. He said Christians cannot be indifferent at a time when increasing hate speech and xenophobic statements are creating conflicts and damaging Cameroon’s image.

“It is wickedness and the type of hate speech that destroys the country. If we want peace in this country we must learn to start controlling the kind of words we use, the way we talk to other people and dialogue,” he said.

Mbui said clashes between communities increased in Cameroon after the disputed 2018 presidential election in which President Paul Biya was declared the winner. Opposition leader Maurice Kamto also claimed victory.

In addition, some French-speaking host communities accuse English speakers displaced by the separatist conflict in the west of being separatist fighters or sympathizers.

The tension goes the other way, too. Earlier this month, a human rights group said scores of French speaking civilians in English-speaking regions were victims of hate speech.

Meanwhile, Cameroon’s National Communication Council issued over two dozen warnings last year to radio and TV stations the NCC says hosted guests who promoted hate speech.

Cameroon’s communication minister, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, said civilians are also increasingly using social media to vilify and humiliate people, or to incite hatred and call for violence against people of different religions, languages, ethnic groups and gender.

Sadi said all social strata in Cameroon suffer the consequences of hate speech fanned by some civil society groups, intellectuals, politicians, activists and social influencers. He said the most common manifestations of hate speech in Cameroon include ethnic and social discrimination, stigmatization, tribalism, irredentist claims, calls for insurgency and sometimes genocide, gender violence and violence against minorities.

Sadi said the Cameroon government is fighting hate speech as a priorty to safeguard democracy and the rule of law and to preserve the values of peace, unity and living together.

The government says President Biya wants Cameroonians to show love for their country as they celebrate National Day on Saturday. Biya will preside over celebrations in Yaounde.

In 2021, the International Crisis Group warned in a report that social media platforms, especially Facebook, were increasingly being used by Cameroonian youths to heighten political and ethnic tensions.

Source: VOA

18, May 2023

BEAC increases weekly withdrawal operations to CFA100 billion ⁰

The Bank of Central African States increased its weekly withdrawal operations to CFA100 billion, according to a statement made public yesterday May 16.

The monetary institute has specified that only “credit institutions authorized as primary dealers on the monetary market” are eligible for this 7-day offer with a remuneration rate of 0.75%. Usually, the central bank’s withdrawal operations involve an amount of CFA70 billion, but Beac has increased the volume to comply with the tightening of its monetary policy, which began in December 2021.

After raising its key rates four times, the bank decided on February 21 to suspend its weekly liquidity injection operations. The objective is to fight inflation, which is expected to reach 6.4% this year, more than double the 3% threshold tolerated within the Cemac region.

Source: Business in Cameroon

18, May 2023

Russia launches ‘unprecedented’ air attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv ⁰

Ukraine said “unprecedented” air attacks had rocked its capital and other areas early Thursday, a day after it reached an agreement with Russia to extend a deal allowing grain exports across the Black Sea.

“A series of air attacks on Kyiv, unprecedented in their power, intensity and variety, continues,” said Serhii Popko, head of Kyiv’s civil and military administration, adding that no casualties had been reported in the capital.

At least one person was killed by a Russian missile strike on an industrial facility in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa in the early hours of Thursday. Two more people were wounded in the attack, military administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk wrote on Telegram.

Source: France 24