Headline News

26, September 2024

Cameroon, South Africa aim to restart trade commission ⁰

Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, met with South Africa’s High Commissioner, Mandla Langa, to discuss revitalizing the joint commission between the two nations. This body, crucial for monitoring and evaluating the Cameroon-South Africa trade agreement, last convened in 2018, its activities disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Signed in September 2006, the trade agreement led to the creation of an interministerial committee overseen by the Minister of Trade, serving as a platform to discuss priority sectors for cooperation and trade exchanges between the two countries. During the meeting, the South African diplomat expressed his commitment to personally facilitate the resumption of the commission’s vital work.

Beyond trade, Cameroon and South Africa’s relationship includes agreements on air transport, double taxation avoidance, and various political and economic initiatives. On July 24, 2024, President Paul Biya ratified a bilateral agreement to enhance air operations and trade exchanges, a deal initially signed in Cape Town in 2011. Economically, South African companies have a strong presence in Cameroon, MTN being one of them.

In 2023, South Africa solidified its position as Cameroon’s second-largest African trading partner, exporting 143.8 tons of goods worth 47.9 billion CFA franc, representing 1.6% of Cameroon’s imports, according to the National Institute of Statistics. Cameroon’s exports to South Africa also increased, reaching 46 billion CFA francs in 2023, up from 44.5 billion CFA francs the previous year.

Minister Mbarga Atangana praised the “excellence and diversity” of relations between Yaoundé and Pretoria, reaffirming President Paul Biya’s commitment to attracting more South African investors. He highlighted Cameroon’s favorable business environment and the opportunities available to foreign investors.

Source: Sbbc

25, September 2024

Biya takes up residence in Geneva ⁰

Cameroon’s notorious and ever ailing president, Paul Biya, has finally taken up residence in Switzerland after failing to return to his dirty and constantly deteriorating country, Cameroon, on Wednesday.

The 91-year-old Biya has been dealing with multiple health issues and the burden of age can be seen on his face.

Mr. Biya is unable to walk and he is gradually losing his mind, triggering debates about his ability to continue ruling a country he has deliberately destroyed through corruption and incompetence.

Since leaving China some ten days ago, Mr. Biya has been in Geneva where his doctors are in a rush against time to save the life of the 91-year-old dictator whose mismanagement of his country has triggered a wave of migration from the country.

Thousands of Cameroonians are leaving the country in utter disappointment and there is no sign that things will be changing for the better anytime soon.

Today, there is a vacancy at the country’s presidential palace also known as the Unity Palace. Power is going abegging in Yaoundé and even the military is incapable of saving the country.

Mr. Biya, who once thought he was invincible, is today bowing to the will of time and age. Though he knows he has been a disaster to the country, the 91-year-old is not willing to yield power to his successor for fear that he and his protégés could be dragged to jail.

Biya left Cameroon for Beijing on September 8 for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

Cameroon Concord News understands he was unable to fly back to Cameroon yesterday and his bill of health after the cancellation has not been officially revealed. The incident has undoubtedly triggered a surge of reactions and conversations among Cameroonians.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

25, September 2024

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Cho Ayaba arrested in Norway ⁰

Norwegian police said Wednesday that they had detained a German national of Cameroonian heritage for allegedly inciting crimes against humanity in war-torn Cameroon, the first time Norway was embarking on legal proceedings for such crimes.

The man, who is in his 50s, lives in Norway but has not been named. However, Cameroon Intelligence Report has been reliably informed that it is Cho Ayaba Lucas the notorious leader of the Ambazonia Defense Force. He was detained because the National Criminal Investigation Service, known in Norway as KRIPOS, said that they believed he “had a central role in an ongoing armed conflict in Cameroon.”

Anette Berger, the prosecutor in the case, said, “We are in an early phase of the investigation, and there are several investigative steps that remain.”

On Wednesday, KRIPOS would seek his custody from the Oslo District Court “on the basis of the risk of tampering with evidence.”

For the past seven years, a protracted armed conflict known as the Anglophone crisis has devastated communities across the west African country’s two English-speaking regions — officially called Northwest and Southwest — as armed separatists clash with government forces.

Following a crackdown on peaceful protests in 2016, armed rebel groups mobilized and vowed to fight for the independence of the Anglophone areas, which they call Ambazonia.

The ensuing conflict with the Cameroonian military has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 760,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group. The rebel groups, as well as the military and police, have been accused of committing abuses and crimes against civilians.

Source: AP with additional reporting by CIR

25, September 2024

Football: France’s World Cup winner Raphaël Varane retires after knee injury ⁰

France World Cup winner Raphaël Varane on Tuesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 31.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester United centre-back Varane had joined Italian club Como for this season but was then excluded from their Serie A squad having suffered a knee injury in August.

“A new life begins off the pitch,” Varane said on social media.

“I will remain with Como. Just without using my boots and shin pads.

“Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon,” the four-time Champions League winner added.

Varane made 93 appearances for France from 2013-22, playing a key role in their victory at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as well as their runners-up finish four years later in Qatar.

Source: AFP

25, September 2024

Biya’s health under fresh scrutiny ⁰

President Paul Biya’s health is once again under scrutiny after it emerged the 91-year old leader was unable to board a flight back home late yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland.

Cameroon Intelligence Report understands that ever since the Cameroonian dictator left the Chinese capital, Beijing, he has been at the mercy of his medical team at the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva.

He was seen at the hotel reception struggling to share a conversation with one of his aides when he was whisked away by his wife Chantal Biya.

Paul Biya is still in Geneva after he first left Cameroon for Beijing on September 8 for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV) reported with footages of a plane carrying Mr. Biya and wife that the ageing leader had left the Chinese capital. But more than ten days later, he hasn’t returned to Yaoundé.

The recent Biya’s flight cancellation highlights just the latest of several health issues he is rumoured to be experiencing.

It has been a subject of speculation since the war in Southern Cameroons began, with the leader having been pictured looking hunched and bloated amid reports he has been treated for an undisclosed cancer.

The 91-year-old’s legs also appeared to buckle during a speech in Beijing.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

24, September 2024

8 passport officers arrested in Zimbabwe over dodgy documents issued to 4 Cameroonians ⁰

Police have arrested eight employees of the Registrar General’s department at the passport office in Harare after four Cameroonian nationals were intercepted at Beitbridge trying to enter South Africa using freshly issued Zimbabwean passports.

Romeo Shonhiwa, 44, of Eastview Phase 2 in Harare, Marrian Roman, 40, of Glaudina Park, Lackmore Chinokokora, 34, of Eastview Phase 4, Grace Kapungu, 35, of Glen View 1, Chiedza Hlomani, 34, of Marlbereign, Maureen Natasha Munemo, 32, of Glen View 1, Tanaka Magaya, 28, of Sunningdale 3, and Edith Moto, 38, of Ruwa have been charged with criminal abuse of office as public officers for their roles in the issuing of the passports.

The arrests came after four citizens of Cameroon were arrested at Beitbridge with newly issued Zimbabwean passports indicating Shona names, although none of the four could speak the language.

The four suspects who are charged with fraud identified on the passports as Emile Chingwaru of Matare Village under Chief Magonde in Mount Darwin; Christiana Mhereyenyoka of Arcadia Village in Mount Darwin; Yvette Maini of New Pfura in Mount Darwin and Marvel Chimbwanda also of Mount Darwin.

Police investigations have established that the four Cameroonians were first issued with birth certificates in Mount Darwin, before they went to the registry office at Market Square in Harare where they claimed to have lost their identity documents in order to obtain replacements.

On September 17, they went to the passport office in Harare where they each paid $170 for an ordinary passport.

The passports, which should typically take seven days, were printed and collected just two days later on September 19.

Police now believe a racket involving officials from the Registrar General’s office and cleaners took large sums of cash from the four Cameroonians to facilitate the corrupt issuance of the passports.

Two general hands Neria Sombi and Trymore Chipanga, employed by Andivest, have also been spoken to by police after a review of CCTV showed them taking the suspects through the entire passport application processes.

The video footage, according to police, also shows Accused 7, Tanaka Magaya, being handed money by a woman also suspected to be part of the racket.

The Cameroonians have told investigators they paid US$1,500 each for the passports.

Police say the suspects said they intended to use the passports to enter South Africa from where they would seek passage to the United Kingdom.

Source: Zimlive

24, September 2024

Bar Council President says 400 Anglophone Cameroon law students are in Rwanda ⁰

Cameroon needs to organize annual bar exams for trainee lawyers, the Bar Council urges citing a legal requirement that has been neglected for years. In a recent interview with state broadcaster CRTV, Bar President Mbah Eric Mbah explained that the decree of February 20, 1995, governing the final examination for trainee lawyers, mandates an annual exam. However, he lamented that this requirement has not been adhered to, leading to significant problems.

He indicated that the irregular frequency of the exam has pushed many law graduates to seek training in neighboring countries like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, or Rwanda. “I was in Rwanda, where I spoke with 400 fellow Cameroonians,” he said, noting that such training abroad can be problematic due to territorial differences in procedural laws.

While acknowledging budget constraints, he expressed optimism that the government is beginning to address the issue. “In our recent discussions, the current Justice Minister appeared receptive to the concerns raised by the Bar President and the Council, and committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure the annualization of the exam, as required by law,” said Claude Assira, a member of the Bar Council.

However, there has been no official confirmation from the Ministry of Justice that the government will implement the annual bar exam. Many remain skeptical, citing the lack of budget as the primary reason for the delays and doubting whether this issue will be resolved anytime soon. In previous years, low demand for legal services was blamed for the delays, with some suggesting that the long wait periods have actually benefited practicing lawyers.

“This isn’t just an economic issue, although it shouldn’t be ignored. I firmly believe the economic factor can be overcome by broadening the lawyer’s scope of work,” argued Claude Assira.

Source: Business in Cameroon

24, September 2024

Federal Republic of Ambazonia: Where education does not matter! ⁰

All over the world, education is considered a visa that can get many people out of poverty, but in Ambazonia, a virtual country also known as Southern Cameroons, illiteracy is considered good for the citizens and the key to a bright future. A strange irony which challenges any sound educational and social development experts

One of the many reasons Ambazonians raised when the sociopolitical problem which has destabilized many people in Cameroon and killed thousands in the two English-speaking regions of the country was that the quality of education provided by the Yaoundé government was of the lowest quality.

Ambazonians, also considered by the government of Cameroon as separatists, said they needed good quality education but their first action when the sociopolitical crisis commenced was to call on all students not to go to school until the government engineered new ways of doing things, especially by withdrawing all French-speaking teachers from the country’s two English-speaking regions.

While the Yaoundé government has since made some cosmetic changes and concessions, Southern Cameroonians have remained frozen in their positions.

From 2016, following the commencement of the country’s most destabilizing sociopolitical disaster, more than 30,000 students in the country’s two English-speaking regions of the country have not gone to school as gun-toting separatists have been threatening to kill any students and teachers who dare to go to school.

Their latest irrational action just came to an end yesterday. Since schools resumed in other regions of the country in early September, kids in Southern Cameroons have been at home for almost a month because Ambazonian forces had issued a ghost town operation in early September warning parents and students of deadly consequences if students violated their no-school order.

Ambazonia is a “country” wherein education does not matter but their leaders are talking about engineering sustainable development once they gain their independence. No country has ever developed without an educated population. Ambazonians want to demonstrate that education is not necessary when it comes to development and they will stop at nothing just to prove that.

Unfortunately, it is turning out that they are shooting themselves in the foot as their decision will only be counterproductive. Illiterate people will certainly not be reasonable and rational thinking will be a scarce resource. Crime will be high in a country wherein he who toots a gun can become the king.

Not many Southern Cameroonians are admiring these criminals who are marketing themselves as saviors who will bring independence and prosperity to their people. This archaic way of doing things has already hurt the economies of the two regions and unemployment and crime are unacceptably high.

The local population, which used to support the independence seekers is today working with the national defense forces to mop up the two English-speaking regions of the country which are replete with bandits and armed robbers who pass off as separatist fighters.

For almost eight years, most children in rural Southern Cameroons have not been to school. For those whose family members are well to do, they have been moved to towns and cities across the whole country for them to acquire much-needed education. Strangely, most of the students have moved to East Cameroon where they will have to learn the French they had rejected when there was peace in their beloved Southern Cameroons. What an irony! They will be fully assimilated and they might never return to the land they once called home.

Ambazonians are ignorantly helping the Yaoundé government in its bid to assimilate young English-speaking Cameroonians. More power to their elbow! In the next two decades, there will be more French-speaking Cameroonians in Southern Cameroons than English-speaking Cameroonians.

Even the worst dictatorships in the world have never refused their citizens access to education. Even the Taliban encourage their boys to get good education, though the girl child does not have the same access to education.

Ambazonians must stop committing human rights abuses. Refusing children their right to education is a criminal offense just as it is a punishable human rights abuse. Without a soundly educated population, no country can make giant steps forward regarding development.

This irrational decision to keep children out of school has caused a massive exodus from the two English-speaking regions of the country and this is not good news for a region and a people who think they should preserve their Anglo-Saxon educational culture.

By Dr. Joachim Arrey

23, September 2024

Far North Flooding: Dion Ngute commits to investigating root causes ⁰

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute chaired a high-level interministerial meeting in Yaoundé on September 19, 2024. The meeting, between governors, regional councilaors and government officials, aimed to address the devastating floods that have caused significant loss of life and extensive property damage in the Far North. According to the national radio, the government reaffirmed its commitment to investigating the “underlying causes” of the flooding and implementing “new preventive measures,” in line with directives from President Paul Biya.

During a 2022 visit to the flood-stricken Yagoua, the capital of the Mayo-Danay department in the Far North, Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji stated that President Biya had requested a thorough study of the causes of the flooding and the necessary measures to address the problem. Local officials in Yagoua pointed out at the time that rivers in northern Cameroon often converge, and rainfall in the Adamaoua region swells the Logone River, exacerbating the flooding. However, a more comprehensive study is still needed to accurately determine the causes.

In the meantime, the government has announced that President Biya has released over 1.6 billion CFA francs to assist affected populations and rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed by the floods, primarily in the Far North region. Paul Atanga Nji began a working visit to the flooded areas on Thursday, where he is meeting with those impacted and distributing humanitarian aid, including temporary shelters, mattresses, blankets, food supplies, and sanitary kits.

The recent floods in the Far North, particularly in the Diamaré, Logone-and-Chari, Mayo-Danay, and Mayo-Tsanaga departments, have wreaked havoc. According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of September 10, 2024, more than 18,000 homes had been destroyed, tens of thousands of hectares of crops flooded, and thousands of livestock lost. Over 33,000 households, representing around 236,000 people, have been affected, including more than 38,000 women of reproductive age and over 4,000 pregnant women. The provisional death toll stands at 17, and schools and health centers have been inundated, according to the Far North’s Governor, Midjiyawa Bakari.

Immediate priority needs include food, shelter, essential household items, and water, hygiene, and sanitation (WASH) services. Local authorities and humanitarian partners are implementing emergency measures to ensure the safety of people and property, including reinforcing the Logone River dike. However, continued rainfall and rising water levels pose an increasing risk of further deterioration and potential outbreaks of disease in the coming days and weeks, OCHA warns.

Source: Sbbc

23, September 2024

Camtel defends services, blames competitors’ ‘inability’ to manage traffic ⁰

Amid growing criticism from competitors like MTN Cameroon over the quality of its internet services, state-owned telecommunications company Camtel, which holds exclusive rights to distribute fiber-optic connections, has continued to defend its infrastructure. On Camtel Actu on Saturday, September 21, Camtel’s Director General, Judith Yah Sunday, stated, “Not only do we have the capabilities, but we also have redundancy.” She explained, “This means that if the underground cable is cut, we have the Eneo cable (the electric utility, Ed.) on the high-voltage lines to ensure service continuity.”

According to the director, “Even if our cable is cut, communications are automatically switched to Eneo’s high-voltage cable, and everything continues to function without anyone noticing.” Nevertheless, Camtel’s internet services are frequently disrupted, frustrating consumers and annoying competitors, many of whom rely on Camtel as their service provider. Camtel, which claims to be the guarantor of Cameroon’s “digital sovereignty,” often blames these network disruptions on roadworks that damage the underground cable.

To highlight the reliability of its infrastructure as the “only operator capable of providing capacity to all other operators,” Yah Sunday emphasized that Camtel operates a national terrestrial backbone that connects all ten regions, along with four submarine cables linking Cameroon to the rest of the world. As a result, she added, “Even in the extraordinary event of a cable being cut between Yaoundé and Douala, we have a redundant path through Bafoussam via the Douala-Bafoussam-Yaoundé axis.“

This marks Camtel’s second public response in a week to criticisms over the quality of internet services provided by the country’s historical telecommunications operator. In a statement on September 18, published in the government daily Cameroon Tribune, Yah Sunday accused competitors of contributing to poor network performance “due to their large subscriber base and insufficient measures taken to manage their traffic efficiently.“

Source: Sbbc