Monthly Archives: April 2025

22, April 2025

Over half of World Bank projects in Cameroon now flagged as high risk ⁰

More than half of the World Bank–funded projects in Cameroon are now considered “at risk” due to poor execution, slow disbursements, and looming deadlines, government officials said during a recent review of the country’s World Bank portfolio.

Out of 17 national projects backed by the World Bank, 9 have fallen behind schedule, according to Cameroon’s Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (Minepat), which oversees coordination with the Bank. These include efforts to expand rural electricity, improve secondary education, support digital transformation, and respond to food insecurity.

Among the most critical cases is the country’s digital acceleration project, known as PATNUC, which has only used 15.4% of its CFA55 billion budget, even though it launched in 2023. “We have completed the midterm review and found good solutions to speed up delivery,” said Guy Ronel Guemaleu, deputy director of multilateral cooperation at Minepat.

Other struggling projects include the CFA87 billion rural electrification project (PERACE), which is nearing its deadline in just two months with only 45% of funds disbursed. The education-focused PADESCE project, worth CFA73 billion, is also behind, with just 42% of funds used and a closing date in December.

Cameroon’s emergency response to food insecurity (PULCCA), under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, is moving slightly faster, at 53% disbursement, but it too is set to close later this year. Another major program, PROLOG, aimed at boosting local governance and resilience, was approved in 2023 with a CFA172 billion budget but was recently rated “moderately unsatisfactory.”

Despite these setbacks, a few projects are showing strong performance. These include initiatives focused on transport development, education reform, adaptive social protection, and regional economic development (PIDREC), Guemaleu noted.

Still, the broader picture is worrying. Many of these World Bank projects target essential sectors such as infrastructure, education, health, and agriculture. Delays and poor execution risk limiting their long-term impact.

Guemaleu explained that the main issues include unrealistic planning, late approval of work plans and budgets, a poor grasp of social and environmental procedures, and weak familiarity with the rules governing project management units. He also pointed to slow procurement processes, land access problems, and long wait times for required approvals.

The current World Bank portfolio in Cameroon includes 17 national projects, 15 of which are active, with a total budget of CFA2,429 billion. As of April 2025, the overall disbursement rate stands at just 32.76%, below the expected 38% for projects that are on average 3.8 years old. For the current fiscal year, the rate is even lower—just 16.36%—with hopes to reach 20% by June 30. The undisbursed committed balance is an estimated $3.014 billion (about CFA1,844.4 billion), according to Guemaleu.

The situation is just as concerning from the World Bank’s point of view. Cheick Fantamady Kanté, the Bank’s Country Director for Cameroon, confirmed that 69% of committed funds have not yet been used. “As of March 2025, the annualized disbursement rate is at 15%, far below the 20% target,” he said. “This has been a consistent problem since the 2018 fiscal year, when the rate stood at 17.9%.”

Source: Business in Cameroon

22, April 2025

Cardinal Kevin Farrell will be the next Pope ⁰

When the world learned of Pope Francis’ death on Monday morning, an Irish-American cardinal, little known in the wider world, was the one to break the news.

After announcing that the pope had “returned to the home of the Father”, Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Farrell took on one of his biggest roles yet: the “camerlengo”, or the person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a pope.

Pope Francis nominated the cardinal for the role in 2019. The cardinal will remain in the position during the “Apostolica Sedes Vacans”, the period between the death or resignation of a pope until the election of the next pontiff.

He also will play an important role in the centuries-old ceremonies to mourn Pope Francis.

Born in 1947 in Dublin, Farrell attended the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, according to the Vatican.

He held roles in churches around the world, serving as a chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Mexico as well as at a parish in Bethesda, Maryland.

All told, the 77-year-old spent more than 30 years working for churches in the US.

Farrell was appointed Bishop of Dallas in 2007 until Pope Francis asked him in 2016 to serve as the leader of the Vatican’s new department responsible for the pastoral care of families, raising him to the rank of cardinal.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell and other Vatican officials announce the death of Pope Francis in a video statement from the Vatican on 21 April.

Years after naming him as camerlengo, in 2023, Francis chose Farrell as president of the Supreme Court of Vatican City State. He was also named president of the Commission for Confidential Matters.

How the next Pope is chosen

As camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell will be tasked with making arrangements for the conclave, the process through which the next pontiff is selected.

Technically, a camerlengo can become pope, as has happened twice in history: Gioacchino Pecci (Pope Leo XIII) in 1878 and Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) in 1939.

The cardinal also will preside over the certification of Francis’s death, laying his body into the coffin. After that, the cardinal is expected to lead a procession moving the pope’s body from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta to St Peter’s Basilica.

The ceremony could take place as soon as Wednesday morning, according to the Vatican.

Source: BBC

22, April 2025

Pope Francis’s funeral to take place on Saturday ⁰

Pope Francis’s funeral will take place on Saturday at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST, 08:00 GMT), the Vatican confirms.

The Vatican has also released images of Pope Francis in an open coffin, dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hand

He will be taken to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, where his casket will remain until burial for the public to pay their respects

The pontiff’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief from Catholics across the globe. From South Sudan to Argentina, Poland to the Philippines, the BBC reports from across five continents.

Source: BBC

21, April 2025

Who can become the Pope? ⁰

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, after 12 years as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

His death has set in motion the centuries-old process of electing a new Pope.

What does the Pope do?

The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church. Roman Catholics believe he represents a direct line back to Jesus Christ. He is considered a living successor to St Peter, who was chief among Christ’s initial disciples, the Apostles.

That gives him full and unhindered power over the entire Catholic Church and makes him an important source of authority for the world’s roughly 1.4 billion Catholics.

While many Catholics often consult the Bible for guidance, they can also turn to the teachings of the Pope, which govern the Church’s beliefs and practices.

About half of all Christians worldwide are Roman Catholics. Other denominations, including Protestants and Orthodox Christians, do not recognise the Pope’s authority.

The Pope lives in Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world. It is surrounded by the Italian capital, Rome.

The Pope does not receive a salary, but all his travel costs and living expenses are paid for by the Vatican.

What happens when the Pope dies?

A papal funeral has traditionally been an elaborate affair, but Pope Francis recently approved plans to make the whole procedure less complex.

Previous pontiffs were buried in three nested coffins made of cypress, lead and oak. Pope Francis has opted for a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.

He has also scrapped the tradition of placing the Pope’s body on a raised platform – known as a catafalque – in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing.

Instead, mourners will be invited to pay their respects while his body remains inside the coffin, with the lid removed.

Francis will also be the first Pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican.

He will be laid to rest in the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of four major papal basilicas in Rome.

A basilica is a church which has been granted special significance and privileges by the Vatican. The major basilicas have a particular connection to the Pope.

Who chooses the new Pope?

The new Pope has to be chosen by the Catholic Church’s most senior officials, known as the College of Cardinals.

All men, they are appointed directly by the Pope, and are usually ordained bishops.

There are currently 252 Catholic cardinals, 138 of whom are eligible to vote for the new Pope.

The others are over the age of 80, which means they cannot take part in the election, although they can join in the debate over who should be selected.

How is the Pope chosen and what is the conclave?

When the Pope dies (or resigns, as in the rare case of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013), the cardinals are summoned to a meeting at the Vatican, followed by the conclave, as the election is known.

During the time between the Pope’s death and the election of his successor, the College of Cardinals governs the Church.

The election is held in strict secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel, famously painted by Michelangelo.

Individual cardinals vote for their preferred candidate until a winner is determined, a process which can take several days. In previous centuries, voting has gone on for weeks or months. Some cardinals have even died during conclaves.

The only clue about how the election is proceeding is the smoke that emerges twice a day from burning the cardinals’ ballot papers. Black signals failure. The traditional white smoke means the new Pope has been chosen.

How is the decision about the new Pope made public?

After the white smoke goes up, the new Pope normally appears within an hour on the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square.

The senior cardinal participating in the conclave will announce the decision with the words “Habemus Papam” – Latin for “we have a Pope”.

He will then introduce the new Pope by his chosen papal name, which may or may not be his original given name.

For example, Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but he chose a different name for his papacy in honour of St Francis of Assisi.

Who can become the Pope?

In theory, any Roman Catholic man who has been baptised can be considered for election to become Pope.

In practice, however, the cardinals prefer to select one of their own.

When the Argentine-born Pope Francis was chosen at the previous conclave in 2013, he became the first pontiff ever to hail from South America, a region that accounts for roughly 28% of the world’s Catholics.

But historical precedent suggests the cardinals are far more likely to pick a European – and especially an Italian.

Of the 266 popes chosen to date, 217 have been from Italy.

Source: BBC

21, April 2025

Pope Francis dies aged 88 ⁰

The Pope, who is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at 07:35 local time on Easter Monday

World leaders pay tribute to his “contagious smile” and “boundless compassion”, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling him a “man of humility”

His death comes a day after he appeared in St Peter’s Square to wish “Happy Easter” to thousands of worshippers

He was recently discharged from hospital last month after five weeks of treatment for an infection.

The pontiff’s death not only follows the most important calendar event for Catholics, but falls into the special jubilee year, which comes around every 25 years.

The jubilee kicked off when the Pope opened the usually bricked-up Holy Door at St Peter’s Basilica on 24 December, and sees millions of pilgrims descend on the Vatican to pass through the doorway and seek forgiveness for their sins.

Tens of thousands of Catholics had gathered for the Easter Mass in this special year.

Source: BBC

19, April 2025

Zelensky says Russian attacks ongoing despite Putin announcing ‘Easter truce’ ⁰

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has ordered his forces to “stop all military activity” in Ukraine, as he declared an “Easter truce” until the end of Sunday.

He said the 30-hour truce would last until 22:00 BST on Sunday (00:00 Moscow time), adding that Russian forces should be prepared to respond to “any possible violations”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would adhere to the truce, but accused Moscow of breaking it.

“If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly – mirroring Russia’s actions,” he said.

“Our actions are and will be symmetrical. The proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day silence remains on the table — the answer to it must come from Moscow,” he wrote on X.

He said fighting continued in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions and Russian drones were still in use, but added that some areas had become quieter.

Zelensky said Ukraine would be ready to extend a truce beyond 20 April, seemingly referring to an earlier proposal from the US for a 30-day ceasefire which Ukraine had already agreed to.

Responding to Putin’s initial announcement, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X: “Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a cease-fire. 30 hours instead of 30 days.”

“Unfortunately, we have had a long history of his statements not matching his actions. We know his words cannot be trusted and we will look at actions, not words,” he added.

Putin announced the temporary truce at a meeting with his chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov.

“Based on humanitarian considerations… the Russian side announces an Easter truce. I order a stop to all military activities for this period,” Putin told Gerasimov.

“We assume that Ukraine will follow our example. At the same time, our troops should be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy, any aggressive actions.”

The Russian defence ministry said its troops would adhere to the ceasefire provided it was “mutually respected” by Ukraine.

It is not the first time a pause in fighting has been suddenly announced – a previous attempt at a ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 fell apart after both sides failed to agree on a proposal.

Reacting to Putin’s truce announcement, a Foreign Office spokesman in the UK said: “Now is the moment for Putin to truly show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion and committing to a full ceasefire, as the Ukrainian government has called for – not just a one day pause for Easter.”

Source: BBC

19, April 2025

Second round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks begins in Rome ⁰

A convoy carrying US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived Saturday at the Omani Embassy in Rome, the site of the second round of talks with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had already arrived at the embassy in Rome’s Camilluccia neighbourhood.

Representatives from Iran and the United States are holding a new round of nuclear talks in Rome on Saturday to resolve their decades-long standoff over Tehran’s atomic aims, under the shadow of US President Donald Trump’s threat to unleash military action if diplomacy fails.

Araghchi and Witkoff will negotiate indirectly through mediators from Oman, a week after a first round in Muscat that both sides described as constructive.

Araghchi said in Moscow on Friday that Iran believes reaching an agreement on its nuclear programme with the United States is possible as long as Washington is realistic.

Tehran has however sought to tamp down expectations of a quick deal, after some Iranian officials speculated that sanctions could be lifted soon. Iran’s utmost authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said this week he was “neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic”.

For his part, Trump told reporters on Friday: “I’m for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific.”

Trump, who ditched a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six powers during his first term in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions on Tehran, has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran since returning to the White House in January.

Washington wants Iran to halt production of highly enriched uranium, which it believes is aimed at building an atomic bomb.

Tehran, which has always said its nuclear programme is peaceful, says it is willing to negotiate some curbs in return for the lifting of sanctions, but wants watertight guarantees that Washington will not renege again as Trump did in 2018.

A senior Iranian official, who described Iran’s negotiating position on condition of anonymity, listed Iran’s red lines as never agreeing to dismantle its uranium enriching centrifuges, halt enrichment altogether or reduce its enriched uranium stockpile below levels agreed in the 2015 deal. Iran also rejects negotiating about defence capabilities such as missiles.

While both Tehran and Washington have said they are set on pursuing diplomacy, there is still a wide gap between them on the dispute that has rumbled on for more than two decades.

Witkoff and Araghchi interacted briefly at the end of the first round last week, but officials from the two countries have not held direct negotiations since 2015, and Iran said the Rome talks would also be held indirectly through the Omani mediators.

Russia, a party to Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement, has offered “to assist, mediate, and play any role” that will be beneficial to Iran and the United States.

Source: AP

18, April 2025

Indomitable Lions boss taken to FIFA by own agent ⁰

Brys has been in charge of the Indomitable Lions since 2024 and has gone undefeated in the 10 games he has coached the team. However, the Belgian now finds himself at the hands of FIFA.

Afrik-Foot revealed that Belgian publication Voetbalnieuws said that Brys’ agent, Ivo Chi, filed a complaint with FIFA over continued non-payment of commissions. It was estimated that the owed amount was more than €112,000 (R2.4 million).

Chi reportedly was key in helping Brys land the Cameroon job and now FIFA has been informed of the situation after it had been pending for a couple of months.

Brys has publicly clashed with Cameroon legend and president of the Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o and he has been criticised for it by Tom Saintfiet, who has coached in Africa for years.

“If the government and the federation do not agree, there is a problem,” the current Mali coach said.

“And despite the egos, as a coach, you must always have respect for your chairman. The discussion we saw on television is unacceptable,” he added.

Source: Soccer Laduma

18, April 2025

French Cameroun: Bamboutos FC exits league after FECAFOOT harassment claims ⁰

The management of Bamboutos FC de Mbouda recently erupted in anger at the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), alleging a campaign of harassment and announcing their withdrawal from the ongoing MTN Elite One championship.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to Fecafoot President Samuel Eto’o Fils, the club stated, “We rightly note that our club is the target of a smear campaign orchestrated by the leadership of the football governing body in Cameroon. Match officials constantly distort the results of our games, with immediate effects on our ranking.” The letter served as notification of their decision to pull out of the league.

Attempts to contact Dechateau Kamdoum, the deputy president of Bamboutos FC de Mbouda, were unsuccessful. However, a senior figure within the team’s locker room corroborated the club’s claims, confirming that complaints regarding refereeing decisions have been a persistent issue since the season’s outset. “Last Sunday against Dynamo, it was impossible to play calmly because of the refereeing,” the source, who requested anonymity, disclosed. Dynamo de Douala ultimately won the match 1-0, much to the dismay of the “Mangwa Boys,” the club’s moniker.

This latest setback marks Bamboutos’ tenth defeat in 19 matches this season. With only three victories, their poor performance has relegated them to the bottom rungs of the league standings. Bamboutos FC de Mbouda currently sits in 14th place out of 16 teams, accumulating a mere 17 points – a relegation zone position that starkly contrasts with the club’s historically strong showings in MTN Elite One, where they were once considered a formidable contender.

The club’s management attributes this decline squarely to the federation, accusing them of orchestrating biased officiating. This is not an isolated incident, as Donald Ngameni, the former president of Unisport de Bafang, previously voiced similar concerns about refereeing standards. Fecafoot, however, has consistently denied these allegations. The federation maintains that Samuel Eto’o Fils’ leadership has elevated the quality of refereeing in Cameroon’s professional leagues.

“Samuel Eto’o brought Eddy Maillet to Cameroon to improve the quality of our referees and share his experience with them,” stated Stéphane Foko Kamga, president of Fecafoot’s Central Referees Commission (CCA), in February 2023. He added that this training aimed to align Cameroonian refereeing with the vision of the African Football Confederation (CAF) and continental standards.

Beyond refereeing disputes, financial grievances also fuel the conflict between the Mbouda club and Fecafoot. Bamboutos’ management is demanding over 90 million FCFA from the federation, representing various outstanding bonuses. The most significant portion of this sum is linked to Bamboutos’ triumph in the 2022–2023 Super Cup. This unpaid debt is cited as another key reason for their withdrawal from this year’s championship.

This is not the first instance of the club’s officials lodging such financial claims. They firmly believe that this demand, initially submitted in 2023, prompted Fecafoot to deny them a CAF license that same year, preventing the “Mangwa Boys” from participating in pan-African competitions. Fecafoot, however, contends that the club failed to meet all the necessary licensing requirements, citing outstanding player salaries as the primary reason for the rejection.

That particular episode significantly widened the chasm between the two entities. Many observers believe the ongoing feud is deeply intertwined with the deteriorating relationship between Samuel Eto’o Fils and Justin Tagouh, the former honorary president of Bamboutos FC. Once a fervent supporter of Fecafoot’s president, Tagouh has since become one of his most vocal critics.

Sources close to Samuel Eto’o Fils offer a contrasting perspective. Some suggest that Bamboutos FC is grappling with a severe internal crisis that threatens the club’s very foundation. A central issue is the departure of fans who were also significant financial contributors. This sentiment is echoed by the aforementioned player, who confided, “When the fans come to training, it’s to insult us.”

This toxic atmosphere, according to these sources, would explain the club’s financial woes. Indeed, the players staged a strike for several days at the beginning of the second half of the season, a fact confirmed by the anonymous source. Their protest centered on demands for several months of unpaid wages.

Source: Business in Cameroon

18, April 2025

World Bank to inject extra CFA20bn into Cameroon’s Social Safety Program ⁰

The World Bank has announced an additional CFA20 billion (about $35 million) in funding for Cameroon’s adaptive social safety net and economic inclusion project. The funds will help support vulnerable families affected by the 2024 floods in the Far North region.

Cheick Fantamady Kanté, the World Bank’s Country Director for Cameroon, made the announcement on April 14 during a portfolio review meeting with government officials in Yaoundé. He said the extra funding is in its final stages of preparation and will be used to strengthen emergency support for about 100,000 more households in need.

With this new commitment, total funding for the program will rise to roughly CFA166 billion. Of that, the World Bank will have provided CFA112 billion, with the remaining CFA54 billion coming from Cameroon’s national budget. The program was originally designed to help 356,000 people between 2023 and 2028. The new funds are expected to push that number even higher.

Launched in December 2023, the project marks the second phase of Cameroon’s broader social safety net strategy, which began in 2013. Like the first phase, it aims to support the country’s poorest households and promote entrepreneurship among young people between the ages of 18 and 35, especially in cities.

The project is structured around five core components. First, it offers regular cash transfers to low-income families, combined with basic guidance to help them become more resilient and productive. Second, it includes emergency cash payments for families affected by climate shocks, conflict, or large-scale displacement. Third, it provides money in exchange for participation in labor-intensive public works programs in both rural and urban areas.

The fourth component targets urban youth working in the informal sector, helping them launch small income-generating activities as a way to survive through self-employment.

Finally, the program also offers financial and technical support for young entrepreneurs with viable business plans, aiming to help them bring their ideas to life and join the formal economy.

Source: Business in Cameroon