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Prime Minister Ngute revives push for Limbe Deep Seaport

22, June 2026

Prime Minister Ngute revives push for Limbe Deep Seaport 0

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, has ordered government administrations to fast-track the long-delayed Limbe Deep Seaport project, signalling a renewed push to expand the country’s maritime infrastructure and reduce pressure on the Port of Douala.

The directive was issued during an enlarged inter-ministerial meeting in Yaounde that reviewed feasibility studies, land demarcation plans and governance arrangements for the future port. At the end of the meeting, Ngute instructed all stakeholders to accelerate preparations and move the project towards implementation.

Strategic project back on the agenda

Located in Fako Division in the South West Region, the Limbe Deep Seaport is expected to become a major gateway for hydrocarbons and agricultural exports while boosting regional trade. The project was revived by presidential decree in May 2020, but progress has remained limited since then.

Speaking after the meeting, Transport Minister Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibehe said discussions focused on assessing the feasibility of implementing existing studies and determining the next steps required for construction.

“After various presentations, we noted the strategic character of this project which has the same quality as the Ring Road. The Prime Minister instructed all relevant administrations to get involved so that this strategic structure sees the light of day,” he said.

Officials identified several priority actions, including the completion of the port’s territorial delimitation and the establishment of governance and operational structures needed to manage the facility.

According to the Transport Minister, the Prime Minister also instructed relevant administrations to examine all available options and submit a comprehensive report on the project’s implementation.

Administrative and municipal authorities from Fako Division participated in the meeting, presenting local concerns and proposals aimed at resolving outstanding issues.

Local authorities seek management appointments

The Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Engelbert Viang Mekala, welcomed the renewed momentum behind the project but stressed the importance of appointing the port’s leadership.

“It is important for the top management of the Limbe Deep Seaport to be appointed because if the top management of the port is known, I think that all the actions will be taken,” he said.

Mekala added that discussions on land demarcation had advanced and expressed hope that the process would be completed before the end of June 2026.

The renewed focus on Limbe comes as the Port of Douala-Bonabéri continues to handle more than 95 percent of Cameroon’s maritime trade while serving several landlocked countries in Central Africa.

Government authorities have repeatedly identified port diversification and logistics modernisation as priorities for improving trade efficiency and supporting economic growth. The Limbe Deep Seaport is expected to play a central role in that strategy by providing additional capacity and strengthening Cameroon’s position as a regional trade hub.

Closing the meeting, Prime Minister Dion Ngute reiterated his instruction for all stakeholders to accelerate their assigned tasks and ensure the project advances from planning to effective implementation.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Middle East War: top negotiator says Iran counts American threats for nothing

21, June 2026

Middle East War: top negotiator says Iran counts American threats for nothing 0

Iran’s top negotiator in talks with the United States has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s latest worthless threats, saying the armed forces are ready to respond “in another way” to any American aggression.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who is leading Iran’s delegation at the Switzerland talks, took to his X account to deliver a fierce rebuke of Trump’s recent rhetoric.

“Don’t they think that if their threats had any effect, they wouldn’t have reached today’s state of desperation?” he said.

He added that Iran counts American threats for nothing.

He cautioned American officials to watch what they are saying as Iranian armed forces are “ready to respond to them in another way.”

“Whatever they say, we are the ones who take action,” Qalibaf emphasized.

Qalibaf was responding to the US president who on Sunday threatened to restart war with Iran, warning Tehran to rein in its allies in Lebanon or face renewed and more powerful US military strikes.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform, referring to US war against the Islamic Republic, which started late February.

According to Fox News, Trump also warned that if Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed, “you won’t have a country.”

“We may take over the Strait, if we have to,” Trump said.

A source told Press TV that the Iranian delegation to Swiss talks raised objections directly with the American side over Trump’s latest threat of further military strikes, and is now weighing its next steps.

“The Iranian delegation has raised its objections to the American side and is currently assessing the conditions to give a proper response to Trump’s verbal threats,” the source said on Sunday.

On Saturday, Iran’s central military command officially declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to all maritime traffic, citing US and Israeli violations of the recently-signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Tehran and Washington.

Iranian negotiating teams leaves Swiss talks in protest

Meanwhile, a source close to the negotiating team told Tasnim news agency that the Iranian negotiating delegation left the talks in Switzerland site in protest over Trump’s threats.

The source said that following Trump’s threat, the negotiations in Switzerland were halted, and their final outcome remains unclear.

Source: Presstv

Indomitable Lions: Mbouh Mbouh Emile on marking Maradona

21, June 2026

Indomitable Lions: Mbouh Mbouh Emile on marking Maradona 0

The former Cameroon captain faced off against Maradona, Dunga and Valderrama at the World Cup. Now he is helping develop players in the USA.

Emile Mbouh dribbles the ball against Brazil at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA.

Emile Mbouh may not be a household name, but his story is inextricably intertwined with the history of the FIFA World Cup™. Across two editions of the global showpiece, in 1990 and 1994, the Cameroon midfielder faced off against Diego Maradona, Carlos Valderrama, Romario’s Brazil and Paul Gascoigine’s England.

Mbouh fell in love with football when one of his older brothers took him to watch Cameroon play against Zaire (now Congo DR) in an AFCON qualifier. Until that moment, Mbouh had watched his siblings play in the streets and occasionally joined in, but never thought much of it. Watching Cameroon changed everything.

“I watched the game and felt like I was dreaming,” Mbouh told FIFA in an exclusive interview. “But it was just an occurrence. I didn’t yet dream of becoming a professional football player.”

Born in 1966 in Douala, Mbouh grew up listening to matches on the radio. Television did not reach Cameroon until about 1988. “We would just listen to the journalists commentating the game,” he said. “Visual were in the newspaper. That’s how we knew who was who.”

His brothers were fans of the big players from Brazil, but Mbouh found his idol closer to home. “My favourite was a player from Cameroon: Gregoire M’Bida. It’s because of him I said I wanted to play football. He was No8, so I wore No8 because of him.”

M’Bida was an attacking midfielder with style and grace who represented Cameroon at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain™, and was nicknamed Arantes as an ode to Pele. Though creative in his own right, Mbouh did not earn such plaudits for his creative play, instead he became a midfielder known for his ability to shuttle between the penalty areas, a role which allowed him to go up against some of football’s greatest creators.

“I was very technical. I was a box-to-box midfielder, because I was never tired,” Mbouh recalled. “I was just happy to be on the field.”

After playing with his brothers in a local pick-up match, Mbouh was asked to play in a summer tournament for a local side, aged just 15. His performance in the first game of the tournament caught the eye of a scout from professional club Union of Douala. He joined the club and his career accelerated such that five years later he was representing Cameroon at Italia ’90.

Bildnummer: 01649519 Datum: 08.06.1990 Copyright: imago/Colorsport Diego Armando Maradona (Argentinien, Mitte) gegen Emile Mbouh (Kamerun, re.) - PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxUSAxONLY; Eröffnungsspiel, Argentinien - Kamerun 0:1, Vdia, quer, Zweikampf, Duell, Ball, dribbeln, Dribbling, Dreikampf, Weltmeisterschaft 1990, Nationalmannschaft, Nationalteam, Nationaltrikot, Länderspiel, Gruppe B Mailand Dynamik, Fußball WM Herren Mannschaft Gruppenbild Aktion Personen

Marking Maradona

Cameroon’s first game in Italy was against the reigning world champions Argentina, led by their talisman Diego Maradona. Nobody gave Cameroon a chance and yet they came away from Milan with a famous victory.

“We were in big admiration of Maradona because he was the best player in the world and everybody was talking about him,” Mbouh recalled. “When we qualified for the World Cup and we were drawn against Argentina, everybody said ‘Oh you’re in trouble’.”

Never one to shirk his responsibilities, Mbouh approached the match with his usual mindset: “I just played my game. I always told myself ‘just have fun and play’.”

Cameroon looked to suffocate Maradona, limiting his time on the ball, with Mbouh playing a key role. The 5ft 5in midfielder recalls his coach saying: “As you can go everywhere, you have to always check that he [Maradona] is not by himself.”

“I made it hard for him to play,” said the former Cameroon captain. “The first tackle, I went in on him very hard. Then I realised I was faster than him.” Mbouh used his speed to limit Maradona’s interventions and despite going down to nine men, Cameroon defeated Argentina 1-0.

In the Round of 16, he gave Valderrama similar treatment as a brace from the dancing phenom Roger Milla helped Cameroon advance to a historic quarter-final, where they bowed out to to England on penalties.

Watch the highlights from the match between Argentina and Cameroon played at Giuseppe Meazza, Milan on Tuesday, 08 June 1990.

Football in the USA

Four years later, Mbouh and co were in the USA for the first World Cup on American soil. The tournament did not go Cameroon’s way, as the Indomitable Lions drew once and lost twice, including to eventual winners Brazil, and returned home with just one point.

The disappointing result did not mar the experience for Mbouh, who now lives in the USA and coaches at his own football club. “We were shocked when we saw that a lot of people loved football here,” he recalled. “It showed at the first game and at our practices. We had a lot of Cameroonians and other different nationalities who came to see us play and support us.”

Since permanently relocating to the USA, Mbouh has found the game has improved even more, although he would like to see a greater emphasis on player development.

“People are very big fans of football, but there is a problem with development. The kids are there. The athleticism is there. But at many clubs you don’t see people taking time to develop the players. You see at younger ages coaches screaming at players to win. It should be about having fun and learning the fundamentals.”

Mbouh acknowledges that seeing players leave the game because of poor development is “heartbreaking.” He would like to see kids playing unstructured games, like he did as a child in Cameroon.

“Here in the USA it’s too structured. The kids don’t have the time to go out and play with their friends. Sometimes you need to feel that moment of being free, without any coaching around you. It brings a lot of creativity to your game. That is lacking a lot here.” Still, Mbouh is optimistic about the USA’s chances at their home World Cup. He insisted that playing in front of their own fans would be a source of inspiration. “I’m rooting for them,” he said.

Bildnummer: 00935314 Datum: 24.06.1994 Copyright: imago/Oliver Hardt Carlos Dunga (hinten, Brasilien) gegen Emile Mbouh (Kamerun); Brasilien - Kamerun 3:0, quer, Zweikampf, Duell, Ball Weltmeisterschaft 1994, Länderspiel, Nationalmannschaft, Nationalteam, Nationaltrikot, Vdia Palo Alto Dynamik, Fußball WM Herren Mannschaft USA Gruppenbild Aktion Personen

African hopes at FIFA World Cup 2026

The former Indomitable Lion is happy to see hard work paying off for African sides at this World Cup. “Looking at the structures that people have put up around Africa, you can see the results. Morocco have a very good program and you can see the youth development.” He was pleased with Cabo Verde and Congo DR’s results and thinks that progress must be emulated by traditional football nations across the continent.

“Most of the countries now in Africa are improving and that’s very good. Countries like my country of Cameroon, and Nigeria, need to wake up and realise no one is going to give them anything for free. You have to fight for everything.”

For Mbouh, the common denominator so far at this World Cup is that the so called “minor countries” are “pushing around some of the big nations.”

Culled from FIFA

Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline: an African dream that could reshape world energy markets

21, June 2026

Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline: an African dream that could reshape world energy markets 0

After several false starts, work on the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) officially restarted in early June amid the recent thawing of relations between Niger and Algeria. The megaproject linking Nigeria with the two countries began with an initial construction phase in early April in Algeria’s Adrar region.

Over 4,000 kilometres long, the pipeline will enable the transport of Nigerian gas through Niger and Algeria, where it can then be exported to European markets, namely through Italy and Spain by way of the Mediterranean Sea.

“This project is not at all new, but it’s ramping up,” said Brahim Oumansour, associate researcher at the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS). “Algeria and Niger have chosen to put their differences aside for a common goal, in a geopolitical context that is favourable to them.”

Long road to construction

The project of a pipeline between Algeria and Europe has existed since the 1980s. Since then, the project has experienced a long and winding road, with long pauses as it was relegated to the drawers of ministries and research departments. Nigeria, Niger, and Algeria first signed a deal in 2009 to “define the project” – with the first delivery of gas scheduled for 2015. After several years of delays, the project was revived in 2022 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Algiers.

“The feasibility studies for this gigantic project and the issue of financing took a long time,” said Algerian political scientist Hasni Abidi. “The three partner companies [Algeria’s Sonatrach, Nigeria’s NNPC and Niger’s Sonidep] had to find a financial arrangement. Niamey didn’t have the financial resources necessary for the construction.”

The project was also delayed because of diplomatic tensions such as those caused by Niger’s 2003 coup d’état which created a rift in relations between Niamey and its partners.

In mid-February of this year, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune welcomed the head of Niger’s junta, Abdourahamane Tiani, on an official visit in Algiers during which both sides hailed their “brotherhood”. The diplomatic engagement allowed for the revival of the ambitious project, which gained traction amid the energy supply shock created by the Middle East war and the destruction of energy infrastructure in the Gulf countries. 

Corridor between two African gas giants

The TSGP’s ambition is to connect two natural gas powerhouses. Algeria is the leading producer in Africa, and Nigeria, which has the continent’s largest untapped reserves (6 billion cubic meters, equivalent to a quarter of Qatar’s reserves), is the third-largest. When combined, the two countries account for over half of Africa’s natural gas production and reserves.

“This is a very ambitious project, and one that will reshape the landscape of regional energy business,” said Abidi.

Dubbed the “project of the century” in Africa, the 4,128-kilometre-long pipeline begins in Nigeria’s Warri City and ends in Algeria’s Hassi R’Mel in the northern Sahara. 

On a map, the pipeline appears as a nearly vertical line, with 1,000 kilometres running north through Nigeria, 840 kilometres through Niger and 2,300 kilometers through Algeria.

Some 1,800 kilometres still need to be built: 100  in Nigeria, 700 in Niger and 1,000 in Algeria.

Construction on the Algerian portion was officially launched on June 4 during a ceremony in the country’s southern Aoulef region attended by the three participating countries’ energy ministers.

Nigeria is scheduled to begin construction on its portion in early 2027, according to its minister of petroleum.

Financial and geostrategic godsend

The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline will enable the transport of around 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Nigeria to Europe via Algeria with its existing Transmet and Medgaz pipelines, which lead to Italy and Spain.

This volume represents about 11 percent of Europe’s annual imports of natural gas (270 billion cubic metres in 2025).

Other quantities of natural gas will be liquefied at Algeria’s Arzew and Skikda refineries before being exported to Europe in ships in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

“Algeria wants to reinforce its status as a reliable energy partner for Europe, but its capacities are limited. The partnership with Nigeria should allow it to increase its volumes to meet European demand,” said researcher Brahim Oumansour.

One of Africa’s poorest countries, Niger intends to take advantage of transit rights for the gas and attract new infrastructure and energy investments, which create jobs.

Obstacles and limitations

Despite the project’s relaunch, several obstacles jeopardise its ambitious timeline which aims for completion by 2029.

The cost of the pipeline’s construction was approximately $13 billion when it launched in 2009. Since then, the cost has increased to around $20 billion, some energy sector experts estimate. The increasing cost of raw materials and the challenging desert terrain are largely to blame. The countries participating in the project have not yet disclosed the project’s  current budget. 

African and international banks might lend their support to the Algerian and Nigerian investments, but no confirmation has been given thus far.

The pipeline also has security issues since the infrastructure crosses zones, particularly in northern Nigeria and Niger, where armed groups and trans-border smuggling networks are active.

Competition from Morocco

Another major gas project spearheaded by Morocco, Algeria’s main regional rival, could overshadow the TSGP. The Africa Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) is a 6,000-kilometre-long project which includes 13 countries. The pipeline connects Nigeria to Morocco with the same objective as the TSGP: to export Nigerian gas to European markets.

The cost of the project is estimated at $25 billion.

“These two projects are in competition because they are aiming for the same customer,” Oumansour said. “Algeria is ahead, since the trans-Saharan project has made more progress. The Moroccan project depends on the construction of complex offshore structures and many more partners.”

These rival projects could both eventually win over the European market. The demand for natural gas in the European Union is higher than ever since the bloc turned its back on Russia for invading Ukraine. Iran’s chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz also reinforced European political will to strengthen nearby energy partnerships with Africa.

Yet the volatility of energy prices remains a significant risk factor for the viability of these large projects, Abidi said.

“These are colossal investments over the medium and long term. The price of gas has increased significantly, but it could fall again if Iran enters the gas market or if the war in Ukraine ends. The demand is currently there – but nothing guarantees the financial success of these projects.”

Source: France 24

U.S. Forces return to Cameroon

21, June 2026

U.S. Forces return to Cameroon 0

The United States military is finalizing plans to redeploy troops to Maroua, the capital of Cameroon’s Far North Region, ending a roughly 7-year absence and filling a critical surveillance gap left by the 2024 closure of its drone hub in Agadez, Niger. The move, first reported by Africa Intelligence on 5 June 2026 and confirmed by the Cameroon News Agency, marks a strategic pivot for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The Salak base in Maroua, home to Cameroon’s elite, Bataillon d’Intervention Rapide (BIR), has undergone refurbishment and is now ready to receive American personnel under the local command of Colonel Albert Bias, with General François Pelene coordinating at the BIR level. The incoming U.S. contingent will focus exclusively on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support, real-time aerial and electronic intelligence fed to Cameroonian units tracking fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), the Boko Haram faction that split from the main movement. American troops will not engage in direct combat.

THE NIGER EFFECT

The immediate driver behind the Cameroon redeployment is the loss of Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger. The $110 million facility, once the largest U.S. Air Force construction project in history, was shuttered on 5 August 2024, after Niger’s military junta expelled nearly 1,000 American personnel following the July 2023 coup. The base had served as AFRICOM’s primary ISR node for the entire western Sahel, flying armed drones over vast stretches of Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Lake Chad Basin. Its closure left a surveillance gap that adversaries quickly exploited. Washington responded by negotiating basing access in several coastal West African states, including the Ivory Coast and Benin, and by strengthening partnerships further east. The Cameroon slot had been occupied by British military personnel since 2021, due to cooperative friction with the BIR command, which led to British forces departing in early 2024, opening the position for American forces to reclaim.

The U.S. history at Salak stretches back to the peak of the original Boko Haram campaign. In October 2015, President Barack Obama authorized the deployment of up to 300 troops to Cameroon. The American forces established and operated a drone base in Garoua, where unarmed MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones (an army-specific variant of the Predator line) were used to maximize 24-hour regional surveillance coverage, track militant movements, and feed targeting data to the Multinational Joint Task Force. U.S. forces withdrew from Salak around late 2019, partly as a result of systemic torture and illegal detentions conducted by the BIR at Salak.

The U.S. has simultaneously established operations at Bauchi Airfield in northeastern Nigeria, deploying around 200 personnel alongside MQ-9 Reaper drones, a platform with roughly four times the payload and twice the endurance of the older Predator in March 2026. The drone hubs operating from Bauchi and the refurbished base in Salak can provide overlapping coverage of the Lake Chad Basin without either platform needing to fly from a distant coastal base. Electronic intelligence gathered at Salak feeds Cameroonian units directly, reducing the time between detection and action, a gap that has historically allowed ISWAP units to dissolve before conventional forces can respond. Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, followed with a 3-day working visit to Washington in early May 2026, cementing the parallel Nigeria partnership at the senior political level.

AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin Anderson visited Yaoundé, Cameroon, in September 2025. He held meetings with Cameroon’s President Paul Biya and Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo, reinforcing what AFRICOM described as Cameroon’s status as “a key security partner”. The 2026 U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy, which underpins both deployments, moves away from large independent footprints toward a model built on partner-force development, intelligence sharing, and capacity building under host-nation command authority.

The Cameroon footprint fits within a larger, coordinated AFRICOM push across the Lake Chad Basin. The ISR architecture now taking shape treats the region as a single operational theater. The redeployment gives AFRICOM a wider aperture to watch that economy move and, in time, to help Cameroonian and Nigerian forces interdict it.

Culled from Military.Africa

Dr Joachim Arrey speaks of drugs and teenage girls lured into forced sex in Manyu

21, June 2026

Dr Joachim Arrey speaks of drugs and teenage girls lured into forced sex in Manyu 0

When it comes to Anglophone Cameroon and Manyu Division affairs, there is one man who will always like to share his thoughts and pearls of wisdom with the public. God in HIS infinite image created and planted him in Manyu Division. Dr.  Joachim Arrey who grew up in New Layout Mamfe town is very concerned when the Manyu constituency is in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. The news that the Division is in the grip of a drug crisis has kept him awake all week and he says the issue can be addressed if the Division’s elite and Diaspora lend a helping hand. Read and enjoy this conversation with our Editor-In-Chief Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai  

Cameroon Concord News: Manyu is in the spotlight these days for all the wrong reasons and that is unsettling. Drugs have taken over the lives of the Division’s youths. What do you make of this and how can the issue be addressed?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: Thank you for inviting me to share my pearls of wisdom with the citizens of Manyu. Indeed, my mind bleeds for those parents whose kids have been caught up in the drug crisis that is giving Manyu a very bad name. When I hear that my beloved Manyu is dealing with a massive drug crisis, I am very disturbed. I grew up in New Layout Mamfe and I carry the Division in my heart. I have gone round the world where I have seen beautiful towns and cities, but I still hold that I can, with the help of other people, transform Mamfe and the other villages into an El-dorado if given the chance to do so. News about those hard drugs is keeping me awake all night. I have seen videos of desperate men and women demonstrating in Egbekaw-Mamfe, Sumbe and other villages of Manyu in a bid to stem the tide of drugs which is hurting their children.  In my days as a young man walking the streets of Mamfe, I never had any concerns. There was security. There were no drugs. Every old person was like my father or mother and each person you saw only gave you advice for you to focus on your studies. As a child, I respected everyone and like many of my friends, we listened to our elders without questioning their wisdom. Our parents and elders knew that the future of the Division was in our hands. It was always a great joy across Manyu when we passed our exams. In those days, it really took an entire village to raise a child and every child was expected to live by known social norms. These days, things have changed and young men and women have opted to go down a dangerous path that is likely to rob them of a beautiful future. They are flushing their future down the toilet and this is not good for the Division. This crisis can be addressed if all Manyu elites and the Diaspora lend their voices to those of our brothers and sisters who are on the ground combatting this scourge that is blighting the lives of our children and grandchildren.

I think in the short term, efforts should be focused on identifying the suppliers whose objective is to make money even when lives are being destroyed. This will require administrative and political leaders as well as security authorities to be part of this vast effort. According to some people I have spoken to in Mamfe, some of the suppliers have been  identified but the unfortunate thing is that whenever the matter is taken to the police, the suspect gets arrested, but he gets released shortly after and he continues plying  his trade as if nothing has happened. The police and administrative officials who are also parents must help us. We need help! Our people cannot do it alone. They should be seen as partners in this complicated war which is tough to be prosecuted and is destroying young lives.

As a people, we must talk to our children. Real education starts from home. Parents must let their children know that engaging in irresponsible behavior will hurt them and their future. Members of our Diaspora can also help by weighing in. Their voices count and their financial support to those NGOs which are struggling to combat this plague will go a long way. No amount is too small, especially when it can deliver a child from the throes of this crisis. We must use the radio stations in Manyu to sensitize our youths to the need to stay focused in order to prepare for a beautiful life. Our children should choose people who have succeeded in life as their role models and not drug addicts and unscrupulous individuals.

Cameroon Concord News: In addition to the drug crisis, there is another crisis which is hurting young innocent girls. The level of promiscuity among young girls of fourteen and up is disturbing. What is your take on this?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: This is very disturbing. Our kids must focus on their education if they really want to have a bright future. Parents must encourage their teenage girls to postpone sex for a better life. I have heard of girls having sex with irresponsible men, some of whom could be their grandparents or are uniform officers. This is wrong and we must decry it. The residents of Manyu must be made to understand that it is a criminal offense to engage in sexual activities with minors. I understand that the humiliating and dehumanizing poverty prevailing in the country is morally disarming young girls in Manyu, but our young girls and children should resist temptation if they want to have a good life tomorrow. Our Manyu women organizations such as Nyene Mawn, EYUMEMA and MOHWA which are well structured could lend a useful hand to efforts currently underway to bail the Manyu girl child out of sexual exploitation and distraction. I am therefore urging the sons and daughters of Manyu Division to channel their financial assistance to these organizations for them to deliver on their mandate. I am personally prepared to make a financial contribution for this purpose.

Cameroon Concord News: There is also a more serious moral crisis which is tearing the Manyu social fabric apart. It is alleged that a few young men in Manyu who have made a little money are adversely changing the social dynamics in Manyu. There is no respect for elders and even the chiefs have fallen prey to financial temptation. What is your opinion regarding this unfortunate situation?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: I read in one of your articles published last week that money has restructured our people’s thinking and this is leading to a collapse of the social fabric of our Division. Our chiefs are not only traditional leaders; they are supposed to be moral authorities whose word should carry a lot of weight. If they are letting themselves to be tainted by money and sex, then they should know that they are shooting themselves in the foot. Some people allege that the distribution of Manyu traditional titles to any and everybody is immoral as it is money-induced, especially as one businessman, Tabe Bisong, is involved in some of those projects. I heard he brought a prophet from Nigeria who left Mamfe with the title of Sesekou. I do not know the bases upon which the prophet was handed such a title and it will be preposterous of me to condemn something whose details I do not know. I would also like to point out that I do not really believe that those titles are being awarded because money has changed hands. However, our chiefs must never throw caution to the wind. We count on them to uphold those values and principles which make Manyu a respected Division. For Tabe Bisong, I don’t know him. He is younger than I am but would advise that such a young man should be protected if his wealth is genuine. It is not everyone who knows how to make money and if Manyu has finally found someone who can create wealth, I think we should advise and protect him. In your article, you insinuated that the source of his wealth could not be determined and now that drugs have taken over the lives of our children, anyone whose wealth cannot be accounted for is a suspect. You may have your reasons to think so and as a seasoned journalist and writer, you have your sources on the ground. I would, however, like to point out that Tabe Bisong is innocent until proven guilty. I have heard that he is hard-working, strategic and humane. I have been reliably informed that he had a huge share of the cocoa market for a long time, and he single-handedly ran beer operations in Manyu Division at the height of the socio-political crisis. He brought Brasseries du Cameroun drinks to Manyu and this initiative delivered much money to him. I think if he is engaged in such businesses, his riches should be legitimate. However, I have one piece of advice for him. His love of the spotlight is hurting him in a big and bad way. In life, if you want to be heard very early, know that you could be beheaded.  When you step into the spotlight, know that you have opened yourself up for criticism. That is human nature and none of us is capable of rewriting human nature.

Cameroon Concord News: Dr. Arrey, you now speak like a real politician. Does this imply that you will eventually end up in the political arena, especially as it is rumored that you are the right person to replace Senator Tabetando of blessed memory?

Dr.Joachim Arrey: Senator Tabetando is dead and gone, and he was buried a few days ago. He should be with his ancestors now where he is rendering account of his time on earth. He did his best as a lawyer, a businessman and a senator. May his soul rest in peace! I don’t know where you get your information but I trust that as a successful and respected journalist, you are talking to many people in Manyu Division. If the majority if the people want to pin their trust on me, I would not reject that. In my 60s, I have already achieved all the goals I set for myself. At this stage in life, I really do not have anything to prove to anyone. If that is the choice of the people then what you have in mind will come true. Vox populi, vox dei (The voice of men is the voice of God). Always remember that 2028 is still two years away and a lot can happen between now and 2028. You should also understand that the road ahead is still long and senatorial elections are not popular elections where everyone can vote. Party leadership has a key role in determining who has to represent the party. Moreover, Manyu has many competent human resources and there are other people who are also holding their cards so close to their chests. Regardless of the situation, we must always bear in mind that it is all about Manyu and that we must strive to make Manyu a better place than we met it.

Cameroon Concord News: Thank Dr. Arrey for sharing your brilliant thoughts with our audiences.

Dr. Joachim Arrey: The pleasure is mine. Let’s keep on sharing our perspectives with a view to educating the younger ones who will eventually take over the mantle of leadership tomorrow. Thank you, once more, for giving me this platform for me to share my golden nuggets of knowledge with our people.

World Cup: Iran to lodge complaint with FIFA over travel restrictions

20, June 2026

World Cup: Iran to lodge complaint with FIFA over travel restrictions 0

Iran’s World Cup team will lodge a complaint with FIFA saying they are being subjected to travel restrictions during the tournament in North America, the Iranian football federation spokesman said on Thursday.

“Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff’s plans,” the spokesman said.

Iran wanted to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States two days before their next match, against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday.

But the Iranian federation said its request was turned down.

“Given that the game will be played at 12pm local time in Los Angeles, the Football Federation of Iran requested that the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days before the match,” the spokesman said.

“The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalise preparations.

“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied.”

The Iranians were also angry that they had to leave Los Angeles the night of their first game of the World Cup, a 2-2 draw against New Zealand.

The US administration has pushed back against the Iranian claims.

Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said on Monday that Iran had been informed in advance that they would be allowed to come into the United States only on the day before the game.

“The team will be allowed to come in, match day minus one, so the day before the match,” Giuliani told CBS News.

“They’ll be asked to leave the day that the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. And they’ll be able to do that again in Los Angeles.”

He added that the procedure would be the same for Iran’s final group game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Source:  AFP

Promote 2026 opens in Yaoundé

20, June 2026

Promote 2026 opens in Yaoundé 0

Cameroon’s small and medium-sized enterprises are showcasing their products and services at the 10th edition of Promote, the International Trade Fair for Business, SMEs, and Partnerships, which opened on June 12 at the Yaoundé Conference Center.

According to organizers, 236 local SMEs are taking part in the event, which runs through June 21 and remains one of the most important business gatherings in Central Africa.

Many of the participating companies received support from either the government or large private-sector firms. Afriland First Bank, one of Cameroon’s leading lenders and a longtime supporter of the event, sponsored the participation of 40 SMEs this year. The Ministry of Economy financed the attendance of another 100 local businesses.

Held under the theme, “Private Enterprises and the Business Environment: Navigating National and Global Economic Challenges,” Promote 2026 features a broad program that includes an exhibition, conferences, thematic workshops, business meetings, and networking activities.

Organized every two years by the Inter-Progress Foundation on behalf of the Cameroonian government, Promote has grown into the largest economic forum in Cameroon and the wider Central African region. The event now attracts about 1,000 exhibitors from both Cameroon and abroad.

Participants from the public and private sectors represent a wide range of industries, including agriculture and agribusiness, energy, manufacturing, construction, mining, infrastructure, information and communication technologies, healthcare, banking, finance, insurance, tourism, crafts, and communications.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Biya regime values state-owned property in Yaoundé and Douala at CFA1.5 trillion

20, June 2026

Biya regime values state-owned property in Yaoundé and Douala at CFA1.5 trillion 0

The Cameroonian government has identified 1,522 state-owned buildings in the departments of Mfoundi and Wouri, with a combined value of more than CFA1.5 trillion ($2.6 billion).

The figures were disclosed by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute during a presentation to the National Assembly on June 12 as part of the first phase of a nationwide inventory and valuation of state-owned physical assets.

According to the prime minister, properties located in Mfoundi, home to the capital Yaoundé, are valued at about CFA1.07 trillion. In Wouri, which includes the economic capital Douala, the state’s real estate portfolio is estimated at nearly CFA442 billion. Together, the two cities account for approximately CFA1.512 trillion in public real estate assets.

Valuable Assets, but No Private Insurance Coverage

The data were released in response to questions from lawmakers about the government’s policy on insuring state-owned property.

Joseph Dion Ngute acknowledged that Cameroon currently does not rely on private insurance to cover government-owned real estate assets. He said the situation reflects the unique legal status and characteristics of public property. Administrative buildings, public facilities, infrastructure, and other state-owned properties are difficult to insure under standard market conditions because of their large number, geographic dispersion, and high value, he explained.

“As a result, administrative buildings and assets belonging to the state’s private domain, including public facilities, structures, infrastructure, and real estate, have characteristics that make them difficult to insure through private insurance companies under normal market conditions, given their scale, geographic spread, and considerable value,” the prime minister told lawmakers.

He added that responsibility for state-owned real estate, like government vehicle fleets, falls under the Ministry of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, which serves as the custodian of public assets.

The distinction highlights the difference between conventional insurance coverage and the administrative management of public property by the state itself.

From Inventory to Asset Management

Joseph Dion Ngute said the government intends to strengthen preventive measures in line with a 1984 decree governing the protection of state-owned real estate. The measures include preventive maintenance of public infrastructure and equipment, greater awareness among government agencies of regulations governing public assets, and stronger practices related to asset preservation and upkeep.

The inventory underscores the scale of public property holdings in Cameroon’s two largest cities. With more than CFA1.5 trillion in identified assets, the challenge extends beyond simply maintaining records of state-owned buildings. It also raises questions about asset management, maintenance, security, and the potential fiscal cost of deterioration.

The government’s next task will be to move from inventorying assets to managing them more actively. The value of the properties identified so far points to the need for better maintenance planning, clearer responsibilities among public institutions, and stronger risk-prevention strategies, even in the absence of a broad private insurance mechanism.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Trump says Israel would have been ‘crushed’ without US backing

20, June 2026

Trump says Israel would have been ‘crushed’ without US backing 0

US President Donald Trump says Israel’s security and military position in the region depends heavily on support from the United States, stressing that Tel Aviv would have been “crushed” without American backing.

Speaking about US-Israeli relations on Friday, Trump noted that American assistance has been critical to Israel’s so-called defense capabilities.

“If it weren’t for my intervention, Israel would have been crushed,” Trump said, adding that Washington provides key military assets, including advanced weapons systems, the Iron Dome air defense network, and B-2 bombers.

Trump also described his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as positive, while emphasizing Washington’s influence over Israeli decision-making.

“Netanyahu, who worked well with me, will tell you that we are the ones who have the weapons, we are the ones who have the Iron Dome, and we are the ones who have the B-2 bombers,” he said.

The US president claimed that Israel holds him in high regard and would listen to his advice, saying that Washington plays an important role in shaping Israeli actions.

“Israel has a lot of respect for me,” Trump said. “But we have to keep him a little bit sensible,” he added, referring to Netanyahu.

The comments come as Israel continues its military aggression against Lebanon despite Trump’s push to secure a ceasefire between the occupying regime and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

Source: Presstv

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