Headline News

14, March 2026

Yaoundé launches XAF 10.4 billion tourism programme to attract more visitors ⁰

Cameroon has launched the execution of its 2026 tourism budget, allocating CFA francs 10.391 billion to modernise infrastructure, promote domestic destinations and strengthen the training of sector operators.

The programme was officially launched on Monday, March 9, in Yaounde by acting Minister of Tourism and Leisure Gabriel Mbairobe, in the presence of officials from the ministry and other government administrations.

According to information presented during the launch, the funds will support the development of tourism infrastructure, expand the promotion of local destinations and encourage the “Made in Cameroon” brand within the tourism industry. Authorities say the initiative aims to stimulate activity in the sector while highlighting the country’s economic potential and strengthening tourism-related industries.

A detailed breakdown of the budget was presented by Abou Hamadou, Director of General Affairs at the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure. It shows that CFA francs 4.654 billion will be dedicated to promoting domestic tourism across the country, while CFA francs 3.2 billion will be used to support inbound tourism and attract more international visitors.

In addition, CFA francs 1.2 billion will be transferred to municipalities to improve tourism promotion and support local initiatives. Cameroon’s regions will receive CFA francs 300 million to strengthen tourism visibility and marketing efforts.

Launching the programme, Mbairobe said the funds should help revitalise Cameroon’s tourism sector and increase the economic value derived from the country’s natural and cultural assets. He noted that the initiative aligns with government policy to support high-potential sectors and promote labour-intensive projects.

The acting minister also stressed the responsibility of public officials involved in implementing the budget, calling for rigorous management of public funds and greater accountability. He urged all stakeholders to mobilise to ensure the programme’s effective execution.

To accelerate implementation, Mbairobe set a target for all public procurement contracts linked to the projects to be launched before April, a timeline intended to ensure rapid execution of the initiatives planned for 2026.

The investment forms part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen tourism’s contribution to economic activity while improving infrastructure and increasing Cameroon’s visibility as a travel destination.

Source: Business in Cameroon

14, March 2026

Biya regime plans CFA40 billion capital increases for state SME Bank ⁰

Cameroon’s Small and Medium Enterprises Bank (BC-PME) may soon receive a significant boost to its equity. Meeting in a multi-year and mixed general assembly on February 26, 2026 in Yaoundé, the institution approved a CFA40 billion capital increase, pending authorization from the Central African Banking Commission (Cobac).

If the operation receives the regulator’s approval, the public bank’s share capital will rise from CFA20 billion to CFA60 billion. The increase will be carried out through the issuance of four million new shares with a nominal value of CFA10,000 each, fully subscribed by the Cameroonian state, which remains the bank’s sole shareholder.

Funds from the import-substitution program

The resources for the recapitalization will come from the Integrated Agropastoral and Fisheries Import Substitution Plan, a public program designed to strengthen domestic production in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries. The funds transferred to BC-PME are intended to finance private economic operators active in these sectors.

The operation also comes as banks in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) adjust to new Cobac regulations requiring a minimum share capital of CFA25 billion for credit institutions in the region. Several banks have already moved to comply with the rule, including Afriland First Bank, which increased its capital to CFA50 billion, BICEC with CFA49 billion, CCA-Bank with CFA29.4 billion, and BGFIBank Cameroon, which also raised its capital to CFA50 billion.

A struggling bank despite its SME mandate

The recapitalization takes place in a challenging context for BC-PME. Launched in 2015 to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, the public bank has struggled for several years to achieve financial stability.

According to the 2024 Statistical Yearbook on SMEs, the Social Economy, and Crafts, the bank granted only CFA1.95 billion in loans to 85 project promoters, a modest level considering its mandate to support the entrepreneurial sector.

Recent performance figures confirm these difficulties. In 2023, the bank recorded a deficit of CFA1.112 billion. In this context, the injection of new public funds appears aimed at restoring financial flexibility and strengthening the institution’s capacity to finance SMEs, which remain at the core of its mission.

Governance turbulence and strategic repositioning

The bank’s financial difficulties have also been accompanied by management turbulence. In October 2023, the board of directors appointed Amadou Haman, previously deputy managing director, as acting chief executive.

The decision followed sanctions imposed by Cobac against the former chief executive, Agnès Ndoumbe Mandeng. After a disciplinary procedure opened in 2023, the regulator withdrew her banking license and imposed a ten-year ban from working in credit institutions across the CEMAC region.

Beyond the recapitalization, the February 26, 2026 general assembly also approved the bank’s strategic development plan for 2025–2030. The plan outlines a repositioning around its core mandate of financing SMEs, with a particular focus on projects linked to the government’s import-substitution program.

Source: Business in Cameroon

14, March 2026

Hezbollah says ready for long battle as Israel threatens Lebanese infrastructure ⁰

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Friday his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel, as the latter threatened to make Lebanon pay an “increasing price” in damage to infrastructure.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when the Tehran-backed militant group attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.

“We have prepared ourselves for a long confrontation, and God willing, they (Israelis) will be surprised on the battlefield,” Qassem said in his second televised address since the latest war began.

“This is an existential battle, not a limited or simple battle.”

Israel on Friday destroyed a bridge over the Litani River between the towns of Zrariyeh and Tayr Falsay, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. The river bisects southern Lebanon, from east to west.

In a statement, the Israeli military described the bridge as a “key crossing” for Hezbollah “from northern to southern Lebanon, to build up its power and prepare for combat”.

The attack was the first on Lebanese public infrastructure to be acknowledged by Israel since the start of the Middle East war.

“This is just the beginning and the Lebanese government and the state of Lebanon will pay an increasing price in damage to Lebanese national infrastructure used by Hezbollah terrorists,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.

He said Lebanon would suffer “loss of territory — until it fulfils its central commitment of disarming Hezbollah”.

Earlier this week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun offered to negotiate directly with Israel, but on Friday he said he had not received a response.

The Israeli military bombed several roads in southern Lebanon on Friday, according to the official National News Agency, blocking access from the north of the Litani River and from the Bekaa valley, an eastern area Hezbollah uses to transport weaponry.

The NNA also reported that Israeli shells hit the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon’s Nepalese battalion in the border town of Mays al-Jabal.

Source: AFP

14, March 2026

Minister Beti Assomo says security situation improving in troubled regions ⁰

Cameroon’s security situation in Far North, Northwest and Southwest has improved significantly, authorities said on Friday.

“Normal activities” are returning to the regions, said Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo. “The general security situation is improving and in a significant way.”

He made the remarks while reading a message from President Paul Biya during the graduation ceremony of the 40th batch of the Combined Military Services Academy, Cameroon’s top military school.

He said sustained efforts will continue until the “complete restoration” of peace and stability in the regions.

Cameroon is facing a Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North region and a prolonged armed separatist conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions.

Source: Xinhuanet

13, March 2026

All 6 American crews killed after pro-Iran group downed US aircraft ⁰

All six crew members of a US Air Force refueling aircraft have been confirmed killed after it was shot down by resistance groups in western Iraq on Thursday.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the deaths in a post on the social media platform X on Friday, hours after it reported that the KC-135 refueling aircraft had gone down in western Iraq.

It said at the time that four of the six crew members on board were killed.

CENTCOM also claimed that “the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”

The aircraft, however, was targeted and struck by a missile fired by the Resistance Front in western Iraq, according to a statement issued by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of Iran on Thursday night.

In a separate statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the aircraft was intercepted and destroyed while it was in the middle of a refueling mission for an “aggressor fighter jet.”

The incident has brought the number of US troops killed, as per the Pentagon data, to at least 13 since the US and the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked war against Iran on February 28.

Ever since, Iraqi resistance groups have been carrying out daily attacks on US assets in Iraq and across the region.

Source: Presstv

13, March 2026

Iran hits US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain with missiles, drones ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has launched a devastating missile and drone strike on the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet base in Mina Salman, Bahrain, shortly after the first message from the new leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, emphasized Iran’s “determined and regret-inducing” defense efforts.

The IRGC’s public relations office announced that the attack took place on Thursday, with two waves of missile and drone strikes hitting the base.

The statement said that key facilities at the base, including anti-drone defense systems, storage and maintenance areas for drones, support equipment, and fuel tanks, were all targeted with precision missiles and drones.

According to the IRGC, the strike successfully hit American military gatherings, causing significant damage.

“By divine grace, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed,” the statement declared, just after Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that the narrow strategic waterway in the Persian Gulf must remain closed.

“The will of the people is to continue effective defense, and their presence on the scene must be maintained. The Strait of Hormuz must remain closed,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in his first address to the nation on Thursday.

Source: Presstv

12, March 2026

From flight attendant to Parliament Speaker’s Chair: Marlyse Soppo Toute’s unusual path ⁰

From a seat overlooking Cameroon’s National Assembly chamber, lawmaker Marlyse Soppo Toute presided on March 10 over the opening plenary session of the legislative body. The veteran member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC) is familiar with heights. Long before entering politics, she built her career in civil aviation as a flight attendant.

A native of the Bell canton in Douala, Soppo Toute was among the first winners of Cameroon Airlines’ inaugural recruitment competition for flight attendants in 1971. She was then 24 years old. That marked the start of a long career in air transport, during which she served as a flight attendant, later becoming cabin chief and eventually senior cabin chief.

After graduating from France’s National School of Civil Aviation in 1976, she left the cabin to join the administration of the air transport sector. Her career in the field culminated in 2004 when she became a senior administrative officer, after holding positions as an administrative executive and head of high-value customer service.

A later training program in local government management appears to have encouraged her move into politics. The mother of one child was elected municipal councilor and first deputy mayor of Douala’s 2nd district during the 2007–2013 term.

Already serving since 2004 as chief executive of the real estate firm Société civile immobilière Lek, Soppo Toute then set her sights on national politics. She was elected to the National Assembly in the February 2020 elections. Once in parliament, she joined the Defense and Security Committee and was appointed by the president to the Supreme Council of the Judiciary as a representative of the National Assembly.

Since 2020, she has served as rapporteur on several parliamentary committees. Following the death of Laurentine Koa Mfegue, she became the Assembly’s senior member. In that role, she presided over the opening plenary session of the March parliamentary sitting and will oversee the election of the Assembly’s leadership in the coming days.

Source: Sbbc

12, March 2026

Biya regime schedules nationwide census of population, housing and agriculture ⁰

Cameroon will carry out its fourth General Population and Housing Census alongside a nationwide census of agriculture and livestock between April 24 and May 29, 2026.

The dates were set in a decree signed March 6 by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. Over the 35-day period, census agents deployed across the country will conduct a comprehensive count of the population, agricultural resources, and national livestock.

According to the government, combining the two operations serves several goals. It reduces public spending by consolidating activities, ensures solid financing with a budget of CFA13.28 billion—CFA7 billion of which is provided by the World Bank through its regional program to harmonize statistics in Africa—and modernizes data collection through a hybrid digital approach designed to produce reliable data and accelerate processing.

Authorities say the initiative is intended to generate accurate and usable statistics to support development planning, assess social needs, and help prepare for the country’s demographic dividend.

Cameroon’s last population and housing census, conducted in 2005, estimated the population at about 20 million people. Today, United Nations projections place the country’s population closer to 28 million, underscoring the need for updated data.

The operation is also designed to be inclusive. More than two million refugees, internally displaced people, and returnees will be included through cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other international partners is expected to ensure coordination among the government, non-governmental organizations, and research institutions.

A Census Framework Established Over the Past Decade

The 2026 population and housing census is based on a presidential decree issued on September 15, 2015. Its purpose is to provide essential data for public policy design, territorial planning, and monitoring development programs, while also incorporating demographic trends into economic and social projections.

The census will cover all individuals living within Cameroon’s national territory, except members of diplomatic and consular missions and their families.

The agriculture and livestock census was established by a separate presidential decree on June 29, 2015. Its main objective is to provide the government and stakeholders in the rural sector with reliable and detailed data needed to plan, monitor, and evaluate initiatives supporting agricultural, livestock, and fisheries development, according to the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries.

Source: Business in Cameroon

12, March 2026

7 key things to know about the Catholic Church in Cameroon ⁰

After concluding the first leg of his African apostolic journey in Algeria, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to travel to Cameroon from April 15–18. In the Central African nation, the Holy Father is set to visit the capital, Yaoundé, and the metropolitan sees of Bamenda and Douala.

If Algeria represents the Church as a small minority navigating a Muslim-majority society, Cameroon presents a different ecclesial landscape. The Catholic Church there is demographically significant, institutionally entrenched, socially influential, and politically attentive.

Ahead of the papal visit officially announced on Feb. 25, here are seven structural realities that define the Church’s profile in Cameroon.

1. A numerically significant and growing Catholic population

Cameroon’s population is religiously diverse, comprising Christians, Muslims, and practitioners of African traditional religions. Within the Christian bloc, Catholics constitute one of the largest denominations. Current estimates place Catholics at roughly 30% to 35% of the national population, translating into several million Catholics.

This scale gives the Catholic Church measurable public presence. Parishes are numerous, Catholic diocesan structures are well developed, and lay movements are active across urban and rural areas. The Church is not a marginal actor; it is a central stakeholder in national life.

Growth trends remain steady rather than explosive. Unlike some East African contexts where Catholic numbers have surged, Cameroon’s expansion is incremental and closely tied to demographic growth. Nonetheless, vocations to the priesthood and Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL) continue at levels that sustain ecclesial institutions.

In Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV is set to encounter with a people of God neither defensive nor peripheral but fully embedded in national society.

2. Robust ecclesiastical structure and metropolitan sees

The Catholic Church in Cameroon is organized into five ecclesiastical provinces, each headed by a metropolitan archbishop. These include Yaoundé, Bamenda, Douala, Garoua, and Bertoua.

The Archdiocese of Yaoundé serves the political capital and functions as a strategic center for Church-state engagement. Douala, the country’s economic hub, anchors the Littoral region and reflects the Church’s engagement with commerce, urbanization, and migration.

Bamenda, in the Anglophone Northwest Region, carries particular pastoral and political weight due to ongoing instability in that part of the country. Garoua Archdiocese is in the north of the country, while Bertoua Archdiocese is in the east.

The bishops collectively operate through the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), which regularly issues pastoral letters on social, political, and moral issues.

Pope Leo XIV’s decision to visit three metropolitan sees signals recognition of Cameroon’s regional diversity and ecclesial complexity.

3. A Church with deep historical roots

Catholic missionary activity in Cameroon dates to the late 19th century, particularly under German colonial administration and later French and British rule. Missionaries established schools, clinics, and parishes that became foundational to local communities.

Over time, ecclesial leadership transitioned from missionary congregations to Indigenous clergy. Today, Cameroonian Catholic bishops and priests lead the Church across the country, and missionary institutes have shifted toward collaboration rather than control.

This historical trajectory — from missionary implantation to local ownership — has shaped a confident Church. Catholic institutions in education and health care are not peripheral supplements; they are pillars of national infrastructure.

The historical memory of missionary sacrifice and local perseverance still informs Catholic identity in Cameroon. Papal visits are therefore received not as external interventions but as moments of communion within an already mature ecclesial body.

4. Education and health: The Church as social architect

Few institutions in Cameroon rival the Catholic Church in educational reach. Catholic primary and secondary schools are widespread, often regarded for discipline and academic performance. The Church also sponsors tertiary institutions and teacher training colleges.

Health care is similarly significant. Catholic hospitals and clinics serve urban centers and remote areas alike. In regions where public health systems are strained, Catholic Church-run facilities frequently fill service gaps.

This social footprint gives the Catholic Church influence but also responsibility. It must negotiate regulatory frameworks, maintain quality standards, and manage financial sustainability.

This also means that papal messaging on social justice, youth formation, and health care ethics resonates concretely rather than abstractly.

In Cameroon, the Church’s credibility is measured as much by service delivery as by liturgical vitality.

5. Political engagement and social commentary

Cameroon’s Catholic bishops have consistently engaged in public discourse on governance, elections, corruption, and national unity. Pastoral letters issued around electoral cycles often emphasize transparency, accountability, and peaceful participation.

This engagement places the Catholic Church in a delicate position. While she does not function as a political party, she operates as a moral voice. Her statements can attract both public support and governmental scrutiny.

The Anglophone crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions — marked by tension between separatist groups and state forces — has intensified the Church’s mediating role. Bishops in affected regions, particularly in Bamenda, have appealed for dialogue and protection of civilians.

Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Bamenda is therefore not merely ceremonial. It unfolds against a backdrop of social fragility and political complexity. Any public remarks in that region will be closely analyzed for diplomatic nuance.

6. Vocations, seminaries, and local clergy formation

Cameroon is considered one of the more vocally productive Churches in Central Africa. Major seminaries in the country train diocesan clergy, and religious congregations attract local candidates.

The presence of Indigenous clergy has allowed the Church to contextualize liturgy, catechesis, and pastoral strategy. Inculturation — integrating elements of local culture within Catholic worship and life — has developed within the framework permitted by universal Church norms.

However, vocations also present governance challenges: ensuring adequate formation, preventing clericalism, and addressing global concerns about safeguarding and accountability. As elsewhere, the Cameroonian Church must navigate expectations of transparency and ethical leadership.

A papal visit often includes meetings with clergy and religious. In Cameroon, such encounters are likely to reinforce standards of pastoral responsibility and ecclesial communion.

7. Diversity: Linguistic, cultural, and religious pluralism

Cameroon is frequently described as “Africa in miniature” due to its linguistic and cultural diversity. The country officially operates in both French and English, with numerous Indigenous languages in daily use.

This diversity shapes ecclesial life. The Church must minister across Francophone and Anglophone regions, urban and rural contexts, and varied ethnic identities. Liturgies may incorporate local languages and music while maintaining doctrinal unity.

Religiously, Cameroon is pluralistic. Alongside Catholics are Protestants, Pentecostals, Muslims, and adherents of traditional religions. Inter-Christian competition — particularly with rapidly growing Pentecostal movements — poses pastoral challenges. The Catholic Church must articulate its identity in an environment where charismatic worship and prosperity preaching attract large followings.

Interreligious coexistence with Muslim communities, particularly in northern regions, remains a factor in national stability. The Church has often collaborated with Muslim leaders to promote peace and counter extremism.

For Pope Leo XIV, this pluralistic setting requires calibrated messaging — affirming Catholic identity without undermining interreligious harmony.

Yaoundé: Political and ecclesial nerve center

The capital, Yaoundé, is more than an administrative stop. It is the seat of government and the archdiocese that frequently hosts national Catholic events. Meetings with civil authorities are likely to occur here, reflecting the Vatican’s diplomatic engagement with the Cameroonian state.

Historically, Yaoundé has hosted major ecclesial gatherings and international visitors. A papal Mass in the capital would draw large crowds and symbolize national unity.

Douala: Economic pulse and urban Catholicism

Douala, as Cameroon’s commercial capital, presents a different pastoral profile. Rapid urbanization, youth unemployment, migration, and informal economies characterize the city. The Church in Douala must address urban pastoral issues: catechesis in dense neighborhoods, youth outreach, and social advocacy.

The Archdiocese of Douala has been vocal on national issues, and its leadership has often carried moral authority beyond ecclesiastical boundaries.

A papal stop in Douala situates the Church within the country’s economic heart, where questions of inequality and development are acute.

Bamenda: Faith amid instability

Bamenda lies at the epicenter of the Anglophone crisis. Parishes in the region have experienced disruptions, and clergy have navigated security risks. The Church has called for dialogue, ceasefire, and protection of civilians.

A papal presence in Bamenda carries symbolic weight. It signals solidarity with communities affected by violence and underscores the Vatican’s concern for peace.

However, such a visit must balance encouragement with diplomatic caution. Explicit political statements could complicate local dynamics, while silence might disappoint those seeking moral clarity.

Continuity with past papal engagement

Cameroon has previously hosted a papal visit. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI visited the country, marking a major ecclesial event that included the promulgation of the Instrumentum Laboris for the Second Synod for Africa. That visit reinforced Cameroon’s role within the continental Church.

Pope Leo XIV’s 2026 journey will inevitably be compared with past papal engagements. Expectations will be shaped by memory: large public liturgies, strong doctrinal messages, and calls for ethical governance.

A Church of scale, influence, and responsibility

If Algeria represents the Church as historical memory and minority witness, Cameroon represents scale, institutional density, and public influence. The Catholic Church in Cameroon is not fragile in numbers; it is substantial. Its challenges are not invisibility but responsibility — how to steward influence in a politically sensitive and religiously competitive environment.

From April 15–18, as Pope Leo XIV moves through Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda, he will engage a Church that is confident yet tested, numerous yet diverse, socially influential yet morally scrutinized.

For observers of African Catholicism, Cameroon offers a case study in how demographic strength intersects with political engagement and social service. The papal visit will not redefine that structure overnight. It will, however, place it within the broader narrative of a global Church attentive to Africa not as periphery but as center.

In that sense, Cameroon stands not only as the second stop on the Holy Father’s itinerary, but as a microcosm of the contemporary African Catholic experience — complex, vibrant, and consequential.

Source: aci Africa

12, March 2026

New Iranian Leader’s first message calls for strong national unity ⁰

The first message from new Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei was released on Thursday, outlining key strategic points on the nation’s direction.

The message, delivered in seven major sections, stresses the importance of avenging the blood of martyrs and the crucial role of active participation in national events such as the Quds Day march.

In his statement, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that Iran will not hesitate to seek retribution for the blood of martyrs, reaffirming the country’s unwavering resolve in the face of external threats.

He also called for an effective presence in key national activities, particularly highlighting the significance of participating in the Quds Day march, stressing that all citizens must contribute to such pivotal moments to show strength and unity.

The message also discussed the roles and responsibilities of the people, the armed forces, executive bodies, the resistance front, and regional countries, framing these elements as vital in confronting the nation’s enemies.

Source: Press TV