Headline News

25, April 2025

Rwanda and DR Congo set May 2 deadline for peace deal ⁰

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday set a goal of reaching a draft peace agreement by May 2 and vowed to respect each other’s sovereignty following sweeping rebel gains.

The top diplomats of Rwanda, which has faced criticism for backing the M23 rebels, and DR Congo, which has seen major cities fall in its turbulent but mineral-rich east, signed a declaration in Washington in the presence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The foreign ministers “commit to coordinate through existing channels to generate an initial draft peace agreement for the Participants’ mutual review no later than May 2”, it said.

The two countries “mutually acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commit to a pathway to resolve their disputes by peaceful means grounded in diplomacy and negotiation rather than hostile force or rhetoric”, the declaration said.

Without naming the M23 rebels explicitly, the statement said that both countries acknowledged concerns of the other and would “refrain from providing state military support to non-state armed groups”.

The two sides also said they would establish a “joint security coordination mechanism to counter non-state armed groups”.

In a surprise announcement Wednesday, the DRC and M23 rebels said they had agreed to halt fighting in the east of the country while they work toward a permanent truce.

Thousands have been killed in a conflict that has raged along the border of the two countries since January.

UN experts, the United States and other Western governments say that Rwanda supports the M23. Rwanda denies providing military support to the M23.

A new US envoy for Africa – businessman Massad Boulos, who is the father-in-law of President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany – visited both capitals this month and has called for Rwanda to halt support and withdraw “all Rwandan troops from DRC territory”.

Qatar, which has worked with Washington on a range of thorny diplomatic issues, spearheaded talks between Rwanda and the DRC.

The DRC has sought US support in part by offering to reach its own agreement with the United States on access to critical minerals found in the country that are vital for advanced technologies.

The joint declaration said the two sides expected “significant investments” facilitated by the US government and US private sector.

It said that the two countries would work with the United States on areas including mineral value chains and hydropower development.

Rwanda says its security in the eastern DRC is threatened by armed groups, notably the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, created by former Hutu leaders linked to the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The M23 consists mostly of Tutsis.

Source: AFP

25, April 2025

Botswana president rebukes Biya, other African leaders clinging to power ⁰

Botswana President Duma Boko has condemned leaders who attempt to extend their presidential terms beyond the established limits, boldly stating that such leaders are failures. His remarks came during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Bonno Target 3 000 project in Gaborone on Wednesday, where he also launched a new initiative aimed at addressing the country’s housing needs.

The Bonno Target 3 000 project will begin with the construction of 3,000 housing units across selected urban and peri-urban areas, aimed at addressing the growing demand for affordable housing in the country. However, it was Boko’s strong stance on leadership tenure that dominated headlines after the ceremony.

Boko emphasised the importance of knowing when to step aside from power, stating unequivocally that any president who seeks to hold office for more than 10 years is fundamentally failing in their role.

“I will say to you today that any president of any country who wants to be president for more than 10 years, anybody who has that ambition, is instantly a failure,” Boko remarked. “You can’t want to do this job for more than 10 years. If you take the job seriously, you can’t do it for more than 10 years.”

Boko’s comments are a sharp critique of the numerous African leaders who have clung to power for decades, often facing widespread criticism for their inability to step down despite their extended tenures. He added that any attempt to extend a presidential term was a clear sign of failure and a lack of understanding of the job’s demands.

“And anybody who sticks with the presidency for more than 10 years, that’s a sure-fire indication that he has failed. He does not understand the job,” Boko said.

His remarks come amid growing concerns about the longevity of several African leaders. Presidents such as Paul Biya of Cameroon, who has led for over 50 years, Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea with 45 years in power, and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled for nearly 40 years, continue to dominate the political landscape in their respective countries.

Source – newsday

24, April 2025

Man Utd strike agreement with Cameroon wonderkid ⁰

Manchester United have reportedly struck an agreement for Le Havre’s Enzo Kana-Biyik, who is set to become Ruben Amorim’s first summer signing.

According to French outlet L’Équipe, United are preparing to complete the signing of Kana-Biyik, a teenage striker who has impressed with Le Havre’s reserves. Known for his physical attributes, the 18-year-old forward has built a reputation for being strong in duels while also displaying surprising agility and quick movement for his stature. Despite not yet featuring for Le Havre’s senior side, his performances have consistently drawn the eyes of scouts, and United have acted decisively to beat out competition for his signature.

Kana-Biyik is no stranger to footballing pedigree. He hails from a family with deep roots in the sport – his father, André Kana-Biyik, represented Cameroon at the international level, while his brother, Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, also earned caps for the national team.

With such a legacy behind him, expectations are already high, and Manchester United will be hoping he can follow in the footsteps of another famous alumnus from Le Havre – Paul Pogba. The World Cup winner made the leap from the same youth setup to United at the age of 16, and the club appears to be following a similar path with Kana-Biyik.

Kana-Biyik was not short of options, with both Monaco and Marseille also attempting to woo the young striker. He was even invited to visit OM’s prestigious Commanderie training centre as part of their recruitment pitch. However, it is believed that United’s long-term development plan, combined with Amorim’s personal interest in his progression, convinced the player and his representatives that England was the right destination.

Rather than fast-tracking the teenager directly into the senior setup at Old Trafford, United have a measured approach in mind. The club, in coordination with INEOS – the ownership group behind both Manchester United and FC Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland – plans to send Kana-Biyik on loan to the Swiss side next season. Lausanne, playing in the Swiss top flight, provides a platform for Kana-Biyik to transition from youth football to senior competition without the immediate pressure that would come from Premier League demands.

Source: Goal.com

24, April 2025

Ambazonia Crisis: Pope Francis enduring call for peace, now a legacy ⁰

Since assuming leadership of the Roman Catholic Church three years before the 2016 outbreak of the security crisis in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions, Pope Francis has consistently advocated for a return to peace in the troubled area.

Following a 2023 pastoral visit to the Vatican, Archbishop Andrew Nkea of Bamenda, President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, detailed to international press the Catholic Church’s ongoing efforts, under Pope Francis’s direction, to resolve the conflict.

Archbishop Nkea’s statements highlighted the Church’s leading role in seeking a resolution. The Church provides aid to displaced persons, distributing food, shelter, and other necessities through diocesan Caritas organizations, with support from benefactors.

Additionally, the Church has attempted to mediate between the government and separatist factions operating both within Cameroon and abroad. The Church has consistently opposed the use of child soldiers and has emphasized the importance of maintaining open schools, stressing that education is vital for children’s future and the nation’s development.

Beyond institutional actions, Pope Francis has frequently made public pronouncements on the conflict. In September 2019, he expressed solidarity with the Cameroonian people, calling for prayers for a national dialogue aimed at resolving the crisis. He emphasized the need for “peaceful, just, and lasting solutions.”

In October 2020, following a school shooting in Kumba that resulted in student fatalities, Pope Francis condemned the crime as a “cruel and senseless act.” He called for an end to violence and the protection of children’s rights to education and a secure future. In January 2021, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin visited Cameroon to reiterate Pope Francis’s commitment to peace and reconciliation. After meeting with President Paul Biya, Cardinal Parolin conveyed the Pope’s support for peace initiatives.

“I am here to show the attention and solidarity of the Holy Father Francis towards Cameroon, especially at this time when it is experiencing a socio-political conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions. We wish for peace to return to these regions,” Cardinal Parolin stated on the steps of the Unity Palace.

Pope Francis has consistently underscored the Catholic Church’s dedication to resolving the conflict. In 2022, during the national pilgrimage of Cameroonian bishops and faithful to the Marian shrine of Marianberg, he called for the restoration of “true and lasting peace” in Cameroon.

Like Moses, who did not see the Promised Land, Pope Francis departs without witnessing the peace he fervently prayed for in Cameroon.

Source: Sbbc

23, April 2025

Vatican: More than 20,000 gather as mourners file past Pope Francis’s open coffin ⁰

Pope Francis’s body has been moved from his residence in the Vatican to lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica

Mourners are now filing past the coffin.

The open coffin will stay in front of the Papal Altar during the three days of public mourning

Bells rang and people applauded as the procession made its way through St Peter’s Square

The Pope died on Monday morning – his funeral will take place on Saturday, attended by leaders from around the world.

As many as 20,000 pilgrims gathered at St Peter’s Square today to witness the procession of Pope Francis’s body, according to reports by Vatican media.

Many of those who witnessed the service in the square will likely also join the queue to see the Pope lying in state.

The transfer of the Pope’s coffin to St Peter’s Basilica began at 09:00 local time (08:00 BST) on Wednesday, following a prayer ceremony in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope lived.

The procession was led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo. He is the person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a pope.

Source: BBC

23, April 2025

Hajj 2025: Atanga Nji visits Ethiopian Airlines ⁰

Minister of Territorial Administration of Cameroon and President of the Cameroon Hajj Committee Paul Atanga Nji, along with his delegation visited Ethiopian Airlines’ state-of-the-art facilities.

During his visit, Paul Atanga Nji and his delegation held fruitful discussions with Ethiopian Airline Group CEO Mesfin Tasew and members of the Executive Management, according to Ethiopian Group.

During the occasion, Ethiopian Airlines reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to serving Hajj pilgrims from Cameroon, as well its regular flight services to Yaoundé and Douala.

23, April 2025

Teachers strike shuts down schools across Cameroon ⁰

Cameroon faces a major education crisis as a four-day national teachers’ strike begins on April 22nd. The “Ecole Morte” movement, led by the Collective of Teachers’ Organisations of Cameroon, unites more than a dozen unions demanding urgent reforms.

At the heart of their six key demands: the organisation of a national forum to rethink the education system, the upgrading of teachers’ special status, and a collective agreement for private school teachers. The strike follows a warning issued in March.

While the government has opened talks, including a meeting at the Ministry of Public Service on April 17, unions say the steps taken are not enough. Teachers are calling for immediate action to address chronic problems and ensure a stable environment for their profession.

Source: Africa News

22, April 2025

Cameroonians in Austria, Germany pay tributes to much-loved visionary leader ⁰

Friends and well-wishers are lauding the life and work of Enow Peter following his death. Cameroon Concord News gathered that he died of a heart attack at his work place in Vienna.

Senior Cameroonian elites in Europe and in North America have been reacting to his untimely and sudden death.

Dr Joachim Arrey of the Global Think Tank For Africa led the legion of tributes that have been paid to the late Manyu citizen from Egbekaw village.

“With the death of Enow Peter, Cameroonians in Austria have lost a valuable member who made meaningful contributions to the development of the Cameroonian community in Vienna and also in the Federal Republic of Germany,” Dr Joachim Arrey said.

For his part, Chief Robert Mengot of the Manyu Elements Cultural and Development Association (MECA Germany) said Enow Peter was a motivator and a compatriot who was an optimist about the future of Cameroon as a nation.

Chief Eyong Paolo of MECA Nordrhein-Germany described how shocked he felt upon hearing of the sudden death of Enow Peter. Chief Eyong told Cameroon Concord News that Enow Peter during his time in Germany cared for the needy, and when Cameroonians cried for help, he answered!

Enow Peter, a native of Egbekaw village in Mamfe, graduated from Government High School, Mamfe before proceeding to the University of Calabar in Nigeria where he obtained his B.Sc and later an MSc in Austria. He leaves behind his beautiful wife and children and a bunch of siblings and friends to mourn him. May his soul rest in peace!

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

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