Parliament is reviewing a draft bill aiming at establishing a legal framework for the processing and protection of personal data in the country.

The proposed Personal Data Protection Bill was submitted to the National Assembly in Yaounde on 13 November by Bolvine Wakata, minister delegate in the presidency responsible for relations with the lawmakers.

According to the government, this Bill aims to protect individuals’ fundamental rights and freedoms regarding the processing of their personal data, regardless of the data type, processing method, or parties involved.

“Processing and use of personal data have major economic implications,” the government stated in an explanatory note to lawmakers.

It added: “Data protection is essential for the survival of any state concerned with its sovereignty on the global stage.”

Notable among provisions of the Bill is a section which compels data controllers or processors to ensure that personal data is handled in a lawful, fair and transparent manner.

Additionally, the Bill mandates that data processing must respect individual privacy, with processors required to maintain confidentiality across digital networks and any other platforms.

The processing of personal data must also be based on the data subject’s unambiguous consent.

Aside from establishing criminal and financial penalties for those who violate the law, the bill would create a Personal Data Protection Authority—an independent body tasked, among other things, with issuing authorisations, approving certification mechanisms, handling complaints, and coordinating with other governmental bodies to ensure the law is effectively implemented.

Source: iTweb

The leader of the Ambazonia revolution, Sisuku Ayuk Tabe has called for unity among all Southern Cameroons restoration movements fighting for the creation of an Ambazonian state.

Sisuku Ayuk Tabe was reacting to the appointment of Marco Rubio as the new US Secretary of State described as one of the few US senators to lend an attentive ear to Southern Cameroons nationalism.

The Ambazonian leader called for unity in order to seize the opportunity under the current Trump administration for the real emancipation of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

‘This is another encouraging message that should push our people towards unity. Let us always do what is necessary to be in the vanguard of the push towards unity, because despite everything… there is strength in numbers! Let us lead by example and give priority to unity in our quest for Ambazonia. A bundle of brooms is unbreakable, but a single broomstick can be easily broken. Our struggle is bigger than one person. Let us remain united’, wrote Sisuku Ayuk Tabe.

‘Ambazonie’s strength lies in our diversity. Let us celebrate our differences and unite for a common goal’, he continued. This reaction follows on from the former US Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy’s comments that the new head of US diplomacy, Marco Rubio, is someone who cares about the Southern Cameroons struggle.

By Rita Akana in Yaoundé

At least 10 civilians, including women, were killed when the Boko Haram terror group raided a locality in Cameroon’s Far North region, authorities said Wednesday.

The overnight attack took place in Ldamang, a village in the region’s Mayo-Tsanaga division.

Far North Governor Midjiyawa Bakari confirmed the attack to Xinhua and said an official statement would be released later.

Source: Xinhuanet

The November 11 hearing at the Yaoundé Military Tribunal lasted approximately 20 minutes, with the court rejecting all objections raised by the defense.

The tribunal, led by Colonel Missé Njonè, denied the defense team’s request for a reenactment of events related to the case of businessman Amougou Belinga. The court also dismissed requests to dismiss certain preliminary investigation and case file documents.

The judges further rejected a proposal to reclassify charges against some defendants and denied the application of a contested referral order from December 1, 2023, which had previously ordered the release of Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga and Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, former head of the Directorate General of External Research (DGRE).

The court reaffirmed its decision to include the DGRE as a civil party in the case, a status the intelligence agency has sought to avoid since the trial began in March.

The next hearing is scheduled for December 2, when the parties hope to initiate substantive deliberations.

Source: Sbbc

Tibor Nagy, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during Donald Trump’s first term, has suggested that Washington’s policy on the ongoing separatist crisis in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions could see a shift. which has simmered since 2016, could see a shift. In a recent tweet, he wrote: if “Trump selects certain people whose names have come up for high level posts the Yaoundé regime will get much more pressure over its mistreatment of its Anglophone population.” Nagy, who previously engaged with this issue, believes that the Biden administration has largely neglected the crisis, a situation that he expects could change with new leadership in the White House. “Cameroon [government] has gotten a relatively free ride with Biden; hopefully that will change,” he added.

During Trump’s first term, U.S. diplomacy took an assertive stance on Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis, with Washington repeatedly condemning the Cameroonian military for alleged human rights violations and abuses against civilians. “I receive more emails about Cameroon than any other African issue—10 to 20 daily, with horrific photos and videos of people decapitated with machetes, security forces committing terrible acts…We need a de-escalation,” Nagy said in a 2019 interview. His comments led to strained relations between Yaoundé and Washington, with Cameroon’s Minister of Communication, René Emmanuel Sadi, responding that such statements reflected “a lack of understanding of the issues, realities, and facts” and constituted an “unacceptable attempt at interference in Cameroon’s internal affairs.” After meeting with President Paul Biya in Cameroon, Nagy later adopted a more measured tone.

In recent years, Washington has taken a more collaborative approach with Yaoundé regarding the Anglophone crisis. The U.S. has even prosecuted U.S.-based Cameroonians accused of trafficking arms to separatists in the troubled regions, a move welcomed by the Cameroonian government, which had long sought American cooperation to neutralize these leaders.

However, analysts argue that Washington’s assistance in pursuing those behind attacks in the separatist regions is driven primarily by broader geopolitical strategy. Amid rising tensions with Russia, especially over the Ukraine conflict, the U.S. has aimed to isolate Moscow by offering reassurances to certain Kremlin partners. This dynamic, however, could shift if Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Starting November 15, 2024, Cameroon will eliminate physical fiscal stamps. The announcement was made by the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motazé, on November 1, 2024.

From that date, the fiscal stamp required for various documents—such as driver’s licenses, vehicle registration cards, gun permits, hunting licenses, scientific research permits, transport contracts, property transfers, and others—will be declared paid online through the General Tax Directorate’s (DGI) platform.

The Minister said that the traditional physical stamp will be replaced by an online payment receipt. This receipt can be verified through the DGI’s system for authenticity. Although Motazé listed specific documents in his announcement, DGI officials confirmed that the move to digital applies to all types of fiscal stamps, including those used on photocopies and graduated stamps.

According to tax agents, most beneficiaries of tax exemptions pay this stamp tax, which has a fixed rate of CFA300,000, in line with current regulations.

The reform is designed to improve the security of tax revenue by removing cash transactions and the use of stamping machines, which have been linked to fraud in the past. Some of these machines were reportedly missing or deliberately malfunctioning in certain financial districts, allowing criminal networks to divert public funds. The issue was especially apparent during high-demand periods, such as the start of administrative exams or public sector recruitment drives.

Stamping machines were introduced in Cameroon a few years ago to combat the widespread counterfeiting of physical stamps. However, despite this effort, fraudsters continued to find ways to bypass the system, depriving the government of substantial revenue each year.

Source: Business in Cameroon