22, September 2024

Douala: Cameroon military and U.S. Africa Command host West Africa Logistics Conference ⁰

From September 18 to 20, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Cameroon Ministry of Defense organized the West Africa Logistics Conference, bringing together more than 50 military logistics leaders from West Africa and the United States. During the conference, participants discussed logistics challenges and identified opportunities for collaboration to improve interoperability and operational effectiveness.

Air Force Brig. Gen. George “Dutch” Dietrich, Director of Logistics for U.S. Africa Command, expressed his appreciation to the Cameroon Armed Forces for their close collaboration in hosting the event. He emphasized that WALC serves as a vital platform for regional cooperation, enabling military and civilian leaders to address common logistics challenges and find solutions to enhance interoperability and operational readiness.

In his opening remarks, U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon John C. Lamora noted, “WALC is a real opportunity to tackle a challenge that every military in the world faces. Logistics are a critical component of all operations, from peacekeeping to responding to humanitarian crises and natural disasters. By improving our collective understanding of regional challenges, we can better prepare to respond to future crises.”

This year’s conference was attended by representatives from Benin, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Togo, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Culled from the US embassy in Yaoundé

22, September 2024

Roman Catholic clerics urge support after devastating floods in West and Central Africa ⁰

Catholic leaders across West and Central Africa are calling for assistance following unprecedented and deadly floods that have swept through the regions.

The catastrophic flooding in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Mali, Ghana, and Liberia has triggered severe humanitarian crises, affecting an estimated four million people, most of whom are children.

As of 17 September, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said that at least 341 people had died due to the floods that have also affected nearly 1.5 million people.

Bishop Dominique Tinoudji of the Diocese of Pala in Chad has urged the population not to despair, reminding them that “God is still on the throne.”

In a September 8 Mass dedicated to the flood victims, the bishop noted that “the situation we face might lead us to question God’s presence, His protection, and His help; but even in the face of such a severe trial, we must not give up hope.”

The bishop called Christians to action, urging them to make sure the new shelters now called home by the millions displaced by the floods do not constitute a source of fresh problems for the people.

“We must safeguard hygiene to prevent disease and protect the vulnerable from the cold and malaria-carrying mosquitoes,” Tinoudji said.

“We are one body in Christ, and individually member’s one of another. Opening your hand to give a kilogram of rice, some maize, or a bar of soap can make a huge difference,” he continued.

He emphasized the importance of supporting local Caritas organizations to ensure a coordinated disaster response.

“Caritas is our way of putting charity into action. Unfortunately, in many parishes, Caritas is either inactive or absent. Even our diocesan Caritas is still in its early stages,” the bishop said.

The Catholic Church leader encouraged communities to take “practical steps in city planning to reduce future risks, particularly in flood-prone areas.”

“Our engineers must help us design cities that consider natural water pathways, flood-prone areas, and proper drainage systems,” the bishop said and reiterated his call to trust in God’s continued presence, saying, “Do not be afraid; be strong and keep your trust in the Lord.”

In Nigeria, at least 269 people are reported dead and more than 640,000 people displaced, according to the latest data from the country’s disaster management agency NEMA.

The flooding in Nigeria was caused by the collapse of a dam following heavy rainfall. There are also concerns that there will be even more flooding in the days ahead as Cameroon plans to release water from the Lagdo Dam in the country’s Far North Region.

Nigeria’s hydrological services agency has warned that 11 states would potentially be flooded as a result.

The Catholic auxiliary bishop of Maiduguri – located in Nigeria’s Borno state that has been most affected by the floods – has in a video message noted that “the city of Maiduguri has been engulfed with a devastating flood and over 40 percent of the city is under water.”

In comments to Crux, the Episcopal Secretary for Laity Affairs of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Josef Iorakpen Ishu, noted that “the flood regime in Nigeria is heartbroken.”

“The flood that is ravishing some parts of the country is compounding the hardship on the people. In fact, the metrology agency is predicting that more states will experience flooding in days and weeks to come, and the government is asking those living in such areas to vacate immediately,” he told Crux.

“The question is should people vacate where? Because the same government has not provided alternative homes or makeshift homes for the people,” he said.

“Even humanitarian agencies are overwhelmed by the situation. It is a huge challenge for us here,” Ishu added.

Then referencing the recent End Bad Governance Protest in Nigeria, Ishu said the government’s response to the floods is just further proof that it has “lost its relevance at all levels: Federal, state and local levels.”

“People are helpless and looking up to God for divine intervention,” he said.

“We are reaching out to our friends at Aid to the Church in Need for your prayers, especially at this difficult and challenging time,” the Bishop of Maiduguri said in a video message.

In Cameroon, where the UN says at least 17 people have died, the government has offered assistance in terms of basic items like blankets, soap, and buckets.

In Niger, over 137,000 people have lost their homes due to flooding since August. Almost 100 deaths have been recorded.

“The situation [in West and Central Africa] is devastating — people in the region are already grappling with rising hunger and alarmingly high malnutrition,” said Modou Diaw, the West Africa Vice President for the International Red Cross.

Climate change is now blamed for the floods, triggering calls for a response to the high cost Africa pays due to the issue.

“Africa is losing an estimated 2-5 percent of its GDP annually due to climate-related disasters,” said Dr. Richard Munang, Africa Regional Climate Change Coordinator at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in comments to Crux.

“For instance, adaptation costs in sub-Saharan Africa are projected to reach $30-50 billion annually over the next decade,” he said.

Source: Crux

22, September 2024

Paul Biya is still away, hasn’t returned to Yaoundé ⁰

Cameroon is battling devastating floods as the country’s President Paul Biya, still broad on a trip he began two weeks ago, tasked officials to address the dire humanitarian crisis.

Some 20 people have died and 236,000 others displaced in the Far North region, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

They are among 2.30 million people in West and Central Africa so far affected severe flooding in 2024.

This region has been experiencing flooding since the start of the rainy season, which began in the second half of July with an average rainfall frequency of one day out of four.

There has been an increasing significant damage to infrastructure, farmland, and disruption of essential services in three of the six administrative divisions of the floods-prone region including Mayo Tsanaga, Mayo Danay, and Logone-and-Chari.

The peak of the floods was recorded on August 28 with the breaking of water retention dikes in Mayo Danay, causing the town of Yagoua and other villages to be flooded, OCHA said on Friday.

Several schools have been forced to shut, destroyed, or are being used to provide shelter for affected communities since the 2024/2025 academic year started on Monday September 9 leaving schoolchildren in the region in limbo.

The mostly agrarian and pastoralist population has seen its and farmland and herds of cattle and sheep; main source of livelihood and vital for local economies and food security washed away by floodwaters. The lifestyle of the people in this part of the country is nomadic.

This week, authorities moved students to schools that are still functioning using mainly heavy duty trucks and canoes, signaling a possible overcrowding for the time being.

Cameroon’s floods aren’t the only source of crisis. While the students in this part of the country are suffering from an environmental disaster, those in most parts of the Anglophone region of the country have also been at home because of conflict.

The English speaking regions of South West and North West in Cameroon have seen school disrupted for fear of being attacked as armed separatists have imposed a lockdown and are reinforcing tactics to prevent children from schooling.

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya is still away after he first left the country for Beijing on September 8 for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

State television reported with footages of a plane carrying the president and wife that the ageing leader had left the Chinese capital. But ten days later, he hasn’t returned to Yaounde.

Biya routinely travels to Europe for “brief private stays” and sometimes detours from foreign trips. He has been absent before from national crises although his officials often argue they are delegated to deal with the issues while he is away.

In October 2016, when an overloaded train derailed in the small town of Eseka, killing over 75 people, Biya was on a “brief private visit to Europe” which is how his office refered to his regular jaunts to Geneva.

A year later, the president was again on another “private” visit to Switzerland when protests broke out in the Anglophone western part of the country over perceived and real marginalisation of the English-speaking minority population. The protests ballooned into today’s armed struggle that has kept many schools closed.

Though again absent, the 91-years-old President was touched by news of the devastating floods in the Far North Region of the country, according to the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, who conveyed the Cameroonian leader’s heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families at a press conference in Yaounde on Friday.

As part of a wide range of emergence response measures, Minister Atanga Nji announced that the president had ordered the disbursement of an emergency aid of $594,000 (FCFA 350 million) to the flood victims.

“We will provide beds, matrasses, food items and other health facilities to the victims,” said Atanga Nji. He supervised the departure of some truckloads of part of the assistance from Yaounde on Tuesday.

Blaming the floods on climate change, Atanga Nji said the floods, and droughts, will not be unique to Cameroon. He said neighboring Lake Chad Basin countries like Chad and Nigeria have also been hit by floods, landslide and mudslide resulting from scattered downpours and thunderstorms. The same countries have been pummeled by droughts recently.

In Chad, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports at least 341 fatalities, at least 1,495,969 people affected and 265,590 damaged houses by devastating floods in the central and south-western part of the country as at Tuesday. Local media including Chadinfos.com have reported a higher tool.

In Nigeria, at least 30 people have died and several hundred thousand others forced from their homes by floodwaters in Maiduguri, capital of northeastern Borno state that borders Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Already burdened by violence and insecurity brought about by the Boko Haram insurgency, the recent floods have exacerbated the sorry story of the Far North Region one of Cameroon’s most populous and least developed of the ten semi-autonomous administrative regions.

According to OCHA, the floods have struck vulnerable communities already facing challenges due to climate change, pockets of drought, locust invasions, bird invasions, pachyderm invasions and a highly volatile security context since 2014, “not to mention the structural poverty of the Region”, it said in a report on Friday, September 13.

Cameroon is just one of several countries so far hit by floods this year in West and Central Africa.

Torrential rains and severe flooding have affected more than 2.30 million people in West and Central Africa in 2024, according to statistics by OCHA. The most affected countries are Chad, Nigeria, Niger, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali.

Culled from the East African

20, September 2024

US: Biden opens home to ‘Quad’ leaders for farewell summit ⁰

Biden chose his hometown of Wilmington for the summit of the four-nation group — the last of his presidency after he dropped out of the 2024 election against Donald Trump and handed the Democratic reins to Kamala Harris.

He will hold one-on-one meetings at his beloved Wilmington home, starting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday night and continuing Saturday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Biden will then host an “intimate” dinner and full four-way summit on Saturday at his former high school in the city.

“This will be President Biden’s first time hosting foreign leaders in Wilmington as president — a reflection of his deep personal relationships with each of the Quad Leaders,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Vice President Harris will not be attending, the White House said.

The Quad grouping dates back to 2007, but Biden has strongly pushed it as part of an emphasis on international alliances after the isolationist Trump years.

China was expected to feature heavily in their discussions amid tensions with Beijing, particularly a series of recent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea.

“It will certainly be high on the agenda,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, adding that the four leaders had a “common understanding about the challenges that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) is posing.”

The White House, however, faced criticism for giving only limited access to the press throughout the weekend, with reporters questioning whether it was at the request of the notoriously media-shy Modi.

The Hindu nationalist was coaxed to take two questions during a state visit to the White House in 2023, but had not held an open press conference at home in his previous nine years in power.

The White House insisted Biden would not shy away from addressing rights issues with Modi, who has faced accusations of growing authoritarianism.

“There’s not a conversation that he has with foreign leaders where he doesn’t talk about the importance of respecting human and civil rights, and that includes with Prime Minister Modi,” Kirby said.

India is due to host the next Quad summit in 2025.

Biden is famously proud of his home in Wilmington, around 110 miles (176 kilometers) from Washington, where he frequently spends weekends away from the confines of the White House.

It hit the headlines when classified documents were found in its garage, next to his Corvette sports car, in 2022. Biden was not charged.

Source: AFP

20, September 2024

Major jihadist attack in Mali’s capital killed more than 70 ⁰

A jihadist attack in the Malian capital targeting a military police training camp and airport left more than 70 people dead and 200 wounded, one of the highest tolls suffered by the security forces in recent years.

A security source speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP that 77 people had been killed and 255 wounded in Tuesday’s attacks in Bamako.

An authenticated confidential official document put the toll at around 100, naming 81 victims.

Thursday’s edition of Le Soir daily reported that the funerals of around 50 military police students would take place that day.

Mali’s military-led authorities have so far not released a precise death toll from the attacks, claimed by the al Qaeda-linked Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

The operation was the first of its kind in years and dealt a forceful blow to the ruling junta, experts say.

The Malian capital is normally spared the sort of attacks that occur almost daily in some parts of the West African country.

The general staff admitted late Tuesday that “some human lives were lost”, notably personnel at the military police centre.

JNIM claimed that a few dozen of its fighters had killed and wounded “hundreds” from the opposing ranks, including members of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner.

The attack came a day after junta-led Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso marked a year since the creation of their breakaway grouping, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The trio, which have been under military rule following a string of coups since 2020, have broken ties with former colonial ruler France and turned militarily and politically towards other partners including Russia.

The Sahel states in January said they were turning their backs on regional bloc the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Mali has since 2012 been ravaged by different factions affiliated to al Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

‘Condolences’ and condemnation

Volleys of gunfire interspersed with explosions broke out in Bamako at around 5:00 am (0500 GMT) Tuesday.

JNIM fighters attacked a military police school and stormed part of the nearby airport complex, where a military facility adjoins the civilian one.

The jihadist group broadcast images showing fighters strolling around and firing randomly into the windows of the presidential hangar and destroying aircraft.

Bamako has not seen such an operation since 2016, when gunmen attacked a hotel housing the former European training mission of the Malian army, with no casualties reported among the mission staff.

The flow of information is restricted under the ruling junta and details on how Tuesday’s attack was carried out and its impact are sketchy.

Mali’s neighbour Senegal and African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat on Thursday condemned the attacks.

The French embassy in Bamako offered its “condolences to the government of Mali”.

Jean-Herve Jezequel, Sahel project director at the International Crisis Group, told AFP one possible hypothesis could be that “the jihadists are trying to send a message to the Malian authorities that they can hit them anywhere and therefore that the big cities must also be protected”.

He said the aim could be to force the state to concentrate its resources in populated areas and have fewer troops in rural areas “where these jihadist groups have established their strongholds”.

Experts say the attack undermines the junta’s military strategy and breakaway rhetoric, which claims the security situation is under control despite jihadists roaming the Sahel region for years.

Tuesday’s events have largely prompted condemnation and calls for unity within Mali.

Against a backdrop of severe restrictions on freedom of expression under the junta, virtually no public figures have spoken out against the apparent security lapse.

The daily Nouvel Horizon, a rare dissenting voice, wrote on its front page that it was “time to apportion blame at all levels”.

Many Malians have taken to social media to call for those responsible for the security breach to be punished.

The events have also raised fears that certain communities could be targeted in retaliation.

Source: AFP

19, September 2024

1990 World Cup: Italy’s icon Schillaci dies aged 59 ⁰

Italian icon Salvatore Schillaci, the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, has died aged 59.

Schillaci, better known as ‘Toto’, scored six goals to win the Golden Boot at the 1990 World Cup on home soil.

Italy lost in the semi-finals, but Schillaci was also awarded the Golden Ball as the best player and gained hero status.

Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022.

Capped 16 times for his country, scoring seven goals, he represented Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan after beginning his club career at Messina.

Juventus, whom Schillaci joined in 1989, said: “We immediately fell in love with Toto. His desire, his story, his being so wonderfully passionate, and it showed in every game he played.

“We at Juve were lucky enough to get excited about him before – in that incredible summer of 1990 – the whole of Italy did, captivated by those wonderfully energetic celebrations of his.”

Schillaci scored his first goal of the 1990 World Cup as a substitute against Austria, and after another substitute appearance against the United States earned his first start against the Czech Republic.

Partnering Roberto Baggio up front, Schillaci scored again as Italy’s campaign built momentum, and his hero status was confirmed with further goals in the subsequent knockout round matches against Uruguay and the Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals.

Despite opening the scoring in the semi-final against Argentina, Italy lost out on penalties in Naples – but Schillaci sealed the Golden Boot with his sixth goal of the tournament in the third-place play-off against England.

He would finish runner-up to Germany’s World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthaus for the 1990 Ballon d’Or.

Source: BBC

19, September 2024

Southern Cameroons Reconstruction: Minister Tasong says only a third of funding raised since 2020 ⁰

Minister Paul Tasong, head of the steering committee for the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the North-West and South-West Regions (PPRD-NO/SO), revealed during the 14th session of the North-West Regional Assembly that only 50 billion CFA francs of the 154 billion CFA francs expected since 2020 have been raised. Initially, the plan was scheduled to last two years.

Since its launch in 2020, the Presidential Plan has struggled to attract significant support from Cameroon’s international partners. Countries like France and the United States conditioned their participation on the implementation of a genuine dialogue to resolve the ongoing armed conflict in the separatist regions. As a result, only a few partners, such as Japan and the United Nations Development Programme, have released funds to support infrastructure rehabilitation projects in these regions.

Paul Tasong, who also serves as Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development, reported that 258 projects have been completed in areas such as providing agricultural inputs to farmers, building schools, and setting up water supply systems. Additionally, 38 projects are still underway, while 2 have been suspended.

He thanked the partners who have contributed to the Presidential Plan, noting that an estimated 2,500 billion CFA francs would be needed for the complete transformation of the North-West and South-West regions, according to a communication from the North-West Regional Assembly.

Source: Business in Cameroon

19, September 2024

Indian and Commonwealth business leaders explore opportunities in Cameroon ⁰

Cameroon will host a trade mission from September 19 to 23, 2024, featuring members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council. The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Handicrafts (Ccima) issued a notice inviting local businesses to take part in this event, which will be held in Yaoundé and Douala.

The delegation will meet with government officials, including Prime Minister Joseph Dion Nguté. Business-to-business (B2B) meetings, a roundtable discussion, and a business dinner are also planned. These events will provide Indian, Commonwealth, and Cameroonian businesses with the chance to explore collaboration opportunities.

This trade mission includes leaders from about 20 companies. These firms operate in various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, defense, manufacturing, banking, solar energy, automotive, construction, and telecommunications. Cameroonian businesses could benefit from India’s experience, as India is a long-standing trading partner.

In 2023, this Asian nation ranked as Cameroon’s third-largest customer, accounting for 9.6% of the market share. India was also the second-largest supplier, following China, with 11.6% of the market. Cameroon primarily exports mining products to India, including liquefied natural gas (49.9%) and crude oil (48.4%). Imports from India include diesel (33.1%), semi-milled or polished rice (18.6%), aviation fuel (9.3%), medicines (6.1%), and frozen fish (2.8%).

However, the trade balance in 2023 showed a deficit of CFA254 billion, unfavorable to Cameroon.

Source: Business in Cameroon

18, September 2024

Yaoundé: police chief reinforces directives for free movement ⁰

In a memo dated September 10, 2024, Martin Mbarga Nguele (photo), Director General of National Security (DGSN), reaffirmed the importance of free movement of people within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). This reminder was directed to the Director of Border Police, regional security delegates, port and airport commissioners, and immigration officers at border posts.

“In accordance with the Additional Act No. 05/19-CEMAC-070 U-CCE of April 1, 2019, which establishes a common immigration policy and border protection, I want to reaffirm our guidelines regarding the free movement of people within the CEMAC zone. Citizens of member states traveling to another community country are not required to obtain visas, provided they have a valid biometric passport or national identity card,” wrote Cameroon’s police chief in the leaked document.

The directives aim to ensure the principles of free movement are fully respected, reflecting Cameroon’s commitment to fostering regional integration and facilitating exchanges within CEMAC.

This communication came just days before the 4th Ordinary Session of the Committee of Central African Police Chiefs (CCPAC), scheduled in Yaoundé from September 17 to 20. The session will focus on implementing community policies regarding the free movement of people and goods, a responsibility given to CCPAC following an institutional reform in 2020.

Since 2017, free movement has been an established principle for the six CEMAC member states (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad), allowing passport holders to travel without restrictions. This process began in 2000 with the introduction of the CEMAC passport, followed by an additional act in 2005. In 2013, visa requirements were lifted for regional citizens, allowing for visa-free stays of up to 90 days in any member state.

However, countries like Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have faced challenges in fully implementing these provisions. This prompted Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, to call for effective free movement during the 13th edition of CEMAC Day on March 16, 2022. “Our community regulations have clearly established this. Additional efforts are nonetheless needed to ensure its successful implementation, to the satisfaction of our people,” Biya said in a speech delivered by Luc Ayang, President of the Economic and Social Council.

Source: Sbbc

18, September 2024

Yaoundé: Papal Nuncio condemns diaspora’s role in Ambazonia conflict ⁰

Cameroonians living abroad are fanning the flames of the separatist conflict in the English-speaking regions, according to Archbishop Avelino Bettencourt, the Vatican representative to the Central African country.

The separatist crisis in Cameroon began in 2016 when lawyers and teachers in the English-speaking regions protested against the marginalization by the predominantly French-speaking government. The situation escalated into a full-blown separatist conflict, with armed groups in the northwest and southwest regions seeking independence for a new state called Ambazonia. The conflict has led to the deaths of more than 6,000 people, the displacement of over a million, and the destruction of property.

In a wide-ranging interview published September 16 in local newspaper, Municipal Updates, the Papal Nuncio said violence of any kind cannot be justified, and noted that he has seen up and close the human suffering in Cameroon’s war-torn English speaking regions, the Northern regions afflicted by Boko Haram as well as the difficulties Central African refugees living in the east of the country are going through.

Narrowing down on the separatist war in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, and the role of the diaspora in supporting the conflict, the pope’s representative challenged diaspora Cameroonians to be conveyors of love and hope, instead of being the tools for violence.

“I believe when you are out of your country, your nation is even dearer to you,” Bettencourt said.

“And that love, if it is love, can only be real if it is to promote peace in your homeland. I would encourage all the diaspora to love their homeland because it is beautiful and rich in traditions and it is worth giving one’s life for peace,” he explained.

In comments to Crux, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of the Bamenda Archdiocese in the separatist stronghold of the North West Region of Cameroon echoed a similar feeling, blasting the diaspora for supporting and abetting a crisis without fully understanding the harm it’s causing the people.

“Our diaspora is so involved because they are not living in Cameroon. They lack adequate information and do not have firsthand experience of the crisis.” Nkea said.

“They see images on social media and hear about events that have occurred. When people are killed in Bamenda, I am the first to arrive at the scene. When houses are burned, I am the first to witness it. So, I speak from personal experience,” he added.

He emphasized the importance of firsthand experience in understanding the true impact of the crisis.

“Regardless of how connected these people are to social media, they lack firsthand experience, which is why they can make the statements they do,” he told Crux.

Nkea expressed a reluctance to engage in discussions about Anglophone problems with those who are not on the ground.

The archbishop’s argument, which he has made on several other occasions, highlights the growing divide between those experiencing the crisis firsthand and those observing from afar, raising questions about the role of the diaspora in addressing the issues facing the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

But that argument has typically not been taken well with the diaspora, who have accused the archbishop of dishonesty in his assessment of the role of the diaspora in the ongoing crisis.

Chris Annu – leader of one of the factions fighting to create the nation called Ambazonia – has in a YouTube declaration blasted the President of the Cameroonian Episcopal Conference for being “deeply dishonest” in his assessment of the role of the diaspora, and for striving to be “politically correct.”

“Diaspora members who have lost loved ones and property to both La Republique du Cameroun soldiers and rogue Ambazonian elements understand the devastation firsthand. Diaspora leaders he [the archbishop] disparages are deeply informed and genuinely care about the people,” he said.

The Apostolic Nuncio in his interview appealed for dialogue as the only viable way of getting out of the crisis.

“I think at the end of the day, we need to talk to each other with a certain amount of humility and a certain amount of desire to attain the better good of the population,” Bettencourt said.

“We have to work together. All the forces have to work together – be it the religious leaders from all denominations, all social institutions together with security and military and the government. We are people who believe in law and order, and anything less than law and order is chaos,” the Vatican representative said.

Nkea emphasized that meaningful dialogue can only occur if the appropriate atmosphere is established, which, in his view, requires the cessation of violence.

The archbishop also rejected the notion that peace can only be achieved through justice. Citing the example of America, which he described as one of the most unjust societies in the world, Nkea pointed out that this injustice has not led Americans to engage in widespread violence.

“We should have peace, and then we can fight for justice,” he told Crux.

Culled from Crux