20, December 2021

Africa Cup of Nations in doubt as CAF president lands in Cameroon for crunch talks ⁰

The fate of January’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon hangs in the balance due to concerns over the country’s readiness to host the tournament as Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe arrived in Yaounde on Monday for talks.

On Sunday, a CAF executive committee meeting resolved to go ahead with the 24-team event only if Motsepe was able to secure guarantees from Cameroon over its readiness.

Several members of the committee called for the tournament to be postponed, insiders told Reuters, but the majority voted for Motsepe to make an emergency trip to engage with the Cameroon government.

Concerns have been voiced over a lack of organisation, incomplete building work and the threat of coronavirus outbreaks among the large number of players and staff set to descend on the under-resourced country in the next few weeks.

“We are clear in terms of our commitment to make the AFCON a success in Cameroon, and I’m confident after our meetings today and tomorrow we can come out of here and give Africa and the world the confidence,” Motsepe told reporters in Yaounde on Monday.

Last week, CAF sent its general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba to urge the speedy completion of building work at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, scheduled to host the opening game on Jan. 9 and the final on Feb. 6.

But Sunday’s executive committee meeting was told there was a major risk of the tournament failing, with construction work incomplete after contractors were not paid, insufficient accommodation and training facilities and several key organisational staff quitting.

Cameroon was originally awarded the hosting of the 2019 finals, but the tournament was switched to Egypt when CAF decided the central African country was not ready. Cameroon was then handed the 2021 tournament, which has since been delayed by 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

CAF said last week that it would be importing its own laboratory, bypassing local healthcare facilities, to test players during the tournament.

Clubs in Europe, where a significant number of the players in the tournament play regularly, are concerned over the healthcare arrangements as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly.

Source: Reuters

20, December 2021

Africa Cup of Nations: Biya regime says only those fully vaccinated or with a negative Covid test will access venues ⁰

The Cameroon government in collaboration with the country’s football association, Fecafoot, together with CAF, have reached an agreement to implement stringent Covid-19 protocols at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.

Cameroon will stage the 24-nation event from January 9 to February 6, and the organisers have assured that the continental championship will go ahead amid the spike in fresh infections from the new Omicron variant.

CAF, the Cameroon government and Fecafoot are of the view that the competition can be used to raise awareness on the steps that can be taken to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

In light of this, the three parties have decided that:

. Supporters may only enter stadiums to attend the 52 Afcon matches in Cameroon if they are fully vaccinated and are able to show a negative PCR test result that is no older than 72 hours or a negative antigen test result no older than 24 hours;

. The competent health authorities will take all necessary action to facilitate vaccination and the performance of screening tests at all competition sites in Cameroon;

. Moreover, with a view to ensuring objectivity and neutrality as well as trust on all sides, CAF will use an independent, internationally recognised laboratory to test the national team players and their delegations.

This was announced by Cameroon Minister of Sport Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, Minister of Public Health Malachie Manaouda, CAF general secretary Véron Mosengo-Omba and Fecafoot first vice-president Céline Eko Mendomo on Thursday.

“In Cameroon, as has been the case elsewhere, effective measures have been taken as part of a coherent and tried-and-tested approach to counter the pandemic. The government has set up a special health protocol to combat Covid-19, which applies to the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations,” the parties said in a joint statement.

“As is widely known, organised football plays an important role in fostering integration and peace, as well as bringing people together. It is also a catalyst of hope, a vehicle for shared values.

“Therefore, despite the additional challenge posed by the pandemic to the global community, the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations will go ahead as scheduled on January 9 2022 at Olembe Stadium.”

Source: News 24

20, December 2021

U.S. Senate okays gay diplomat as Cameroon ambassador ⁰

The U.S. Senate confirmed Christopher John Lamora’s appointment on Saturday. His was one of dozens of Democratic president Joe Biden’s ambassador nominations that had been stalled since last spring by powerful dissident Republican senator Ted Cruz, who wants the United States to apply increased pressure against the opening of a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany.

More than three dozen ambassador nominations were approved Saturday, including ambassadors to Japan, the European Union, Ireland, Spain, Vietnam, Somalia and Bahrain. That action came after a vote on Cruz’s pipeline bill was scheduled for next month.

When Lamora’s nomination was announced last April, prominent Cameroonian LGBTQ rights attorney Alice Nkom welcomed it.

“Incredible Joe Biden. We love you! ” she said. “Welcome, Ambassador Christopher Lamora! Welcome to Cameroon, land of tolerance, hospitality and brotherhood! ”

Despite her words, Cameroon remains intolerant of LGBTQ people. By law, homosexual activity is punishable by up to five years in prison. Shakiro, an online trans celebrity, and her partner were sentenced to five years in May. With Nkom’s help, they were released in July, pending an appeal.

After Lamora’s nomination was announced, Catholic priest Etienne Bakaba of Douala, Cameroon, urged the Cameroonian government to reject Lamora.

“In 2015, the Pope refused a gay ambassador to the Vatican. Shouldn’t the Cameroonian state refuse the accreditation of the gay ambassador that Joe Biden is sending us? As a reminder, homosexuality is a crime according to Cameroonian law, the divine natural law,” Bakaba stated.

Lamora, who openly acknowledges his sexual orientation, appeared before a Senate committee in June and thanked his husband, Eric, for supporting him.

He described himself at a 2019 Gay Pride event in Ghana as “a proud member of the worldwide LGBT community.”

Source: 76 Crimes

20, December 2021

Yaounde: Africa Cup of Nations Could Be Cancelled ⁰

As the rise in COVID cases gets greater and greater, many games and competitions are in danger of getting postponed or even cancelled. From the NFL to the Premiership, games are being pushed back to later dates. Yet this could be the most important postponement. Africa’s most significant tournament, the Africa Cup Of Nations, could be postponed to a later date.

European clubs have threatened to take their players out from AFCON if the tournament goes on, which could create a type of tournament similar to the FIFA Arab Cup. There were not a lot of world-class players at the Arab Cup, leading to lessened exposure.

Additionally, Cameroon, the host nation, has been torn apart by civil war. The Anglophone Crisis has seen thousands dead. Some of Cameroon’s biggest stadiums are right in the middle of the warfare.

Yet CAF usually needs money from AFCON to stay afloat. Club competitions, other national team games, wages: most are dependent on the income AFCON makes. COVID and a civil war would ordinarily rule out a tournament for the time being, but CAF’s situation is entirely different.

The Expectation

Under immense pressure from UEFA, one might expect CAF to fold and reschedule the tournament for next summer. But CAF could just as easily disregard the warnings and continue with the tournament. This turn of events is especially unfortunate for Africa, but a decision needs to be made.

As numerous managers continue to start drafting preliminary rosters, the world watches in dread. Will the Anglophone crisis force AFCON to a halt. Will COVID cases leave national teams crippled? Only time will tell.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

European clubs, especially ones in the Premier League, are worried about the rising COVID cases in Africa. Look out for news about clubs pushing for postponement.

This week, defence officials said extra troops have been deployed to protect soccer fans and players all over Cameroon and vowed the matches in Limbe and Buea would go on, CameroonIntelligenceReport wrote. Limbe and Buea are towns caught in the middle of the unrest. Allowing games to continue there is a little bit arrogant and unsafe. Should CAF take a stance on this?

CAF has stuck to their guns and said that the show will go on, but red lists and relocation rumours still swirl in the air. If CAF continues the tournament, will towns near the unrest still host matches? Is a temporary truce in order?

Source: World In Sports

19, December 2021

France praises troops after probe into killing of civilians in Niger ⁰

France has praised its troops who killed civilians during a standoff in Niger last month after allegedly conducting an investigation into the incident.

Florence Parly, the French defense minister, said on Sunday that the country’s army had carried out an “internal investigation” into the clashes during in three people lost their lives during one of its convoy patrols in Niger.

The investigation came after Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum pressed for a probe into the Mali-bound French military convoy that sparked violent protests and led to the fatalities.

In November, the convoy ran into trouble in Niger after being delayed by protests in Burkina Faso, with the Nigerien government reporting three deaths and more than a dozen wounded.

French army spokesman Pascal Ianni said at the time that “no French soldier was wounded,” however, “two civilian drivers in the convoy were wounded through stones pelted at them.”

Declining to accept France’s responsibility in the deadly clashes, Parly said in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche that, “There was an internal investigation, which showed that in the face of great violence, our soldiers demonstrated the necessary control and reacted adequately.”

She added, “We continue to discuss with the Nigerien authorities to understand what happened before, during and after these clashes.”

The supply French convoy, which arrived on African soil in Ivory Coast earlier in the month, had crossed into Burkina Faso before entering Niger on its way to Mali.

It was heading for a base at Gao, central Mali, a hub of France’s Barkhane operation which claims to be protecting the Sahel region against militancy that began in northern Mali nearly a decade ago despite strong opposition from the said countries.

French troops are stationed in the Sahel region under the pretext of fighting the spread of extremist militant forces there, while reports have emerged that their convoys deliver arms to the Takfiri militants.

France recently deployed more troops in the Sahel despite opposition to its presence in the volatile region.

The United Nations declared in July last year that the spread of terrorist attacks in West Africa was so fast that the region had to consider bolstering its response beyond current military efforts.

Source: Presstv

19, December 2021

Turkey pledges 15 million Covid vaccine doses for Africa in goodwill gesture ⁰

Turkey will send 15 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Africa, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday at a major summit of the continent’s leaders, adding that the low vaccination rates there were a blot on humanity.

Ankara has invested heavily in developing trade and diplomatic ties with the world’s poorest continent during Erdogan’s rule as prime minister and then president since 2003.

Speaking to dozens of attending leaders and ministers, Erdogan said Turkey would ship 15 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Africa, where cases are rapidly rising and vaccination rates are low.

“We are aware of the global injustice in accessing the Covid-19 vaccine and Africa’s unjust treatment,” Erdogan said.

“It is disgraceful for humanity that only six percent of Africa’s population has been vaccinated.”

Turkey is developing its own vaccine, known as Turkovac, which is in the process of receiving emergency use approval.

Following any authorisation, it will be shared with Africa, Erdogan said.

It was not immediately clear from his remarks whether Turkey would first send some doses of the internationally approved vaccines it was currently using, including those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.

“In order to contribute to the resolution of this issue, within our means, we plan to share 15 million vaccine doses in the period ahead,” he said.

Soaring infection rates

The number of new infections in Africa has shot up by 57 percent in the past week, according to AFP calculations based on official figures.

South Africa is the hardest-hit country, becoming one of the first in the world affected by the new Omicron variant, which is believed to be even more contagious than past coronavirus strains.

Erdogan said Turkey wanted to strengthen relations with Africa in a wide range of areas including health, defence, energy, agriculture and technology.

“The real potential between us goes far beyond the targets we have,” he said.

In a final declaration, Turkey and African countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in several fields, including health “through further health sector investments”.

“With the declaration we have accepted at this summit and the joint action plan, we agreed on a road map to deepen our relations,” Erdogan told a closing media event.

Focus on trade

Trade between Turkey and Africa has grown in the past 20 years from $5.4 billion to $25.3 billion (4.8 billion euros to 22.5 billion euros) last year.

And in the first 11 months of 2021, it had reached $30 billion, Erdogan said.

Turkey has set an even higher target of trade volume for the future: $75 billion.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the third Turkish-African summit — by far the largest to date — was being attended by 16 African heads of state and 102 ministers, including 26 top diplomats.

Erdogan also held one-on-one meetings with African heads of state, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who have both expressed an interest in Turkey’s defence industry.

The next Turkey-Africa summit will be held in 2026 in an unspecified African country.

Source: AFP

19, December 2021

FIFA World Cup: After Arab Cup, Qatar faces bigger test ⁰

Qatar passed their first test with a successful hosting of the Arab Cup but bigger challenges lie ahead when 1.2 million fans and 32 international teams arrive for the World Cup one year from now.

Algerian rejoicing at Saturday’s 2-0 extra-time win over Tunisia in the final — exactly a year before the 2022 World Cup decider, and with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the stands — will have been accompanied by satisfaction from Qatari officials.

But now comes the hard work as Qatar prepares for the unique task of hosting a World Cup in and around a single city, Doha, with limited hotel accommodation and a transport network that is likely to come under strain.

The wealthy Gulf state will also be bracing for intense scrutiny after coming under fire over the rights of the migrant labourers who have built its infrastructure, including the World Cup stadiums.

And it will be mindful of a cultural gap when fans from around the world arrive in a conservative Muslim country with restricted access to alcohol, and where public drunkenness and homosexual relations are illegal.

More than 600,000 tickets were sold for the 16-team Arab Cup, including a Qatari-record 63,439 crowd when the hosts played fierce rivals the United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals.

Six of the eight World Cup venues were employed as Qatar took the chance to test its stadiums and training sites, transport, accommodation, volunteers and other areas including security.

A fan ID system was dropped midway through the tournament following reports of long queues and complaints from fans, but crowd trouble appeared limited to some damaged seats at the quarter-final between Tunisia and Oman.

‘Lessons learned’

Qatar will “take account of the lessons learned to organise the best World Cup”, said Jassim Al-Jassim, the organising committee’s vice-president of operations.

The Lusail Stadium, which will host the World Cup final, was notably not used for the tournament. In October, its project manager told AFP that it still needed final checks and tests.

Coaches were impressed by the facilities, with Algeria’s Majid Bougherra, a World Cup veteran, saying “everything is perfect” –apart, perhaps, from the accommodation.

“The stadiums are great, the pitches are great. Perhaps one small downside, but it won’t be the case at the World Cup, is that we were in the same hotel as everyone else,” he said.

“We congratulate (Qatar) on this beautiful Arab Cup and I think the World Cup will be exceptional,” Bougherra added.

Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz, the former Iran, Portugal and Real Madrid boss, said the Qatar World Cup has “all the ingredients to succeed”, but called for better communications.

“If there is one advice I will give to everybody, we need to talk, because the better we talk the better the harmony between the needs inside and outside the pitch,” he said.

Daniel Reyche, a sport policy and politic researcher and visiting associate professor at Qatar’s Georgetown University, said he was impressed by the organisers’ ability to learn from their mistakes, for example by dropping the fan ID.

“Overall, I think the test went well, but it is difficult to compare the FIFA Arab Cup and the FIFA World Cup, since most visitors this time came from within the country and next year they will come from outside the country,” he told AFP.

And after Qatar dismissed concerns from the LGBTQ+ community about attending the World Cup, FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura gave assurances next year’s tournament would be inclusive.

“People are free to display any kind of flag they want, including the rainbow flag, without them being targeted or singled out,” she said this week.

Source: AFP

18, December 2021

Double Standards: UN concerns about growing displacements in Cameroon ⁰

At least 100,000 people left their homes in the Far North region of Cameroon during the last two weeks due to growing violence, the United Nations (UN) warned Friday.

Intercommunal clashes that erupted in Cameroon’s Far North region in the past two weeks have driven at least 100,000 people from their homes, although the real number may be much higher, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said today.

UNHCR estimates that more than 85,000 people have fled into neighboring Chad in recent days, while at least 15,000 Cameroonians have been forced from home inside their country. Since humanitarian access in the area is very limited, these totals may be much higher.

“Indications points to displacement into Chad have accelerated fast, as the total is nearly triple the figure reported last week, when 30,000 people had crossed the border seeking safety,” said UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh.

According to UN figures, casualties from the fighting have also risen to 44 people killed and 111 injured, compared to 22 dead and 30 wounded reported last week. In total, 112 villages were burned down.

The vast majority of new arrivals in Chad are children, and 98 per cent of the adults are women. Some 48,000 have found refuge in 18 urban sites in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, and 37,000 people are scattered across 10 rural sites along Chad’s bank of the Logone River.

Along with the authorities, UNHCR, other UN agencies and humanitarian partners are rushing to deliver life-saving assistance. The agency has declared a Level 2 emergency and is rapidly scaling its operations to assist affected people in Cameroon and new refugees in Chad.

Refugees are in dire need of shelter, blankets, mats and hygienic kits. Some are being generously hosted by local communities, but most are still sleeping in the open and under trees.

Source: plenglish

18, December 2021

Macron cancels visit to Mali after new Covid-19 measures announced ⁰

French President Emmanuel Macron Friday cancelled a trip to Mali to meet transitional leader Colonel Assimi Goita after France announced new measures to battle the pandemic.

Macron was to meet Goita on Monday, for the first time since the Malian colonel was sworn into office in June after leading the country’s second coup in less than a year.

Macron was also supposed to pay a Christmas visit to French troops stationed there to fight a jihadist insurgency in the country.

“This decision was taken for consistency between the measures announced at national level and the president’s international agenda, and to not expose our troops” as France battles a fifth wave of the virus, the president’s office said in a statement.

The office said, however, that a Christmas meal prepared by the president’s chef would be flown over to French military personnel stationed in the Sahel country.

It added that organising the meeting with the Goita had been tricky even before the cancellation.

Macron had wished to meet Goita in the presence of Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo and Chad’s leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, but Chad refused this format.

Chad and other neighbouring countries are also involved in the fight against the jihadists.

The planned visit was due at a tense time in relations between France and Mali.

Paris is deeply concerned over the possibility that Russian mercenaries could be deployed in the African country as France begins to draw down its troops there.

Castex cancels Jordan visit

With France in the grip of its fifth COVID-19 wave, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a new push on Friday to get people vaccinated and said people would have to show proof of vaccination to enter some venues.

Castex also cancelled a trip planned to visit French troops stationed in Jordan from December 31 to January 1.

Source: REUTERS

18, December 2021

An Open Letter to Mr. Samuel Eto’o, the FECAFOOT President ⁰

Dear Mr. Samuel Eto’o,

I am writing this letter to you as a concerned citizen of Cameroon and as a Cameroonian who has been looking forward to the day our country’s football will be given a shot in the arm.

Like most Cameroonians, I was happy to see you win the elections, even when many held that you could not win. It has always been my wish to see someone driven by a strong passion for transparency and football development lead FECAFOOT.

As we all know, our country has many issues in that regard, and we all feel humiliated when our national team does not perform very well. For more than twenty-five years, our national team’s performance has been anything but spectacular. Internal fighting, of which you have been a part, failure to pay player allowances on time, and lack of insurance policies to protect players have made it hard for some of our most talented players, especially those playing abroad, to be fully committed to our national team.

Like most Cameroonians, I have been more than disappointed to see that Cameroon no longer has a good championship, whereas in the 70s and 80s, our second division clubs could produce formidable players for the national team.

Moreover, we have noticed that some of our former players have died in circumstances that have left many Cameroonians bitter and disappointed. No Cameroonian should die in frustration after having served his country, sometimes in the most challenging circumstances. A good health insurance policy could have saved some lives and such actions will only instill more patriotism in our young men and women who find pride in serving their country.

These are some of the issues you will have to deal with as you assume the mantle of leadership of our beloved FECAFOOT. You know the issues, and you have the name recognition that can help the country, especially our children, to dream big. You have been a successful player and you have always held Roger Milla as your idol. Many young Cameroonians also see you as their idol because of your success on the pitch.

But this time around, their faith in you is about something else. They see you as that man who can help them incarnate their dreams. They just want to play football and make us, the ordinary citizens, proud of them just as we have been proud of you when you brought those trophies to our beloved country.

Your time at FECAFOOT should be the most memorable. This is the first time a global football icon like you is leading FECAFOOT. I have seen videos of young Cameroonians pouring onto the streets to celebrate you.

This should inform you that you have a huge burden on you. To whom more love is showered, more is expected! Cameroonians love you. They admire you. They want you to remain the icon they have known for years.

But for you to continue earning their respect, you must deliver on your mandate at FECAFOOT. You must come up with mechanisms that will take care of our former players. You must work with your team to end the humiliation that the national team has been inflicting on Cameroonians.

There must be a mechanism in place to settle players before they head into battle. There are many Cameroonians who are experienced in that regard. Do not hesitate to seek advice from other professionals. Listening to others is the hallmark of a good leader.

Know when to make compromises and never hesitate to incorporate other people’s ideas into your initial plan, especially if those ideas are better than the ones you have. It never hurts to listen! Our national pride has been hurt because of the fighting and corruption at FECAFOOT and those who trust you, think you can help to change things for the better.

You now have a crown of thorns on your head, but that crown will be easy to wear if you adopt a collegiate approach to management which should be spiced with selflessness and humility.

I do not master all the rules establishing the Cameroon football federation, but from my perspective, FECAFOOT can invest in other income-generating activities in order to address some of those issues that have undermined the federation’s efforts to deliver meaningful results.

I would like to let you know that I have been keeping an eye on all your activities and I will praise you when you deserve my praises and criticize you when you fail to live up to the glorious expectations of our youths.

I have seen you sharing the same meal with your staff, and it has been widely reported that you are working hard to cut down on cost at the federation and the reduction of breakfast expenses is one of those measures you have taken. I pray this becomes the official policy of the federation and this policy should be extended to other domains.

Saving money is not a bad idea. However, I would like to draw your attention to what I think are some of the errors you have made since you taking office. The long road trip to Sangmelima was one great initiative. It helped you to see things for yourself and to reconnect with youths in that region of the country. However, the long convoy that accompanied you does not speak well of you given that you are also on a cost-cutting mission.

The many cars you used consumed lots of gasoline. The many drivers and officials earned per diem. The wear and tear put on those cars is a huge financial burden on a cash-strapped federation. Your convoy made you look more like a rock star than a man who is on a cost-cutting mission. If I were you, I would reflect on that.

Second, you locking out your collaborators because they were late for work was not the best decision you could have taken at that time. You should have given yourself sometime to observe and hold a meeting with departmental heads for them to cascade your concerns to their staff.

That would have projected you as a democratic leader. Locking people out of work is a clear sign of dictatorship and it does not speak well of you. I know you want to instill discipline in FECAFOOT but you need to take a look at some of your ways if you want to continue earning the respect of most Cameroonians who expect a lot from you.

Regarding corruption at FECAFOOT, be advised that you cannot fight it by talking about it. FECAFOOT must deploy the right state-of-the-art soft that will help to reduce the spread of this cancer within the institution. The world is full of software that can help you achieve this goal. Share notes with leaders of other federations and they will give you ideas that have helped them make giant steps forward in that regard. If you continue talking about it, it will seem as if you are targeting individuals and your opponents will accuse you of orchestrating a witch-hunt. Act more and talk less. Once the systems are in place, you will have a good night’s sleep.

Let me end here for now. You will always hear from me. I am driven by a passion to see you succeed. Our children and young men are looking up to you. You cannot afford to disappoint them. They deserve to be happy like you have been. Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Joachim Arrey, Ph.D.

About the Author: He is a keen observer of the Cameroon political landscape. He is driven by a strong passion for football, and he is committed to ensuring that Cameroon’s youths get a better life than the one their parents have. He is a language expert and provides language services to multiple international organizations. He could be reached at: arreyjoachim@hotmail.com.