5, March 2025

MTN Cameroon appoints Wanda Matandela as new CEO ⁰

MTN Cameroon has officially appointed Wanda Matandela as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), marking a significant milestone for the company as it continues to expand its footprint in the telecommunications sector.

With a strong background in leadership and strategic development, Matandela is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening MTN Cameroon’s network, enhancing digital services, and driving customer-centric innovations. His arrival emphasizes a renewed focus on technological advancement, market expansion, and financial inclusion, reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering seamless connectivity to millions of Cameroonians.

As MTN Cameroon navigates an evolving digital landscape, Matandela’s leadership could pave the way for new opportunities, increased investment in infrastructure, and improved access to digital financial solutions. This transition highlights the company’s vision of promoting sustainable growth, innovation, and digital transformation in Cameroon and the region.

Source: Telecomreview

5, March 2025

Bishop Bibi, journalist, driver “all doing well”: Diocesan Official ⁰

Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi of the Catholic Diocese of Buea is in stable condition, and is recovering “well” alongside a journalist and driver following a grisly accident he was involved in on February 28, the Chancellor of the Cameroonian Diocese has said.

In a statement ACI Africa obtained, Fr. Michael Kengnjoh says that Bishop Bibi who was accompanied by a journalist was involved in the accident while travelling to participate in the Consecration of Bishop-elect Justin Georges Ebengue of the Catholic Diocese of Yokadouma.

According to Fr. Michael, the Cameroonian Bishop, who appeared injured went on to attend the Saturday, March 1 Consecration after a brief medical examination.

“I wish to notify you that on Friday February 28, 2025, Bishop Michael Bibi while approaching Yokadouma, had an accident. The car tumbled twice and regained stability,” Fr. Michael says in the statement dated Sunday, March 2.

He adds, in reference to Bishop Bibi, his driver, and the journalist, “They continued to Yokadouma, where after a brief medical examination, they attended the Consecration Mass and then moved to Yaoundé, for further medical attention.”

The three, according to the Chancellor, “are all doing well as per the medical reports.”

“The Bishop, however, has some pains on the chest and head which are subsiding. Mr. Ottop has some pain on the neck, and the driver has no problem at all,” the Cameroonian Catholic Priest says, and adds, “Let us continue to pray for God’s protection, healing, and guidance on them.”

Source: aciafrica

1, March 2025

Manyu Division: Why are we so poor? ⁰

Manyu Division is one of the most populated and educated divisions in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, but it is unfortunately one of the poorest in the country.

What could be responsible for Manyu Division not having wealthy people despite the education they have received? Is education synonymous with being wealthy?

Whatever its form, education remains a key component of life. The purpose of any educational endeavor is to spread knowledge given that knowledge is the currency of life. But what is really education?

Education is lifelong learning. It is the knowledge which stays with us once we lose the theory we learned while in school. This implies that once we leave our formal institutions, we must continue to learn as life is a journey of learning and what we learn out of school goes a long way in shaping our lives and destinies.

If what we learn out of school weighs more than what we learn in the formal educational system when it comes to wealth creation, why then do we invest a lot of time picking up certificates and degrees?

Degrees and certificates were designed to help us get jobs, but jobs alone cannot make us wealthy. Jobs can help us to be financially stable but financial independence and freedom which are the outcomes of years of financial literacy and education depend on years of financial planning.

Earning a salary does not make us wealthy as any hiccups wherever we are working could take us down the path of financial hardship. However, years of saving and astute planning can give us the seed capital we need to establish small businesses while still earning our salaries.

By building sources of passive income, we may guarantee ourselves some degree of financial independence. Savings guarantee us a good cushion when things fall apart, but assets will guarantee us alternative sources of income which will cushion the impact of any financial crash.

However, be advised that poor people save while rich people invest. When you save money, you enrich banks but when you invest in assets like stocks, real estate, gold and other wealth-generating investments, you earn more money and you will reduce your dependency on your job.

Nobody ever hires you because he wants you to become wealthy. Your employer hires you because he wants you to help him become wealthy. While doing your job professionally, always remember that one day you could be cut out. No condition is permanent is an expression which has been around for decades and it cuts both ways.

While putting aside something at the end of the month is advisable, we should understand if we have the possibility of saving, then we also have the possibility of borrowing. Debt is not a bad thing if used for the right purpose. Never use debt to buy a luxious car as a car used for non-business purposes is a massive liability. Never borrow to pay rents for your home or a girlfriend. If you start life that way, you will be caught in a financial trap which will keep you in debt for a long time.

Before you adopt a lifestyle, always acquire assets which can finance the lifestyle you have adopted. Borrow to invest and ensure your loan is self-liquidating. Many people fail in life financially because they do not have a sound understanding of money and wealth.

So, why are we, Manyu people, not wealthy? Our obstacle to wealth creation is our prioritization of degrees over skills and talents. A typical Manyu man thinks that he can impress people with his degrees and this has transformed him into a peacock whose ego is consuming him. He is yet to understand that formal education was designed to enable us to see beyond our noses while skills were designed to help us find high-paying opportunities.

People with exceptional skills and talent earn huge amounts of money which can help them build wealth very fast. For example, Samuel Eto’o was blessed with a talent he developed through hard work and training, and because he was surrounded by people with a sound knowledge of wealth and money, Eto’o very quickly became very wealthy. He sacrificed the short term for the long term and today, he is enjoying a beautiful life while seeking to build value for other people.

You don’t need terminal degrees for you to become wealthy, but if that is the only thing you can acquire with your time, please do get the degrees but don’t hold that you must be the wealthiest because you have the degrees and do not always run down the reputation of others when you hear that they have made it financially.

Being the best in class does not imply that you must be the wealthiest. The talent for building generational wealth is different from an academic talent. Building wealth takes patience, determination and consistency. Only people with a huge appetite for risk make it financially and we Manyu people are risk-averse.

Academic success, for its part, only requires us to recite and reproduce our lecturer’s notes and he will score us highly. That should not make us cocky. If we are cocky, we make it hard for others to share their ideas with us. We may be degrees-rich, but not necessarily ideas-rich and wealth building requires ideas, flexibility and openness.

Our educational knowledge which is supposed to guide us through life sometimes becomes an obstacle, especially regarding the building of sustainable and enduring partnerships in business. We, the people of Manyu, will be doing ourselves a favor if we deflate our ego just to work with other people.

Our short term mindset is also to blame. Our mindset can either be a financial jail or a Garden of Eden. The choice is ours. We can either agree that wealth is the crown of the wise by displaying some abnegation in the short term so as to have an easy future or we embrace an easy choice in the short term and deal with a tough long term.

Building wealth takes time but most people of Manyu descent seem to be oblivious of this divine principle. Trees don’t bear fruits on the same day and even if they do, we do not have to eat our fruits and seeds just to prove a point. Some of us even eat the fruit and cut down the tree out of arrogance and the consequences of such actions always come back to hurt us in a big and bad way.

Once most of us start working, we always start thinking of putting out our statements of intent. We are always all over the place like a very bad rash, making the most noise, abusing alcohol and scheming to own all the beautiful women in town. Beautiful women always come in different sizes, shapes, heights, skin color and attitudes and there is just no way can one man own all women even in a small village.

Smart people are supposed to focus on their long term goals while turning a blind eye to all the social distractions which have ruined many lives. When you understand the long game and you engage in it, you will in the long term get the women you need. The long game requires us to invest in the short term, acquire assets and live a beautiful life when the investments start delivering their secrets. Life is not a race and even if it is, it is not about who sleeps with more women or drinks the finest wines in existence. We are first and foremost wealthy in our minds before becoming wealthy in our pockets. Our mindset determines how fast we can grow financially. If people of Manyu descent can understand this simple logic, many of them will be wealthy and their Division will be an example to others.

Unfortunately, common sense is sense that is not common. That is why 1% of the world will continue to rule 99% of the world. The arrogance of formal education has hurt people of Manyu Division, strapping them to financial poverty and robbing them of the possibility of building generational wealth. Their towns and villages are like ghost towns, begging for a facelift, but the people themselves have been caught in a spiral of show-off and wastefulness.

Manyu has seen its fair share of human disasters. Unfortunately, thunder always strikes twice in the same place in Manyu. The people do not like learning from the mistakes of their predecessors. Their love for office work has blinded them to modern realities. A young Manyu man will accept to earn CFAF 50,000 in the Senior Divisional Officer’s Office instead of engaging in agriculture to earn CFAF 300,000 a month. He is wired to see problems and not opportunities. Where there are problems, there are opportunities and where there are complaints, there is much money to be made. Opportunities always show up in overalls and the Manyu man does not like the sight of overalls. He loves white shirts which attracts poverty. A mentality re-engineering is required among the youths of this Division.

Until the Manyu man resets his mind, his will continue to be a life of financial hardship. Until he understands that your net worth depends on your network, he will continue to think that he is not successful because others hate him for his so-called superior academic credentials. People get hired and paid huge sums for their skills and not their degrees.

Wealth goes to those who are humble, determined, and persistent and have faith in their dreams. Self-belief can take a man to the heights of the most challenging mountain.

If Manyu has to be great, its people must start seeing things in a different light. When a man changes the ways he sees things, the things he sees will automatically change. Wealth like poverty is a system. You must understand the system and you must work for your wealth. You must make the necessary sacrifices. You must believe in the long game. Miracles don’t exist. We must manufacture them. Anything that appears to be miraculous or mystical to us simply indicates that there is a lack of knowledge in that environment.

By Dr. Joachim Arrey

1, March 2025

Yaoundé: Nchindo Jean Bosco crowned Ballon d’Or ⁰

In an emotionally charged evening at the Palais des Congrès, young prodigy Nchindo Jean Bosco made headlines by winning the prestigious Cameroonian Ballon d’Or. This crowning achievement signifies the emergence of a new generation of talent that could transform the landscape of national football.

Previously unknown to the general public just a few months ago, Nchindo Jean Bosco has quickly established himself as the standout revelation of the season. The young striker from Young Sports Academy (YOSA) has dazzled experts and fans alike with his silky technique, keen game vision, and impressive goal-scoring capabilities. Competing in the shadow of the major clubs in the capital, he has nonetheless captured the attention of scouts with his exceptional performances in the MTN league.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will also be remembered for the surprising reconciliation between Samuel Eto’o, president of the FECAFOOT, and the Minister of Sports, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi. “I would also like to address my minister who is here tonight… It is true that we have seen certain situations from opposing angles. Your Excellency, Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, the president of one of your federations that I am part of, thanks you,” stated the former FC striker.

In this atmosphere of reconciliation, Nchindo Jean Bosco received his award, symbolizing a Cameroonian football that seeks renewal and aims to reclaim its place on the continental stage. The young forward outperformed several favorites, demonstrating that talent can sometimes overshadow fame.

This accolade comes at a crucial time for Cameroonian football. As the national team navigates a challenging transitional period, the rise of young talents like Nchindo Jean Bosco provides a breath of fresh air.

The trajectory of this young striker echoes the paths of greats who have brought glory to Cameroonian football. From Samuel Eto’o to Roger Milla, the country has consistently produced exceptional talents capable of shining on the international scene. Nchindo Jean Bosco appears ready to bear the weight of this rich legacy.

Beyond his individual talent, this recognition also highlights the training efforts of Young Sports Academy. This club, less publicized than the major teams in Yaoundé or Douala, demonstrates that with a clear vision and dedicated work, it is possible to nurture exceptional talents, even away from the limelight.

The new Cameroonian Ballon d’Or now embodies the hope of an entire nation eager to reclaim its place at the top of African football.

Source: Footboom

1, March 2025

419: Two Cameroonians arrested in the US for targeting elderly victims and causing $10 million in losses ⁰

Two men living in Southern California were arrested today for allegedly leading a complex money laundering scheme that targeted more than 100 victims, many of whom were targeted because they were elderly, and caused victims more than $10 million in losses.

Sylas Nyuydzene Verdzekov, 38, of Chino Hills, and Lovert Che, 44, of Lomita, were taken into federal custody today. A third defendant, Mustapha Nkachiwouo Selly Yamie, 29, of Inglewood, is being sought by law enforcement. Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Verdzekov and Che are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

“As the indictment alleges, these defendants built a sophisticated fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted and preyed on our most vulnerable citizens. They not only stole the victims’ money, but robbed them of their security and trust,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Let this serve as a clear message: If you defraud members of our community, especially the elderly, we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Financial fraud against our elder population has unfortunately lined the pockets of several transnational criminal organizations,” said HSI Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our most vulnerable and ensuring the public is informed of the red flag indicators of elder fraud.”

According to the indictment, from at least November 2021 and continuing to the present, Verdzekov, Yamie, and Che, and their co-conspirators, created fake identification documents of fictitious people, including passports and driver’s licenses. Using these fake documents, the defendants and their co-conspirators created at least 36 shell companies in California, which conducted no legitimate business and were created solely to advance their crimes.

Verdzekov, Yamie, and Che, and their co-conspirators, opened at least 145 bank accounts and at least 32 private mailboxes across Southern California using the fake identities and sham businesses.

In one scheme specifically targeting elderly victims using phone calls and email pop-ups, the defendants and their co-conspirators posed as law enforcement personnel or employees with well-known companies attempting to help the victims maintain the security of their accounts. They then allegedly fabricated claims of victim bank accounts or payment accounts being compromised and needing to be resolved quickly.

The defendants and their co-conspirators convinced the victims of their purported authority through pictures of fake badges and fake job titles, then requested the victims’ personally identifiable information (PII) and bank account information. Victims were told they needed to move money from their corrupted accounts quickly to ensure they kept all their money, and to move it into accounts that Verdzekov, Yamie, and Che, and their co-conspirators, fraudulently opened and controlled. Victims typically moved money via electronic bank transfers, money orders, cashier’s checks, or personal checks into these fraudulent bank accounts or mailboxes.

The defendants and their co-conspirators then deposited the ill-gotten gains into the bank accounts they controlled with the intent of disguising the ownership and control of the funds. Verdzekov, Yamie, Che, and their co-conspirators then withdrew large cash amounts to use the stolen funds on personal expenses, including rental payments.

In a similar scam, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly posed as a real estate owner selling property. Using fake identification and credentials, the defendants deceived victims into believing that they were entering into a legitimate sale of the property and tricked the victims into wiring money or mailing a check to an account or mailbox the defendants and their co-conspirators controlled.

In total, Verdzekov, Yamie, and Che, and their co-conspirators, laundered at least $10 million in funds taken from at least 100 victims.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Homeland Security Investigations’ Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter. The investigation remains ongoing.

1, March 2025

Angola: Cholera outbreak kills over 200 ⁰

The number of people killed in the latest cholera outbreak in Angola has risen to 201, the country’s Health Ministry announced.

A total of 5,574 people have been infected since early January, the ministry said in a press release on Friday.

Cholera cases have been reported in 13 of Angola’s 21 provinces. The outbreak originated in the capital province of Luanda, which has recorded the highest number of cases, followed by the neighboring provinces of Bengo and Icolo e Bengo.

1, March 2025

Southern Cameroons Crisis: 9 Amba fighters surrender in Bali ⁰

Nine Ambazonia fighters, including a commander, have surrendered to troops loyal to the regime in Yaoundé in the Northwest region, local officials said on Saturday.

The fighters turned themselves in to government officials in the town of Bali. On Friday, they were presented to the public at a ceremony attended by local authorities, soldiers and residents.

“We have come to apologize for any wrongs we have committed. We ask for your forgiveness,” one of the former fighters said while addressing the crowd.

Bali is one of the hotspots of the separatist insurgency.

Authorities said the surrender is a crucial step toward achieving lasting peace in the war-torn region and urged other fighters to lay down their arms.

Since 2017, government forces have been clashing with armed separatists seeking to establish an independent state in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions, Northwest and Southwest.

Source: Xinhuanet

27, February 2025

Football: the rise and rise of Etienne Eto’o’ in La Liga ⁰

Carrying the weight of his father’s legendary name, Etienne Eto’o is carving out his own path at Rayo Vallecano. The 22-year-old striker, son of Cameroonian icon Samuel Eto’o, has experienced a turbulent early career with stints at Mallorca, Oviedo, Vitoria Guimarães U23, and lower-division clubs Poblense and Unión Collado.

However, his move to Rayo Vallecano’s reserve team last summer has brought stability and success. After netting 15 goals in the Spanish fifth division last season, he continues to shine, leading his team’s push for promotion while earning opportunities with the senior squad.

With Sergio Camello injured, Eto’o was called up for Rayo Vallecano’s La Liga match against Villarreal, making a brief but significant debut.

Already featuring in four La Liga matches and scoring in the Copa del Rey, he expressed his joy: “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. When I was called, I thought about all the sacrifices, my family, my mother, and everyone who supported me.”

His coach, Iñigo Pérez, sees great potential in him, hinting at more playing time. Meanwhile, Eto’o continues to dominate in the reserve team, scoring 21 goals in 23 matches, including six braces and a hat-trick this weekend. His journey is far from his father’s legendary career, but his steady rise in Spain is undeniable.

Source: en.africatopsports

27, February 2025

Southern Cameroons: football match-fixing scandal rocks Victoria United ⁰

The president of Limbe- based Victoria United club, Valentin Nkwain, is accused of kidnapping and torturing his team’s goalkeeper, Eric Parfait Djomeni Fokam , just 19 years old, for three days.

The goalkeeper is also a player for the Cameroon U-20 national team and, according to the media; everything happened after the president accused him of placing bets and selling his team’s matches.

After the news that has already “broken through”, the club itself has denied anything about such an incident.

Dynamics: police station, then seizure

Nkwain initially accompanied the doorman to the local police station to confess to the crime, but Erik denied everything and was immediately released. At this point, according to Cameroonian media reports, the president allegedly hired two people and sent them to Djomeni’s house to kidnap him and take him to his villa, where he was tortured for three long days in order to extract a confession.

The goalkeeper’s mother is said to have reported the incident; after going to the club’s offices to seek information, she was rudely expelled by the president. The National Union of Cameroonian Footballers (Synafoc) stood by the goalkeeper.

“Justice for Eric Parfait Djomeni! The young goalkeeper of Victoria United was kidnapped, held captive and tortured by the infamous president of his club, Valentin Nkwain. Eric Parfait Djomeni, you have my full support,” wrote Jacques Marcel Itiga, head of communications for Cameroon’s trade unions.

The president is a friend of Eto’o

President Nkwain was already at the center of a scandal 18 months ago for promoting his team to the first league thanks to the help of Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Federation and his friend, who were wiretapped in a telephone conversation.

“You have to stay calm. Our club has to be promoted to the first category, that’s our goal. But you have to give me a hand, you can’t make too much noise, you have to stay calm,” the club president said.

Denial of the club and the goalkeeper

The club wanted to deny the incident in a statement.

” False rumors are circulating that are throwing mud at our team. There is no truth to it .”

Shortly afterwards, a video of the goalkeeper himself denies everything.

“As you can see, I was not kidnapped. We are training normally, there is no problem. What came out on the internet is not true. I saw my mother yesterday,” says the goalkeeper.

The doubt remains that this is a mandatory denial.

Source: Voxnews

27, February 2025

Cameroon is currently not high on the US foreign policy agenda—but it should be ⁰

The country, at the crossroads of Central and West Africa, faces uncertainty across political, social, economic, and security environments. This is happening at a time when the United States’ global competitors are opportunistically seeking engagement in Cameroon and the region, boxing out the United States as it looks to protect its interests there.

Paul Biya, Cameroon’s ninety-two-year-old leader, has been in power as president since 1982, and from 1975 to 1982, he was the prime minister. Currently rumored to be in poor health, Biya is not seen frequently in public, has little direct contact with US or other foreign officials, and remains relatively recluse. The country faces economic and security challenges despite having a resilient, young population and a capable (yet stretched) military—one with significant experience gained from navigating armed conflict (at home and abroad); counter-piracy, counterterrorism, and peacekeeping, campaigns; and efforts to contain an insurgency in the English-speaking regions of the country.

Biya’s age and the country’s elections, due to be held in October 2025, bring into question what comes next for Cameroon. Navigating the aftermath of Biya’s presidency will require a coordinated and elevated strategic approach by senior US officials. If crisis breaks out in Cameroon, US missteps could play a part in thrusting the country and the region into significant upheaval and instability.

On paper, the president of Cameroon’s Senate, Marcel Niat Njifenji (who was appointed by Biya), would succeed the Cameroonian president in an untimely vacancy. Njifenji—currently at ninety years old and reportedly in poor health—would be tasked with holding elections between 20 and 120 days after the office becomes vacant, as outlined by Cameroon’s constitution. That is a relatively difficult job, even for the nimblest governments. As the ruling political party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement and its allies retain all facets of political power in the country. Many key opposition leaders have been divided, fled to self-imposed exile, or have passed away over time. Those in government hold relatively little power for actual change. In recent years, it has seemed possible that Biya would elevate his son as a successor in what has become a trend for the region, but the success of that approach is far from guaranteed.

Absent a unifying leader—one that is unlikely in a country not easily unified by ethnicity, religion, or language—a dangerous and violent scenario could unfold. Acute political instability would unsettle both West and Central Africa and would provide oxygen to armed groups in the Anglophone Crisis as well as in the Chad Basin (where the extremist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State—West Africa Province are active) and in the porous eastern border with the Central African Republic. Opportunistic criminal networks could exploit any power vacuum in Cameroon and nearby, including next door in southeastern Nigeria.

The question remains: Why should the US government care about Cameroon, a country roughly the size of California with a gross domestic product around the size of Alaska’s, internal and external security issues, and a paralytic gerontocracy? Thus far, despite Cameroon’s strategic location, large economy, and incredible diversity, the United States and Cameroon have been unable to set up a winning partnership that benefits the Cameroonian people. As Cameroon increasingly looks to China as a development partner of choice, the United States should realize that its influence in Cameroon can’t be taken for granted.

US-Cameroon relations have historically been prickly and sometimes even outright rocky. Cameroon has come to distrust the United States after a series of real or perceived slights, including misunderstandings about contested presidential elections in 1992 (that ultimately saw Paul Biya prevail), suspension from the African Growth and Opportunity Act during the first Trump administration, and certain US policy decisions regarding conflict in the Anglophone regions of the country, which led to severe restrictions on US foreign assistance and military cooperation. US-Cameroon relations have also been affected by the fact that a small minority of the Cameroonian diaspora in the United States has engaged in the Anglophone Crisis, including by rallying funding, commanding fighters, and publicly coordinating messaging campaigns for militia groups seeking independence from the Francophone-dominated government. While the US government took some steps to reign in these actions, Cameroonian officials saw extended timelines on the US response and limited results as fundamentally unhelpful. At the same time, some members of the Cameroonian diaspora felt that the US government should have exerted more pressure on both the Biya-led government and armed groups to negotiate an end to the conflict. Back in Cameroon’s capital, the Biya-led government (in keeping with its history as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement) kept its options for international partnership open by engaging with Russia and China, in addition to France, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

From Cameroon’s standpoint, US engagement lacks consistency, seeing as Washington has been one to walk away, reduce foreign assistance programming, or limit security cooperation when Cameroonian human-rights or governance issues (which Cameroon perceives as domestic issues) become bilateral foreign policy irritants. Regardless, US policymakers expect Cameroon to accept the US worldview even if it doesn’t meet the country’s development, security, or economic goals.

One reason the United States should care about Cameroon is because of the country’s role as an economic hub for the region. Cameroon, located on the Gulf of Guinea, connects landlocked Central African countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic to the Atlantic Ocean. Cameroon’s ports at Douala and Kribi (the latter a project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative) provide a significant economic lifeline, facilitating the export of crude petroleum, natural gas, and timber and the import of refined petroleum, food, and clothing. Like many global ports, these port facilities also function as hubs for criminal networks and conflict actors. For example, according to the Africa Report, the Russian paramilitary organization Wagner Group used the port of Douala to enrich themselves and move their assets further inland.

The United States also has an economic interest in a secure and transparent Cameroon. Currently, Cameroon struggles with corruption, although efforts to combat such corruption remain ongoing. A loyalty-based patronage system as well as paper-based procurement processes (through which it is easier to exchange bribes) contribute to this climate. According to the US Department of State, US firms have said that corruption is most pervasive in government procurement, the award of licenses or concessions, monetary transfers, performance requirements, dispute settlements, the regulatory system, customs, and taxation. Efforts to hold officials accountable for corruption are mixed. In 2012, Cameroonian authorities found former Minister Hamidou Marafa Yaya guilty of corruption, but Marafa denied making any attempt at embezzlement and said his detention is politically motivated—and a United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded his detention is arbitrary, saying his right to a fair trial had been violated. In 2023, a Cameroonian court sentenced former Minister of Defense Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o, his wife, and three other co-defendants to prison for corruption charges involving military contracts (Ngo’o and his wife denied any wrongdoing).

There is much at stake in Cameroon. Here are ten recommendations for the Trump administration.

Recommendations for the immediate term

Develop a high-level interagency Cameroon strategy. It should include visits by senior US Department of State and other executive-branch officials. This effort can reinforce the work of the US ambassador to Cameroon as a potential crisis looms. In an era of great-power competition, this strategy should include a clear definition of US goals in Cameroon, in addition to a review of the US foreign policy tools available to assist Cameroon with its development, security, and governance challenges.

Intensify engagement and meetings with all parties involved in the upcoming presidential elections. Avoid statements or appearances that could be interpreted as picking potential successors, which were the source of ruffling in the US-Cameroon relationship in 1992.

Focus on creating stronger economic ties with Cameroon while also supporting human rights and good governance. This is what Cameroonian officials tell US officials that they want. Previous US policy reduced economic and commercial ties in Cameroon out of concern for human rights and governance, using standards that may not be universally applied to other non-African countries facing similar challenges. Instead, the United States can push for improved human rights and governance (for example, by advocating for the release of high-profile political prisoners such as Marafa) while also pursuing stronger economic and commercial ties.

Seek wider perspectives beyond government-to-government contact. Engage credible voices on Cameroon in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere in real and consistent policy discussions instead of one-off roundtables that lack staying power and impact. Doing so can ensure that the United States has access to a full range of views about the political process and to networks that the administration can draw upon in a crisis.

Proactively engage congressional leaders and their senior staff on Cameroon matters. This can be accomplished through testimony, hearings, the Congressional Research Service, and other legislative branch tools. Encourage congressional staff and member delegations to Cameroon to inform other congressional staff and members of what is at stake.

Recommendations for the short-to-medium term

Task the intelligence community with assessing the political, economic, social, and security situation in the country. This assessment should outline critical public messaging themes that can help unify Cameroon in a potential crisis, the key players in the country’s future, and potential successors among the political, economic, and military elites. The assessment should include listings of monetary assets, real estate and commercial holdings, and any US dollar-denominated bank accounts. The intelligence assessment should also shed light on money laundering and terrorist financing vulnerabilities for this regional banking hub, and it should map and analyze the relationships key Cameroonians have with Russia, China, and Israel for potential leverage points during a crisis.

Hold a tabletop exercise to plan for realistic political scenarios. The tabletop exercise should include agencies from across the US government and also the US embassy in Cameroon. Such an exercise would help the US government understand what the various scenarios mean for US personnel, Peace Corps volunteers, and US facilities in the country. In Cameroon, most official US personnel and facilities are based in Yaoundé, so evacuation may be difficult: While Yaoundé has an international airport, the Cameroonian international airport that offers the most flights and destinations is in Douala, nearly five hours away. Such challenges require early contingency planning.

Learn from past mistakes in Cameroon and more recent ones made elsewhere, for example in Sudan. Political transitions can happen quickly. Ensuring that the US government has a strategy and network to draw from in a crisis or post-crisis scenario can help decisionmakers as they articulate what a positive relationship with Cameroon could look like—potentially with an untested or unknown leader. Doing so may go a long way toward building credibility.

Develop a quick response package. Drawing on an interagency Cameroon strategy, an intelligence assessment, and lessons learned from the past, the US administration should take proactive steps to prepare diplomatic and economic statecraft tools that can be rapidly deployed in the event of crisis. For example, the US administration should consider sanctions targets and be ready to announce them quickly. Government departments and agencies—including State, Defense, Treasury, the Development Finance Corporation, the Millenium Challenge Corporation, and others—should have humanitarian aid, economic support, and incentives for security sector reform ready to deploy quickly in a crisis.

A recommendation for ongoing strategy

Do not wait on traditional allies such as the United Kingdom, France, or others to act in concert. US and ally interests in Cameroon often do not align. France, now on the back foot in several African countries, may not be able to help. Russia and China are in Cameroon for themselves. Global competitors are already aggressively pursuing their political, economic, and security goals in Cameroon.

Cameroon faces an uncertain future. US policymakers have the opportunity to change Cameroon’s trajectory by accompanying the country as it navigates its future uncertainties. Should Cameroon’s future bring wider violence, the potential for the country to fracture around ethnic, linguistic, religious, or other lines could look similar to, or potentially worse than, the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in southern Europe in the 1990s. But if Cameroon can successfully navigate the period ahead with the United States as a viable partner, it will have contributed to stabilizing the heart of Central Africa, building a brighter and stronger future, and keeping US global adversaries at bay.

Source: Atlantic Council