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- Inauguration of the UY II-Soa Digital Development Center
The digitization of higher education in Cameroon is underway. The University of Yaoundé II-Soa was the center of attention on Monday May 13, 2024, with the inauguration by the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders, Pr Jacques Fame Ndongo, of the state university's digital development center, two weeks after that of the mother of Cameroon's universities at Ngoa-Ekele. The ceremony was attended by the newly appointed rector of the University of Yaoundé II-Soa, Prof. Richard Laurent OMBWA, the local mayor Essama Embolo and many other personalities. This university digital development center opens the way to a new dynamic of evolution and revolution in higher education in Cameroon. For Minister Jacques Fame Ndongo, "it's all about putting into practice the Head of State's promises to young students, fervent defenders of good university governance. The ceremony that brings us together today is the materialization of the presidential project E-National Higher Education Network instructed by the Head of State, for the digital transformation of Cameroon's higher education system. Its objective is to set up Education 4.0, enabling students to take courses wherever they are, and thus translating the implementation of the University-Enterprise, an innovative concept contained in the Cameroonian Higher Education Orientation Law promulgated on July 25, 2023 by the President of the Republic," emphasized the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders. The aim is to train competent, well-informed Cameroonian students capable of contributing to the country's development. This breakthrough in university digital governance bears witness to the commitment of the government of the republic to the education and training of young people. It opens up new prospects for higher education in the country, by promoting access to quality digital resources and tools. For the Rector of the University of Yaoundé II-SOA, this center is the materialization of the Head of State's desire to modernize higher education in Cameroon, which is an added value by ushering in the era of digital teaching. The Ministry of Higher Education has made computer specialists available to the University of Yaoundé II-Soa on behalf of CDNU, and the university will subsequently need to recruit other computer specialists to ensure the smooth running of this modern infrastructure. For Pr Roger Atsa Etoundi, DSI/minesup, "this Center will enable us to be in contact with the 10 other state universities. Students will benefit from a high-speed Internet connection, and the courses taught will be deployed on the Sigires platform to give free access to all learners". On the sidelines of the inauguration, the Minister of State took the opportunity to take a look at the university halls of residence and the site for the institutions and grandes écoles under the auspices of the University of Yaoundé II-SOA, such as ESSTIC, FORD and IRIC. Clément Noumsi
- Construction of the Kumba-Ekondo Titi road, the BIR teams continue the work on the ground.
Despite a complex security context marked by intermittent work stoppages and strategic deployment of teams, construction work on the Kumba-Ekondo Titi road continues in the Southwest region. These are carried out under direct management with the involvement of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) and teams from the Ministry of Public Works (MINTP). As of May 13, 2024, it can be noted that the implementation of the base layer works is ongoing, as well as sanitation works. Regarding hydraulic structures, the human resources of the BIR and MINTP have been mobilized to provide technical solutions to identified problems regarding the calibration of hydraulic structures. As a reminder, following the attack on the SOROUBAT company in the South-West region, the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) took charge of the work, with the aim of carrying out project-related services and ensuring the safety of the project area. In 2023, the deployment of the BIR has made it possible to clear the right-of-way, carry out earthworks and prefabricate components for the sanitation works. Teams are now concentrating on pavement and hydraulic works. Clément Noumsi
- Presidential elections in Chad: A victory marred by bloodshed
On Monday May 6, 2024, Chad held its presidential election. The aim was to put an end to the transition in which the country found itself following the death of Field Marshal Idriss Deby Itno in the North on April 20, 2021. To everyone's surprise, on May 8, just three days after the end of the election, the Agence Nationale de Gestion des Elections (ANGE) published the final results. With 61.03% of the vote, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was declared winner in the first round. Shooting ensued throughout the country. These were referred to as "joy shootings", whereas everything seemed to point to acts of intimidation against opposition supporters. More than 20 people lost their lives, while hundreds were injured. Since the death of Idriss Deby Itno on April 20, 2021, Chad has lived through a transition marked by troubling and often violent events. While the Chadian Constitution stipulated that in the event of the President's unavailability or death, he would be replaced by the President of the National Assembly, the political scene has instead seen the emergence of a Military Transition Committee (CMT). The CMT arrogated all powers to itself, while propelling Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno alias MIDI, son of the late president, to the head of the country. On October 20, 2022, when the country was abuzz with demonstrations calling on the military to end the transition as promised and return to their barracks, the country was instead treated to carnage. People who had gone out to demonstrate in response to calls from civil society and the opposition were massacred. Figures vary according to the source. Chadian civil society spoke of at least 300 dead, while officials put the death toll at 75, mainly from gunshot wounds. The army took care to cordon off the country, invading the streets of the capital and many inland towns, killing and wounding demonstrators with their bare hands. This was a clear indication of the junta's determination to hold on to power by any means necessary, including force of arms. On February 28, opposition politician Yaya Djilo, cousin of Mahamat Deby and leader of the Parti Socialiste sans Frontières (PSF), was killed along with a number of his supporters at his party's headquarters. He was accused of having attacked the buildings of the National Security Agency. These and other events were already indicative of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's fierce determination to succeed himself at the end of the transition, and even to seize power. The electoral process, which has been marked by violence, bears witness to the determination of the ruling power in Ndjamena to endure beyond the turmoil and turpitudes, through violence of all kinds. In a country as large as Chad, the hasty announcement of election results (just three days after the polls) is a travesty. Chad, a country of 1.284 million km², has 23 provinces and 107 departments. During the last election, 8,202,207 (eight million two hundred and two thousand two hundred and seven) voters took part in the ballot, in over 20,000 polling stations. For one of the world's poorest countries, the proclamation of results is likely to be a lengthy process. The ANGE (Agence Nationale de Gestion des Elections) authorities themselves estimated that the vote count would take at least two weeks. But then, 3 days later, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was announced the winner by the same agency. Such an announcement takes Chadian democrats by surprise, as they thought they'd put an end to blood-stained political dynasties and anachronistic longevity. Regimes that derive their legitimacy from medieval subsidiary management, with little regard for the well-being of the population. TIENTCHEU KAMENI Maurice
- 77th World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.
« Keeping humanity alive » It was under this highly evocative theme that the commemoration took place on Wednesday May 8, 2024 in the Red Cross hall, in the presence of Mme Louise Luma Etonde épse Musongemembre du comite de direction de la Croix Rouge, representing the President. The week of activities ended with the presentation of trophies and certificates of participation to the various winners. In the stretcher race, the Red Cross Club of Yaoundé 3 commune came out on top, followed by Yaoundé 5 commune in second place and Yaoundé 4 commune closing the podium, all of whom received certificates of participation. At school level, the Complexe bilingue Notre-Dame de Lourdes won the gold medal, followed by the Lycée bilingue de Mballa II in the Red Cross Club competition. The week's activities have been synchronized across the national triangle since May 4, in the country's 58 departments (via departmental and district committees). It is important to recall the 7 fundamental principles of the International Red Cross that frame their actions, namely: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary service, Unity and Universality. The Movement is not a single organization: it comprises the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the 189 societies. The Red Cross was founded on the initiative of Henry Dunant, who helped wounded soldiers at the Battle of Solferino in 1859, then encouraged political leaders to take measures to protect the victims of war. Reaction Mme Louise Luma Etonde épse Musonge, member of the Board of Directors of the Cameroon Red Cross «May 8 marks the celebration of the founder of the Henry Dunant movement. Under the theme "Keeping humanity alive", several activities were carried out throughout the country. The most important thing to remember is that the Red Cross remains at the side of the people. This day is very important because our volunteers are there to alleviate people's suffering through humanitarian actions. ». Clément Noumsi
- Energy supply in Cameroon: Nachtigal injects the first 60 megawatts into RIS
Access to electricity: the Southern Interconnected Network now benefits from the very first 60 megawatts from the Nachtigal hydroelectric plant. The synchronization operation was carried out this Friday, May 10, 2024 by the Minister of Water and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, accompanied by the Ministers of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey and the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze. The first 60 megawatts from the Nachtigal dam were injected into the Southern Interconnected Grid (RIS) on Friday, May 10, 2024, by the Minister of Water and Energy, and should eventually help to reduce the energy deficit. With 420 megawatts in the pipeline, Nachtigal will eventually be the country's largest and most powerful power station. This long-awaited energy lung is destined to improve the rate of access to electricity in Cameroon, covering up to 30% of the population's needs. According to Vincent Leroux, CEO of NHPC, "The 50 km of transmission lines have already been completed, and all the teams on site are mobilized to produce the first megawatts. Our partners, who have placed their trust in us, are very much looking forward to this. In the field, more than 3,000 workers are hard at work to meet the commissioning deadline. For the Minister of Water and Energy, "we're facing a glaring deficit between supply and demand, which is why the country still relies on fossil fuel sources to produce energy. This has an environmental cost, and a very high financial cost, because here we're going to generate a kilowatt/hour at just 42frs, whereas with the power plants we produce nearly 30% of our energy, we're at nearly 200frs per kilowatt/hour. Industries produce almost the equivalent of this dam for their own account, with an overproduction of around 450 megawatts. With this start to production, the government is working to meet demand so that energy can be fully absorbed.». Clément Noumsi
- LIONS INDOMPTABLES: Marc Brys dribbles through Fécafoot, pre-selects 08 new players and brings back the old ones.
Cameroon Indomitable Lions coach Marc Brys, appointed by Sports and Physical Education Minister Narcisse Mouellé Kombi, has released a list of 30 players shortlisted for the matches against Cape Verde and Angola. The list was published on May 10, 2024, and includes 08 new players and several former executives, including Micheal Ngadeu and Choupo Moting. Qualification for the World Cup and the next African Cup of Nations. The aim of this list is to qualify Cameroon for upcoming African and world competitions. Prior to the publication of the list, Marc Brys was due to attend a meeting at the headquarters of the Cameroon Football Federation on May 10, 2024, chaired by Blaise Ndjounang, Acting Secretary General of Fecafoot, to get in touch with all the members of the technical staff appointed by Fecafoot. The Belgian did not attend the meeting. Instead, he honored the call from Minsep, where he gave a press briefing accompanied by his deputies. During this meeting with journalists, he published a list of 30 players pre-selected for the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon's next outings. Marc Brys' surprising list for the matches against Cape Verde and Angola. Aside from the return of Micheal Ngadeu, Éric Maxime Choupo Moting, Martin Honla, Christian Bassogog and Faï Collins, eight new players will be wearing the Cameroon men's A national team jersey for the first time. Among these is former Lille player Carlos Baleba, who has long been reluctant to make a decision about the Cameroon national team. U23 internationals Jackson Tchatchoua, Yvan Dibango and Guy Kilama, plus a few surprises in the shape of Raoul Danzabe, James Eto'o, Jules Armand Kooh and John Nchindo Bosco. All these new faces will have the privilege of appearing on the team sheet against Cape Verde and Angola on June 5 and 8 respectively. Former Dynamo player Ateba Mbida, Victoria United's Nathan Douala, Olivier Kemen, Fabrice Ondoa and several others who played at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire are absent from Belgian coach Marc Brys' list. J. Patrick DJON
- GANHRI or international recognition: CDHC accredited with "A Status" for the next five years.
For almost six months, the national human rights institution was evaluated by the sub-committee of the World Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. Details of Cameroon's efforts to protect, preserve and promote human rights can be found in the press release below. Download the press release here Clément Noumsi
- Cameroon-World Bank cooperation: PROLOG launched.
Putting the citizen at the heart of sustainable and inclusive development through collaborative State-CTD-Community governance. This is the primary objective of PROLOG (Projet Gouvernance Locale et Communautés Résilientes - Local Governance and Resilient Communities Project), whose official launch ceremony took place in Yaoundé on Friday May 10, 2024 by Georges Elanga Obam, Minister of Decentralization and Local Development, in the presence of Nicolas Perrin, Head of World Bank Business Operations in Cameroon. In his launch speech, the Minister explained that "the aim of the project is to increase community access to infrastructure that is resilient to climate change, and to build local capacity to manage resources and deliver services effectively. It is based on three main pillars: firstly, the completion of all the reforms linked to the decentralization and local development policy, with the continuation of the reform of the CTD's human resources, particularly the establishment of the local civil service, and the finalization of the regulations aimed at improving local authority finances, with an emphasis on local taxation and the transfer of financial resources, and the regulations on the evaluation and transfer of competencies. Secondly, to strengthen the technical, human and financial capacities of local authorities, with a view to improving governance and the delivery of public services. A specific subsidy instrument will be used to encourage local authorities to improve their performance through the purchase of related indicators.Thirdly, it will focus on providing people with the infrastructure they need to ensure their well-being, and to make them resilient to climate change. This will be achieved through the construction of community and inter-communal infrastructures. This will be achieved by strengthening citizen participation through the establishment of frameworks for dialogue and collaboration between the CTDs and neighborhood and village committees. The PROLOG project was created by Prime Ministerial decree on January 25, 2024, is scheduled to run for 5 years, and will be deployed in six regions: Adamaoua, North, Far North, North-West, South-West and East. For Nicolas Perrin, Head of the Global Pole of Expertise in Social Development for West and Central Africa, this is proof of the vitality of the relationship between the institution he represents and Cameroon. Reactions Thierry Hervé Jackson Ngwa Edielle, PROLOG 's coordinator « The aim is to change mentalities, as they are strongly focused on centralized decision-making, with projects defined by the central government and made available to communities. Here, we're going to have to work with the communities themselves, and you're well aware of the decree that Minddevel has issued to define how neighborhood and village committees are to be set up. So the project will work with these various committees to identify the needs of the communities, and once these needs have been identified, agreements will be signed between the project (Prolog) and the corresponding authorities, either the commune or the regional council, so that in the end the service will be provided at grassroots level. For all this to be possible, we need to strengthen the capacities not only of the State itself, which must provide advisory support to the local authorities, but also of the local authority staff who will be in charge of implementing the project. ». Georges Elanga Obam, Minddevel «Prolog, an initiative of the government and the World Bank, is a project that enables public authorities to provide decentralized local authorities and administrations with resources made available by the World Bank, with a view to giving them the capacity to respond to the concerns of populations in a particular context. Where there is a crisis, where there are displaced people. It's also about giving them the capacity to build infrastructures that are resilient to the climate changes we've been observing ever since. It's about ensuring that we promote gender, women and girls, and disadvantaged populations. It's all of these communities that we want to take charge of, so that in the long term, the solutions that are found not only contribute to development at local level, but also help to resolve the crises we're seeing in our country. If we have worked well over the next 5 years, with an endowment of nearly 190 billion CFA francs, we should see crises resolved, development progress and our administrations equipped to support the CTDs.». Clément Noumsi
- Opening of the new A.V.I CENTER Yaoundé branch
AVI Center is the undisputed leader when it comes to the support needed to obtain a study visa in France. It was well worth the effort, with CEO Jean-Yves MORIO in Yaoundé on May 6, 2024. CEO Serge MONKEL gave a presentation of the structure, which is "a broker in banking operations and payment services regulated by the French Monetary and Financial Code, registered with the Registre Unique des Intermédiaires en Assurance, Banque et Finance (ORIAS) under the number 19001588 and under the supervision of the ACPR (Banque de France)". A guided tour for the many visitors to the site was conducted he public agents benefiting from this service will now receive a message as soon as their AVI has been issued. Those in need can, using an internet connection and a cell phone, go to www.avicenter.fr, where they will provide the required information. Its value is currently estimated at around 7,380euros (equivalent to 615 euros/12 months). AVI Center has been ISO 9001 certified since June 2023 and this certification is valid until June 2026. For all student visa applications to France! Justify your financial resources to the consulate with the only ISO 9001-certified AVI and obtain your student visa. AVICENTER simplifies and secures this stressful experience by making it easy to justify your financial resources. But what is AVI? The Attestation de virement irrévocable (AVI) is a document required to obtain a student visa in France. It is issued in exchange for a deposit covering the student's financial resources while studying in France. A foreign student applying for a visa to study in France must provide proof of his or her means of subsistence for at least the first year of university in France. This is a requirement of the French administration to ensure that the student will have the resources for his or her basic needs for at least the first year of study. The inauguration of this new jewel, located on avenue Ahmadou Ahidjo, with 4 advisers on hand to provide information and a toll-free number. Reaction Jean-Yves MORIO, PDG AVI Center « We are a French company specializing in bank guarantees for studies. The services we offer are irrevocable bank transfer attestation, travel insurance, accommodation search and visa coaching. This Yaoundé office will act as a hub, with all our services in one place. Right next door, you've got Campus France, but we provide post-study services. As soon as students have access to our services, they'll be satisfied because they'll have a package. We've been in the field for more than six years Croos initially, but today AVI Center is a commitment to Cameroon's dynamic community. ». Clément Noumsi
- Resilient Animal Feed and Fodder Systems in Africa (RAFFS) project: Cameroon sets the African standard.
From May 6 to 10, 2024, Yaoundé is hosting a workshop to set up a multi-stakeholder platform (PMP) for feed and forage in Cameroon. At the opening ceremony on Monday May 6, 2024 at the Hotel Djeuga Palace in the city of seven hills, Minepia SG JAJI MANU GIDADO expressed the hope that the contributions of all concerned would lead to sound recommendations, so that the results would live up to expectations and give the industry better days ahead. The workshop was attended by Dr. Garga Gone, Minepia's Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Annie LEWA UA-IBAR and RAFFS point Annie Claire NGO ONGLA, as well as several heads of value chain stakeholders (breeders, feed manufacturers, feeders, butchers, etc.). The objective of this workshop was to identify feed and forage data needs aligned with priority needs and actions in Cameroon, to identify and map the main actors in data management in the feed and forage sector in Cameroon, to select data management tools and software, to design a data integration plan for key feed and forage data outlining implementation and data sharing plans and finally to develop a training plan. Reactions Mme Annie Claire Ngo Ongla, agronomist-zootechnician director at Minepia RAFFS focal point « This workshop is for a resilient project system that aims to encourage the production of the feed that underpins animal production. As you know, feed accounts for 60 to 70% of animal production, so we want to develop and strengthen the feed production system in Cameroon, in particular the production of feedstuffs, which constitute the complete feed, and the production of fodder, which constitutes the available biomass. So this workshop will enable us to set up a platform for these different players to be able to collect data, because we have a real problem collecting data on feed production in Cameroon, and to bring together the players in forage production and feed production. Participants come from all ten regions of the country. For the first two days, we'll be working with the players to set up the platform, which we'll be able to monitor. On the following two days, we'll be setting up a data collection system with the support of statisticians, and on Friday we'll be focusing on women, because we're in the process of setting up a network of women involved in agribusiness. It's a national representation that we're setting up because it's already on the continental level. A series of resolutions will be taken with the aim of better controlling production and quality, because right now it's a question of putting order into the sector in order to separate the wheat from the chaff. ». BOBBO BAKARI, CENEEBCAM « We need certain equipment in terms of mechanization. Breeders are waiting and ready to accept whatever measures are proposed. Today we're more dependent on sodecotton and sometimes that's not enough, there are climatic hazards, and if we can have the possibility of storage, of preserving them well and then in difficult times and being able to feed our animals that would be a good thing. ». Clément Noumsi
- CSO FOCAL POINT TRAINING: To strengthen the Community Initiative's commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in Cameroon
In the quest for a commitment to community initiatives, the Platform of Civil Society Organizations in Cameroon (POC), as a prelude to the organization of a Fair focused on inclusive and sustainable development, is taking the lead in building the capacities of focal points to combat social injustice for the inclusive and sustainable development of Cameroon. This initiative is taking shape through a two-day training workshop for focal points of civil society organizations in the far north from May 6 to 7, 2024, at the conference room of the Maroua 1er town hall. The aim is to facilitate coordination and collaboration between civil society organizations in Cameroon. Organized under the theme: "Strengthening community initiative commitment for inclusive and sustainable development in Cameroon", this workshop aims to provide the focal points of civil society organizations in Cameroon with the knowledge and skills they need to strengthen their capacity to embody strategic coordination and the convergence of multiple efforts towards common goals. The challenge of promoting civil society organizations, social, economic and environmental progress in Cameroon is at the heart of the debates, with particular emphasis on the fight against social injustice and the non-respect of human rights for the inclusive and sustainable development of Cameroon. As part of the unwavering commitment of civil society organizations to Cameroon's socio-economic advancement, the Platform of Civil Society Organizations (POC) is planning to organize a nationwide trade fair aimed at catalyzing dialogue, innovation and concerted action in this crucial area. According to Lucie Flessence Jepseu épse Ngaledeu Ndokeng, National President of the Platform of Civil Society Organizations (POC), the aim is to reaffirm commitment to the cause of Civil Society in Cameroon, and look to the future with optimism and determination. The current workshop aims to make focal points the architects of social change, the catalysts of innovation and the tireless defenders of the fundamental values of human dignity and social justice, in the policies, strategies and tools of governance in Cameroon. This approach is based on an in-depth analysis of the situation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Cameroon. Civil society is a major pillar of the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030 by the United Nations. The aim is to ensure that no one is excluded, a goal in harmony with policies aimed at reducing inequality and discrimination. This initiative is closely linked to programs such as the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy and the 50-50 by 2030 initiative. To strengthen this voice in favor of vulnerable social strata, CSOs are inviting all civil society organizations to stand up as one to reinforce the commitment to community initiative for the inclusive and sustainable development of Cameroon. A step forward for a Cameroon where equality and inclusion become the norm. Clément Noumsi
- Presidential elections 2024 in Chad ELECTIONS OR POLITICAL SETTING?
The presidential elections taking place in Chad this May 6, 2014 are somewhat special. They are taking place between 10 candidates skimmed by the Constitutional Council. But above all, they pit the current President of the Republic, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno (MIDI), President of the Transition, against Prime Minister Succès Masra, appointed only 6 (six) months ago by the President of the Transition, who is also in office. In other words, the two main candidates are bound together by the ties of their respective high government offices, leading many Chadians to believe that the dice are loaded. Some observers see this as a political staged event. While the Constitutional Council has authorized 10 (ten) candidates to run, one curiosity stands out. The President of the Transition, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, is a candidate, as is Prime Minister Succès Masra. Both are in office, and neither has resigned to take up a position in the Republic for the duration of the election. Mahamat Idriss Deby and Succès Masras were at loggerheads not so long ago, after a ferocious army crackdown on demonstrations organized by opposition parties on October 20, 2022. This date coincided with the promise made by the Military Transition Committee to return power to a civilian government. It was too good an opportunity for the military to slash the demonstrators. Across the country, at least 300 people were killed, most of them by bullets, and around 500 demonstrators were arrested. Almost the entire senior staff of the “Transformateurs” party, along with a host of other opponents, had to leave Chad. Many are still living in exile. Succès Masras went into exile in France. The Kinshasa agreement: a blank cheque for impunity? After a year in exile, Succès Masras returned to Chad this time as Prime Minister, following the so-called Kinshasa agreements. Supervised by Congolese President Félix Tshisékédi, and mandated by the Economic Community of Central African States, the agreement provides for a general amnesty law for all civilian and military actors involved in the events of October 20, 2022. For its part, the “Transformers” party is committed to continuing dialogue with the government, with a view to a peaceful global solution involving all players not included in the transition process. In addition, the President of this party pledges to work towards actions facilitating a return to constitutional order within a given timeframe. Lastly, the “les transformateurs” party undertakes to respect the fundamental laws and freedoms guaranteed by Chad's legal system, and to work for national unity. According to Théophile MadjitoloumYombombé, President of the Union des Travailleurs Progressistes pour la Cohésion (UTPC), quoted by the Africa News website, the government party that contributed directly or indirectly to the massacres of young Chadians must answer for their actions. For political scientist Evariste Ngarlem Toldé, quoted by the same news site, the amnesty compromise reached between the transitional government and “the transformers” cannot prevent international prosecutions. For this observer, “the agreement only commits the president of the ‘transformers’ and the government, but does not absolve the government of certain obligations. Tomorrow, perhaps the Chadian military will answer for some of their acts before the International Criminal Court", he asserts. For Joel Djastadom, quoted by the Deutsche Welle news site, who lost his nephew in these events: “A peace agreement is fine, but there can be no peace without justice. I'm still waiting for justice to be done for my nephew who was killed during these events. To say that it's all right, we're giving amnesty to the guilty in the name of peace, I think that's nonsense. Succès Masra has made a very serious political error. May 4 marked the last day of the election campaign, punctuated by the final rallies and voting instructions. Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, the candidate of the “Coalition for a United Chad” and current President of the transitional government, gathered his supporters in N'Djamena's Place de la Nation. In front of his supporters from 227 political parties, he expressed confidence in his victory in the 1st round, highlighting his record during the transition and his future plans. His main opponent, Dr Succès Masra, candidate of the “Justice-Egalité” coalition and current Prime Minister, held his closing rally at the N'Djamena racecourse, promising a “Chad of dignity for all”. A guarantee of power or simply a democratic alibi? These elections remind Chadians of the country's long-standing political practices of recuperation. Most observers draw parallels between the presidency of Idriss Deby Itno senior, Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo and his current successor Mahamat Idriss Deby and Succès Masra. All these Prime Ministers serve only as alibis, or even democratic guarantees, for an autocratic regime that will find it hard to democratize. One example is the controversy surrounding the Agence Nationale de Gestion des Elections (ANGE). Ultra-dominated by members of the Mouvement Patriotique du Salut (MPS), Mahamat Déby's party, it recently issued a communiqué prohibiting the filming of the minutes of the presidential vote. Moreover, this ANGE refuses to display the election results in the polling stations. In other words, all bets are off. Succès Masras is certainly playing for his political survival and that of his party, while the Chadian people, trapped by his sibylline political versions, will have to wait a very long time to benefit from the fruits of a genuine democratic transition. TIENTCHEU KAMENI Maurice
- AFRICAN WOMEN'S RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: A tough learning curve for Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses, crushed (00 - 55) by South Africa.
The Cameroon women's soccer team taking part in the African Women's Rugby Championship 2024 in Madagascar lost their opening match (00 - 55) to the South African team this weekend. The Indomitable Lions, who entered the competition in an atmosphere of uncertainty, must now work hard to assert themselves. The Indomitable Lions fall to the South Africans. The heavy handicap conceded by the Cameroon women's team (00 - 55) against the South Africans in their first match at the African Women's Rugby Championship, held in Madagascar since May 4, is no longer a secret to observers of the sport in Cameroon. For it is the consequence of a moribund management of the sport in general. The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon's women's rugby team fell to the South Africans in their opening match. The Lionesses will have to give their all in the remainder of this competition, held in Madagascar as a qualifying tournament for the Rugby World Cup, which is fast approaching. In this African championship, Cameroon shares the same pool with hosts Madagascar, Kenya and its tormentor South Africa, who are gradually positioning themselves among the top African teams in this competition. Sport in general is in a bad way in Cameroon But how are we to understand this heavy defeat for the Indomitable Lions of rugby? To answer this question, we must first recognize that sport is not doing well in Cameroon. If the rugby lionesses are taking part in African competitions despite their defeat, we have to recognize that other sports federations shine through inertia and sometimes fail to recognize the efforts of athletes who work for long years only to miss competitions through simple negligence on the part of their leaders. Examples include the African Games, where Cameroon missed out on soccer despite qualifying, and handball at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Hungary, where the problem of obtaining visas is just one example. As a reminder, the heavy handicap conceded by the Cameroon women's rugby team in their opening match against the South Africans at this competition in Madagascar is nothing other than the true level of Cameroonian sport, where everything is done to destabilize the real workers for personal gain. The Indomitable Lions left Cameroon on May 01, 2024 to take part in this ongoing competition, and will face Kenya and Madagascar in the coming days. J. Patrick DJON
- Renewable energies: the State of Cameroon explores ways and means of investing in this sector
That's the takeaway from the first renewable energy forum held at the Yaoundé Hilton hotel on Friday, May 3, 2024, organized by the Ministry of Water and Energy with support from Huawei Digital Power. In his opening speech, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water and Energy, highlighted the three major challenges to which it is important to find solutions: the challenge of security of energy supply, the challenge of energy prices, and the challenge of global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the government's efforts, the rate of access to electricity remains low, with disparities between rural and urban areas. In the face of climate problems, urgent thought is needed to find solutions that preserve the environment while ensuring energy development. Energy transition is the model to adopt. Under the theme “Renewable energies at the heart of Cameroon's socio-economic development: synergy of actions”, this forum aimed to propose the ways and means necessary to strengthen the contribution of renewable energies to our country's industrialization process by 2035. Four presentations enabled the experts to take stock of the issues. The first gave an overview of the current state of renewable energies and their prospects. The second, by Huawei, dealt with energy autonomy solutions for all. The third presentation, by the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development (Minepded), was on Green Finance: Opportunities for Renewable Energies, and the fourth and final presentation was on Investing in Renewable Energies: Opportunities and Challenges. The workshops provided an opportunity for experts to update participants and gather proposals or testimonials for strengthening the legal framework and investment opportunities in the renewable energies sector. It was with this glimmer of hope that the 1st forum on renewable energies in Cameroon drew to a close. Clément Noumsi
- World Press Freedom Day: UN PRESS CLUB and REPAC were in symbiosis on May 3, 2024 at the Wachou office
In conjunction with the organizations of the United Nations system in Cameroon, REPAC (Réseau des patrons de presses du Cameroun) and UN PRESS CLUB organized a conference-debate last Friday, May 3, 2024, at the Cabinet Wachou et Associés in Yaoundé on the theme: “Press freedom in a hostile environment”. After a welcoming speech by Thierry EBA, President of the UN Press Club, we heard a number of contributions, notably from REPAC President François Mbokè, Serge Banyimbe, UNESCO specialist in programs, communications and information, Jean Njita, coordinator of the United Nations Information Center in Cameroon, and Me Siméon Wachou, member of the Cameroon Bar. For Mr. Siméon Wachou, “society has the right to be informed on current issues that punctuate daily life, but it's up to those involved in the press to show responsibility in the processing and dissemination of information, which most often emanates from the source. Good information is information that does not propagate untruths and threaten social cohesion, information that is not intended to destabilize social peace. We look forward to the specialization of the press on criminal issues, and intend to give them our unfailing support. We wish good luck to this press, which we want to see ingenious, professional and ambitious, because it is the true barometer of the advent of the rule of law”. For Jean Njita, coordinator of the United Nations Information Center in Yaoundé, “journalists must take ownership of environmental issues and their consequences, while highlighting possible solutions. This requires a global strategy that includes: preventing and protecting crimes against journalists, guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression and the need for scientific research into access to key sources of information, as well as combating misinformation and disinformation, and promoting plurality and diversity of the media, particularly regional, local and community media”. For Serge Banyimbe, representing UNESCO, “the choice of the environment as a theme shows the urgency of doing so, and why the press in general should be involved, because if nothing is done, we'll be heading for disaster. It's a question of making the link between the danger facing our planet and the danger facing the press in general. It's about helping people make the right decisions, which is the essence of a journalist's work. Information is a public good and plays a fundamental role in decision-making. This means taking responsibility, because the authorities often turn a blind eye to certain details that are sometimes crucial. This counterbalance from the press often leads managers to integrate the aspect of environmental and social management”. For François Mbokè, “there's a need for ecological justice so that the press can play its part. It's a long-term battle, and the press needs the means to fight it, to be supported in a synergy of actions. Press freedom in a hostile environment is a major challenge of our time, because we have a responsibility to defend our planet. By working together, by raising awareness, by working in a concerted manner, we can preserve press freedom and guarantee free, independent and accessible information for all in the future”. A question-and-answer session brought to a close this day of commemoration, which was initially launched in Windhoek, Namibia, 30 years ago, before being adopted by the Assembly of Nations in 1999. Clément Noumsi
- Message from the United Nations Secretary-General on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.
Secretary-General warns of danger to journalists reporting on the environment and calls for protection of press freedom. The following is a message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, celebrated on May 3: “The world is going through an unprecedented environmental emergency that threatens the very existence of the present and future generations. Everyone needs to know about it, and journalists and media professionals have a key role to play in informing and educating. Local, national and international media can put the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and environmental injustice in the spotlight. Thanks to this work, people come to understand the plight of our planet, become mobilized and empowered to act for change. Media professionals also show environmental degradation. And in the face of environmental vandalism, they provide the evidence to hold those responsible to account. Not surprisingly, powerful individuals, companies and institutions will stop at nothing to prevent environmental journalists from doing their job. Media freedom is under attack from all sides. And environmental journalism is an increasingly dangerous profession. Dozens of journalists covering issues such as illegal mining, logging, poaching and other environmental problems have been killed in recent decades. In the vast majority of cases, no one has been held to account. UNESCO reports that some 750 journalists or media outlets dealing with environmental issues have been attacked in the last fifteen years. And the frequency of these attacks is growing. There are also legal actions, which are used to censor, silence, arrest and harass these journalists, while the propagators of false information about the climate, who are now legion, are constantly undermining tried and tested solutions, notably renewable energies. But environmental journalists are not the only ones at risk. All over the world, media professionals are risking their lives trying to inform us about everything from war to democracy. I am shocked and dismayed by the number of journalists who have been killed during Israel's military operations in Gaza. The United Nations salutes the invaluable work of journalists and media professionals in keeping the public informed and engaged. Without facts, we cannot fight misinformation and disinformation. Without accountability, we will have no sound policies; without press freedom, we will have no freedom. Freedom of the press is not a choice, it's a necessity. Our World Press Freedom Day is very important. I therefore call on governments, the private sector and civil society to join us as we reaffirm our commitment to protecting press freedom and the rights of journalists and media professionals around the world”.
- LIONS INDOMPTABLES: Hervé Renard says he has never discussed money with Cameroon.
Frenchman Hervé Renard was on the list of three coaches proposed last April by Fecafoot to the Ministry of Sport and Physical Education, with a view to replacing Rigobert Song at the helm of Cameroon's Indomitable Lions. The current coach of the French women's team claims never to have mentioned the salary for leading the Cameroon national team. Hervé Renard breaks silence « I haven't had any financial discussions with anyone. I met Samuel Eto'o in France, but at no time did we talk about money. I also read that I had asked for an advance on his salary. These are lies,” he told Jeune Afrique. Narcisse Mouellé Kombi However, in a letter dated April 6, 2024, from Sports Minister Narcisse Mouellé Kombi to the President of Fecafoot, it was revealed to the Cameroonian people that the list of three coaches proposed by the President of Fecafoot for the position of coach of the Indomitable Lions included a huge budget of 1.6 billion per year. The list included such well-known names as Hervé Renard, José Peseiro and Canavaro. The Minister was in a hurry to appoint a technical staff, which to date remains disputed. The day after the new technical staff appointed by Minister Narcisse Mouellé Kombi was announced, an emergency committee of the federation met and recommended that the President of the federation submit a list of proposals for the appointment of a new Indomitable Lions technical staff. How are we to understand this never-ending quarrel between the state and the federation? If Hervé Renard claims not to have discussed the financing of his salary, what could explain such an amount? The quarrels continue, and the matter is far from over. For good reason, the Ministry of Sport and Physical Education reveals that if the French coach's candidacy had been selected by the State of Cameroon under the proposed conditions Hervé Renard would earn a salary 06 times higher than that which he earns with the French women's team, which he has expressed his intention to leave next August after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in which his team will be taking part. White wizard Hervé Renard's salary demands Hervé Renard's annual salary is estimated at 400,000 Euros a year, or 260 million FCFA. In Cameroon, he would have earned 1.6 billion FCFA, 6 times more than his salary in France. At the head of the French women's team, Herve Renard earned 265 million FCFA a year. In Saudi Arabia, he earned 721 million FCFA a year. This is a new twist in the situation facing our soccer. I hope that interests will be put aside and that only soccer will triumph. J. Patrick DJON
- World Press Freedom Day: Journalism martyred
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on May 3. A singular day that should be celebrated, but which, throughout the world, with the exception of a few Western countries, is celebrated in a mortifying gloom. It's a gloomy mood that's deliberately created by the powers that be and the various regimes in power, and which is expressed more by the singularity of the vexations, tortures and other murders inflicted on journalists and media professionals, than by the exemplarity of their conduct towards this profession, which is the linchpin of all freedoms. In almost every country in the world, freedoms are increasingly being curtailed, rights trampled underfoot and obligations extorted on the altar of the behemoths of repression. The latter, triumphant, display as war trophies, freedoms triturated, hopes ruined, rights oppressed. Aspirations for freedom fall like remnants of a Precambrian vault, unable to withstand the disproportionate assaults of trolls and other cybernetic tools of the disinformation factory. Powers everywhere tend to regulate the press, in order to demonstrate their distrust of this fourth power, which claims to control the first three. Journalists pay a high price for the right to inform and be informed, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Journalists thus become the designated scapegoats for the ills of various societies, often undermined by atypical, inappropriate, even dehumanizing policies that spoliate rights and freedoms. Every year, May 3rd is a day of shame in most countries, when informing others becomes a crime if you refuse to take sides with the authorities in power, or if you join in with a rabble of thurifers devoted to power or its local appendages. It's a day when crimes are often washed away by pundits who no longer dare to take responsibility for their tumultuous antics, amid the ambient din of unbridled agitation sparked by end-of-reign appetites. In our country, this day takes on a very special connotation, with the assassination of Martinez Zogo, and the enforced disappearance of Samuel Wazizi. These deeds of war have created a wind of capitulation in most newsrooms, and prompted the desperate flight of the last squadron of “fusiliers de la plume”, who thought they were doing the right thing by denouncing, however timidly, some of their society's faults. As a result, newsrooms are now witnessing a self-flagellation of spirits, a dilution of feathers in speeches that tend more and more to take up the cause of the regime in power. The stars of freedom have faded away, replaced by dark nights overshadowed by squads of sycophants in support of the ruling power. The necessities of daily survival have taken precedence over critical leadership. The veracity of the facts is sometimes twisted in the throes of an incomprehensible ritornello, creating more noise than the clarity needed for objectivity to blossom. Feathers that used to be acerbic are now tending to soften, to blend in completely with the lineage of those in power. The truth is cut and dried in the den of venality. Fairness and impartiality now lie beneath the wreckage of a slew of curiosities, overshadowed by the ever-growing expressiveness of a hired press. Freedom of the press is under attack, robbed by gangs who think they're journalists. The latter shine more in singular hold-ups, with their pen transformed into a hoop, than in the search for the truth. This veracity has never been so much in jeopardy, even though it is ultimately the grail towards which journalists should strive. Phantasmagorical inventions now take the place of facts. And yet, when questioned, they give off a pestilential stench, sometimes oozing warlike rhetoric. The people are thus disillusioned, even flabbergasted, by outrageous comment and analysis, often coming from those who should be considered the beacons of society. Feathers that are more wavering than bold are emerging from all quarters to chorus to the scam, the bluster and the imposture. As a result, public opinion is plunged into the mire of fake news and other infoxes, which stifle free will and distort the information provided by the press. The latter, however, should serve as an aid to decision-making. A decision that is now being called into question, given that today's journalists no longer embody the values of accuracy and probity. As a result, people are turning away from it, which is increasingly undermining this profession, once considered the best in the world. The journalist thus becomes the object and vector of dumbing-down, through the labeling of lies. State lies, nefarious collusion with castes embroiled in various violations of human rights, including the most imprescriptible rights. He is thus transformed into a puppet in the hands of the excavators of truth, under the guise of a broadcaster of information. It is the standard-bearer of relic lies, which end up shaping a society in the throes of decomposition. Our society is losing its bearings. Vexatious acts against the ethics and sound practice of the profession are erected as a pennant of sagacity and discernment. Criticism becomes rare and risky, while the leaden cloak of repression hangs over investigation. The profession is invaded by a vague-à-l'âme expressive of the prevailing gloom, and it is now almost forbidden to “say nothing to harm and keep nothing quiet to please”. The cherubs of information are thus carried, through the muffled shadows of the “gumbo”, towards the heap of clouds that threaten the profession. The public has not been mistaken, as it increasingly tends to trust bloggers, influencers and other whistle-blowers. The profession is thus entering the dark tunnel of losing its reputation. This gloomy atmosphere calls into question the magnificence of the profession's best praxis, which over time has broken its wings under the caudine forks of duplicity. TIENTCHEU KAMENI Maurice
- Agreement: Minader seals partnership between Regional Bank and FBPC
The banana-plantain sector is to become the primary instrument of Cameroon's national import-substitution policy. The conference room of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was cramped on Thursday, May 2, 2024, to accommodate all those who came to attend the signing of this partnership agreement between the national association of players in the plantain sector in Cameroon, represented by Samuel Tony Obam Bikoué, and the Managing Director of Regional Bank S.A., under the watchful eye of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gabriel Mbaïrobe. The event was attended by Armand Ndjodom, Secretary of State in charge of roads at the Ministry of Public Works and promoter of the plantain sector in the East region, Boumba and Ngoko, Mrs Bambot Grâce Annih née Mbong, Secretary General of Minader, in the presence of several cooperatives and microfinance partners in the sector. Translated with DeepL.com (free version) In his speech, Minister Mbaïrobe recalled the government's efforts to encourage the growth of this crop, with the creation of a micro-plant production center in the Njombè Penja area in the Littoral region, and the construction of four processing units at Mvagan in the South region, Afanloum in the Centre region, Dimako in the East region and Bangem in the South-West. These four centers will support plantain processing to industrialize production in the sector. The signing of the framework agreement was attended by representatives of planters' organizations from Adamaoua, Centre, East, Littoral, North-West, West, South-West and South. For the Reverend Pastor Charles Rollin OMBANG, ADG of Regional Bank, God is the first farmer, for he put Adam in a garden. The signing of this agreement comes less than two months after the opening of the first agricultural branch on the national territory, a choice positioning for a bank that aims to be the bank of farmers. With its listing on the Central African Stock Exchange, the Regional Bank aims to be the guarantor of this sector, the driving force behind Cameroon's import-substitution policy. According to Samuel Tony Obam Bikoué, President of the Association of Plantain Sector Stakeholders, “there are two main aspects to this signature, namely the financing of our microfinance partners, who have been working alongside the sector for the past three years, and the second and most important aspect, the financing of all links in the plantain value chain. The aim is to turn this into a value chain in which each link plays its part and flourishes. Cameroon lies between two major markets, Nigeria and the DRC. But to do things right, you need to go through a necessary and compulsory incubation period to succeed as an agricultural entrepreneur. The plantain festival will be held for the third time at the end of 2024, under the name Banana Tour, with Brazil as the country of honor, and will culminate in a gala match between former world soccer glories from the two countries (Brazil and Cameroon). The aim is to create a cluster in each region to create a homogeneous whole capable of pooling efforts for the benefit of all players in the value chain”. The signing of this framework partnership agreement between the Cameroon plantain industry association and the Regional Bank promises to be the launching pad for the import substitution policy in the agricultural sub-sector, in line with the objectives of the SND30. Clément Noumsi
- 138th FIT: Celebration on Boulevard du 20 Mai.
Under the theme of “constructive social dialogue as a factor in the promotion of decent work and social progress”, workers from the city of seven met on the boulevard on May 1, 2024 for the Workers' March. The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Grégoire Owona, presided over the big parade in Yaoundé, surrounded by a large delegation of his fellow government members. After the UGTC president was decorated by the Mintss, three speeches by the trade union confederations set the scene before the speech by the Mintss, who praised the social dialogue that is a reality in our country. This year's theme suggests the need for perfect harmony between the employer and employee groups, while calling on the trade union movement to play its role as intermediary between the productive force and business leaders. It's a marriage of reason, and communication between the two parties remains very important for a winning partnership. This is the role of social dialogue, which, according to the ILO, must be backed by a set of negotiations, consultations and exchanges between the tripartite (government, employers and workers) on issues of common interest relating to a country's economic and social policy, with the aim of creating the conditions for decent work that fulfils workers' aspirations in terms of income opportunities and rights, family recognition and stability, personal development, equity and equality for social cohesion. The aim of this ideal is not to forget the performance objectives of companies, the providers of wealth for their workers. The theme of this year's celebration highlights the win-win partnership that ensures social cohesion in companies and families alike, fostering an environment conducive to productivity and well-being thanks to the quality of professional relations. Employers and trade unions are called upon to play fair in social negotiations to the benefit of all, far from selfish interests. The festivities continued in the various headquarters around the agape until late in some places, with popular festivities. Clément Noumsi
