

Cameroun: Communique du Gouvernement (13.04.2022)







In the Far North region, the combination of climatic factors and insecurity has left people unable to build up sufficient food stocks for the upcoming lean season.
NEW YORK, United States of America, March 2, 2022 – More than two million people living in 11 departments of the Far North, South West and North West regions will be in a situation of acute food insecurity in the coming months, according to projections by the Harmonized Framework of October 2021.
In the Far North region, the combination of climatic factors and insecurity has left people unable to build up sufficient food stocks for the upcoming lean season, usually between June and August but which could take place as early as April given the current conditions. Many households report already running out of food supplies. The low rainfall in recent months has prevented some crops from completing their growth cycle. Agricultural production has been attacked by rodents, locusts, seed-eating birds and pachyderms (elephants and hippos). These destructions particularly affected off-season crops, which are particularly important for access to food during the lean season.
The violence of inter-community clashes of December 2021 in Logone and Chari has resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of people to neighboring Chad and more than 35,000 people are still internally displaced in the departments of Logone and Chari, Diamaré and Mayo Sava, dependent on food assistance after they had to leave goods, production tools and farming lands behind them.
Security conditions have also had a negative impact on food availability and prices. This past year has seen a significant increase in the price of basic foodstuffs – the price of millet has for instance increased of 29% between January 2021 and January 2022.
Daniel Kalbassou, President of the Far North region, is worried about this situation: “We are asking for everyone’s support to help us anticipate and manage the upcoming lean season. We cannot solve this situation alone, which will have harmful nutritional consequences for the populations and, in view of the environmental factors, no improvement is to be expected in the short or medium term”.
In the North-West and South-West regions, the security crisis is causing frequent population displacements, reducing cultivated areas and agro-pastoral production capacities.
This food crisis is occurring in regions already weakened by crises and among populations affected by the socio-economic impact of two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the Far North, it is more than ever necessary to combine sufficient emergency food aid for the populations affected by the conflicts with a response to the underlying causes of the crises, in order to enhance long-term resilience capacities. populations. In the North-West and South-West regions, strengthening the humanitarian response is essential to meet the basic needs of the populations and improve their protection.
Signatory NGOs/ONG signataires :
Action contre la Faim
ALIMA
CARE
Danish Refugee Council
IEDA Relief
International Rescue Committee
Intersos
Lutheran World Federation
Norwegian Refugee Council
Première Urgence Internationale
Solidarités International



“The French Cameroun political commentator had been invited to sing the normal CPDM praises on Biya who turned 89. However, the outspoken Dieudonne Essomba instead told the world via Club d’elites that Biya is now unable to lead Cameroon. Essomba furthered “At 89 years old, one cannot manage a country. Biya who is 89 years old is at 25% of his capacity.” (…) “In a statement published by the Groupe L’Anecdote accompanied by Essomba’s picture, Vision 4 said Dieudonne Essomba’s contract had been terminated. “We would like to advise the public that Dr. Dieudonne Essomba, who was a consultant, in the capacity of guest speaker in Club d’elites, is no longer a member of staff with immediate effect. Vision 4 disassociates itself completely with any statements, be they political or of any other nature, that he has made in the past or may make to the press in the future.” (Daily News Cameroon – ‘Who decides if President Biya is unfit to serve?’ 16.02.2022).
We know that Cameroonian President Paul Biya have been the President since 1982 and was the Prime Minister from 1975. With this knowledge, we know that Biya have been the head of state and the in the inner-circle since mid-70s. Biya has with this been 39 years in power or 471 months in office.
With this in mind… we know that Biya has had his time… and he could have expressed a fair successor or someone to takeover for him. Yes, we know the son Emmanuel Franck is in the works, but certainly the Republic of Cameroon isn’t a monarchy. Nevertheless, he hasn’t ensured that or made the preparations for it. As his family lives lavish in Geneva and only temporarily visit the republic now and then.
The ones to look out for and the ones who is really the driving force in this government. That isn’t the old and advanced aged Biya. It is true he doesn’t have the capacity and his busy eating in Switzerland anyway. So, there is other people who is running it for him.
These are most likely the likes of presidency’s secretary general, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh and minister of territorial administration, Paul Atanga Nji. The third fellow who could be recognized in Cameroon Joseph Dion Ngute. In this regard, the two first should be the ones to really look out for because they have real power and influence.
We are clearly seeing that the state is vindictive and reactive towards the dissenting voices. Which I am sure is a reflection of the sentiments in Cameroon. It isn’t like the ruling regime is delivering any sort of services or fruitful peace. There is still brewing conflict in the Anglophone region. Not like any of the conflict or lack of progress has been resolved. No, Biya has ruled with an iron fist from afar and that’s evident here.
That’s why the journalist who spoke out got fired and lost his job. Because, he dared to question the competence and ability of the ageing President, which anybody can understand. It is not like your growing stronger and has more abilities with advanced age. Instead your reflective mind stagnates and body winds down. That’s why retirement age is an important tool to ensure people are fit for the jobs they are working. The same should be for the heads of state too. As they are the representative and the executive with massive powers in a territory.
Biya is only prolonging the agony and there will only be more of this. It will not stop and people will question him even more. As his age and the ghosting from the Republic is so apparent. We know he lives most of his days in his “retirement” home in Switzerland. While other rules on his behalf in Cameroon. That’s why he could practically retire and let new blood rule the Republic. Since, he has served and his dictatorship should cease to exist. However, I know that is a dream, which is a nightmare for the family of Biya. Peace.






In the East, Adamawa and North regions, World Food Programme cash grants are a lifeline.
ROME, Italy, January 5, 2022 – “Go get the children, we have to leave, they will kill us,” shouted Ousmane, Djanabou’s husband in the middle of the night, in December 2013. Having woken up abruptly, she gathered their four children, took the first bag of clothes she could find and got into her husband’s car. That night, Djanabou’s life was to change forever.
Djanabou and her family had no choice but to leave their home Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. On the road fleeing her hometown, cradle of a previously happy life, the muffled sounds of gunfire echoed through the screams and cries. Her husband continued to drive silently; their survival depended on it.
“We were shot at in the car, I was afraid we wouldn’t make it out alive,” she says, with tears in her eyes. It has been almost eight years since that fateful night, but she still remembers every detail of the narrow escape.
For years now, CAR civilians have continued to be victims of violence and abuses that have left thousands dead and injured. More than 290,000 Central Africans, like Djanabou and her family, have fled the fighting to the North, East and Adamawa regions of Cameroon, forced to abandon their homes, land and livelihoods.
Djanabou and her family found refuge in Ngaoundere in Adamawa.
Having abandoned their belongings, by 2016 the family were enrolled in WFP’s cash-based transfer programme which allows them to cover basic food needs in local markets. “We suffered too much from hunger after we left home,” says Djanabou as she finishes cooking jollof rice, a local delicacy with smoked fish, beef and seasonings, all mixed in a pot.
Her family, who used to be traders back at home, managed to save whatever was left from the monthly cash assistance the received once basic food needs were covered. With that saving, they were able to buy a table on which they began selling oil, peanuts and cornflour. With payback from this activity, they are able support their children’s education and health.
Djanabou was four months pregnant when she lost her husband to an illness. The mother of four ended up selling their food supplies and stuff from the small business to pay off the hospital debts.
Now, she is dependent on her 14-year-old daughter who engages in the sales of peanuts after school, earning barely US1 a week – though it’s such a small amount, Djanabou hopes to save so she can resume trading flour and peanuts, once her medical debts are paid off.
Hunger continues to be a problem as more and more people are uprooted in CAR. More than one in three refugee children under the age of 5 suffers chronic malnutrition. Meanwhile, funding to support humanitarian activities has declined significantly. In 2019, WFP was forced to cut its cash assistance by half. By November they had stopped altogether.
This risks rolling back the progress made in the fight against hunger in these regions, especially for someone like Djanabou, who finds herself affected by poor nutrition and no longer able to breastfeed her 4-month-old daughter. “With the money from the cash transfers, I could buy milk powder for my daughter,” she says. “Now that the money is reduced, I can hardly do so.”