Cameroon has appointed Brigadier General Valère Nka to command the Joint Inter-Service Schools and Training Centers Command (COMECIIA), nearly three months after the death of Major General Philippe Mpay.

President Paul Biya appointed Nka through a decree signed on Aug. 3, 2026. The appointment places him in charge of the strategic institution responsible for training personnel across Cameroon’s defense forces.

The position had remained vacant since Philippe Mpay died on May 9, 2026.

Mpay led COMECIIA until his death. He oversaw the training and professional development of military personnel from the various branches of the armed forces. Cameroon buried the late general on Aug. 1.

Nka brings extensive experience in military education to the role. Before his appointment, he commanded the International War College (ESIG) in Yaoundé, an institution that trains senior military officers from Cameroon and several other African countries.

Born on Oct. 31, 1956, in Sa’a, in Cameroon’s Lekié Division of the Centre Region, Nka has served in the Cameroonian armed forces for nearly four decades.

Throughout his military career, he has specialized in officer training and operational force preparedness.

The appointment comes as Cameroon continues to strengthen the capabilities of its defense forces in response to evolving security challenges.

COMECIIA plays a central role in the military’s professionalization by providing initial training, advanced instruction and operational adaptation for defense personnel facing emerging threats.

By appointing Brigadier General Valère Nka to lead the institution, President Biya has ensured leadership continuity following Philippe Mpay’s death while entrusting the modernization of military training to an officer with extensive experience in defense education.

Source: Sbbc