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Yaoundé: Bishops conclude 51st Plenary Assembly with call to reject violence

Yaoundé: Bishops conclude 51st Plenary Assembly with call to reject violence

Catholic Bishops in Cameroon have concluded their 51st Ordinary Plenary Assembly with a call on the people of God in the Central African nation to reject division and violence and work together for peace, unity, and integral human development.

In his remarks during the closing Mass of the May 31 to June 5 Plenary Assembly in the Catholic Archdiocese of Yaoundé, the President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea, urged citizens and leaders alike to embrace dialogue, service, and national solidarity as the country faces social, political, and economic challenges.

“The Cameroonian society of today and tomorrow should be one where peace is not a simple slogan but a personal and institutional style that rejects every form of division and violence,” Archbishop Nkea said during the Friday, June 5 Eucharistic celebration.

He envisioned a society where leaders “listen attentively to citizens, where public authority serves as a bridge rather than a source of division, and where those entrusted with power place themselves at the service of the people.”

The Local Ordinary of Cameroon’s Bamenda Archdiocese also underscored the vital role of young people in shaping the future of the nation, describing their energy and creativity as “invaluable assets for building a peaceful and prosperous Cameroon.”

Calling on citizens to overcome resignation and feelings of helplessness, he underscored the need for all Cameroonians to recognize diversity as a “treasure capable of fostering lasting peace and social cohesion.”

“The 51st Plenary Assembly is coming to an end, but in fact the work has only just begun,” Archbishop Nkea said, noting that NECC members would return to their respective Episcopal Sees with a renewed commitment to promoting peace through their pastoral ministry and personal witness.

He emphasized that local Churches have a responsibility not only to proclaim the Gospel and administer the sacraments but also to “defend human life, especially the lives of the most vulnerable members of society.”

Archbishop Nkea further underscored the Church’s role in addressing contemporary challenges, including those posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.

He said the Church must continue to provide moral guidance and bear witness to Christian values in an increasingly digital world.

“The Church is the place where the Word of the Lord must be proclaimed, listened to, welcomed, and lived as a word of life and salvation,” he said.

The NECC President encouraged Church leaders to help the faithful deepen their love for Scripture and Christian teaching, emphasizing that the Church possesses the human, intellectual, moral, and pastoral resources necessary to fulfill its mission.

During the plenary assembly, the Catholic Bishops also welcomed the appointment of Mons. Paul Nyaga, former NECC Secretary-General, as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Edéa following the retirement of Bishop Jean-Bosco Ntep.

Archbishop Nkea thanked Pope Leo XIV for the appointment and assured Mons. Nyaga of the prayers and support of Cameroon’s Catholic Bishops as he begins his new ministry.

He also congratulated Fr. James Ndifon, who assumes the role of Interim Secretary-General of the Conference.

The 51st Ordinary Plenary Assembly of the NECC brought together Catholic Bishops from across Cameroon to review pastoral priorities, discuss national concerns, evaluate Church projects, and strengthen their collective mission of evangelization.

Throughout the gathering, Archbishop Nkea said, the Catholic Church leaders prayed for peace in Cameroon and around the world while seeking ways to respond to the challenges in Church and society.

Source: aciAfrica

Biya leaves for Europe as Yaoundé await new cabinet

Biya leaves for Europe as Yaoundé await new cabinet

President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya, has departed the country for a brief private stay in Europe, according to an official communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic.

The Head of State left Yaoundé on Sunday, June 7, accompanied by First Lady Chantal Biya. The presidential couple departed from the Nsimalen International Airport aboard a special flight. Authorities did not specify the destination or duration of the visit, stating only that it would be a “brief private stay” in Europe.

According to the communiqué, the President is accompanied by the Minister and Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo; the Special Adviser at the Presidency, Joseph Fouda; and the Chief of State Protocol, Simon Pierre Bikele.

The trip marks President Biya’s first visit to Europe in more than eight months. His previous stay on the continent ended on October 1, 2025, when he returned to Cameroon shortly before the presidential election of October 12, 2025.

At the time, his return ended weeks of speculation over his prolonged absence from the country and enabled him to personally lead his re-election campaign. He subsequently cast his vote in Yaoundé and was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Constitutional Council on October 27, 2025, securing an eighth consecutive mandate with 53.66 per cent of the vote.

Since returning from Europe in October 2025, the 92-year-old President has maintained a busy schedule of official engagements. He presided over celebrations marking the National Day on May 20, received several foreign dignitaries, and took part in events linked to the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon.

The private visit to Europe comes after several months of sustained state activity and may provide the Head of State with an opportunity to rest and recuperate as he continues his current seven-year mandate, which has more than six years remaining.

The trip marks President Biya’s first visit to Europe in more than eight months. His previous stay on the continent ended on October 1, 2025

Government Reshuffle Still Awaited

The President’s departure also comes at a time when expectations remain high regarding the formation of a new government. During his end-of-year address, President Biya announced plans for significant changes within the executive branch.

Since then, the government successfully enacted constitutional reforms in April 2026 that reinstated the position of Vice President, a major institutional change that many expected would be followed by fresh appointments.

However, no appointments have yet been announced, and Cameroon continues to await a cabinet reshuffle. The country’s last major government reorganisation dates back to January 4, 2019. The prolonged wait has fueled speculation among political analysts and the public alike over the timing and scope of the anticipated changes.

As with previous private visits abroad, the President’s trip is likely to spur discussion regarding his health. Over the years, periods spent in Europe have often generated speculation on the physical condition of the veteran leader.

However, neither the Presidency nor official government sources have indicated any health concerns related to the current visit. In recent months, President Biya has continued to appear at major state functions and official ceremonies, including National Day celebrations and diplomatic engagements.

While questions surrounding the health of Africa’s oldest serving elected head of state frequently surface in public debate, no official statement accompanying the trip mentioned medical reasons for the visit.

For now, Cameroonians await further communication from the Presidency regarding the duration of the stay and the eventual return of the Head of State, whose absence coincides with growing anticipation over the future composition of the government and implementation of recent constitutional reforms.

Source: Panafricanvisions

Trump says he would be ‘honored’ to meet Iran’s new Leader

Trump says he would be ‘honored’ to meet Iran’s new Leader

US President Donald Trump says he would be “honored” to meet Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, newly-elected Leader of the Islamic Revolution, if a deal is reached to end the war between the two countries.

“I’d be honored to meet him,” he told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, adding, “If we make a deal, it’s possible that I would meet… I’d be okay with that.”

The remarks come weeks after Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei was elected Leader of the Islamic Revolution by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, following the martyrdom of his father, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in a cowardly US-Israeli strike targeting his residence in Tehran on February 28.

The Assembly convened in an emergency session three days later and elected Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei — a senior cleric long active in religious and political affairs — in a vote that drew widespread support across Iran.

Trump’s expression of willingness to meet the new Leader marks a notable shift in tone, even as Washington continues to impose an illegal naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports. Tehran has repeatedly slammed the act as a violation of ceasefire which took effect on April 8 in Islamabad.

Avoiding ‘Jimmy Carter’ moment

Also on Thursday, Trump claimed that he had considered and ultimately rejected a covert special operations mission to seize Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, citing the risks of a prolonged presence in a war zone.

“There was a time at the very beginning when we thought about doing that, because they would have not been watching, but they would have found out,” he said.

Trump invoked the memory of the 1980 failed US mission in Iran — widely associated with President Jimmy Carter’s political downfall — as the reason he stepped back.

“I didn’t want to be Jimmy Carter. I didn’t feel like being Jimmy Carter,” he told reporters, adding that retrieving Iran’s uranium would require weeks on the ground with heavy equipment.

“It’s not like Venezuela, like you go in, you’re there for a matter of minutes and you’re out and everybody’s waving goodbye,” Trump said. “You need massive equipment to airlift the equipment, and you’re in a war zone.”

His remarks comes as the US faced a strategic defeat in April following an attempt to have American troops in Isfahan, in early April.

According to exclusive details shared with Press TV, the US and possibly Israeli forces conducted extensive aerial reconnaissance ahead of the raid, during which they lost several aircraft, including at least one A-10 Thunderbolt II and two Black Hawk helicopters.

These initial operations set the stage for a disastrous mission orchestrated by the White House.

Contrary to the official narrative of a rescue operation for a downed F-15 pilot, the real objective was to infiltrate and attack one of Iran’s nuclear facilities in Isfahan.

The landing site for the C-130 transport aircraft was chosen near a critical nuclear site, and Iranian forces had anticipated the operation.

When the first C-130, carrying US special forces, landed on an abandoned dirt airstrip, it veered off the runway. As a second C-130 approached with support equipment, Iranian forces struck, forcing an emergency landing.

American commandos were trapped, and the operation quickly shifted from a nuclear infiltration to a desperate rescue attempt.

Despite efforts to extract the trapped forces, many soldiers abandoned equipment, including an officer’s identification, as they fled. US fighter jets bombed their own aircraft to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands.

Source: Press TV

Cameroon defense footwear factory reaches 60% completion

Cameroon defense footwear factory reaches 60% completion

Yaounde’s military footwear factory has reached 60% completion, Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo said during an inspection visit to the construction site on May 28.

The facility, known as the Central Master Shoemaker Workshop, is being built at the Joint Services Technical Training Centre (CFTA) in Ekounou, Yaounde, and will produce shoes, boots and other footwear for Cameroon’s defence and security forces.

The minister was accompanied by the Secretary of State in charge of the National Gendarmerie, senior military officers and defence officials. During the visit, project architects and technical managers presented progress reports on the works and the architectural design of the facility, which is being built by Visa Longchamp SARL.

Built on a site of about 1,730 square metres within the CFTA complex, the workshop is located near the military tailoring factory commissioned under an earlier phase of the country’s defence industrial development programme. The site sits between the centre’s mortuary and football stadium and is positioned about 10 metres from the tailoring facility.

Project manager Elie Martial Chokouaha said construction works were expected to be completed within five months, with structural works currently 60% complete.

The factory will comprise a production building covering approximately 4,850 square metres, including a 54-square-metre entrance hall, a 34-square-metre showroom, office space, sanitary facilities, changing rooms, maintenance areas, storage units and a dedicated production section.

According to project managers, the structure will be roofed with galvanised steel sheets, while administrative areas will be tiled and external spaces paved and fitted with drainage infrastructure to facilitate water evacuation.

Once operational, the workshop is expected to serve as a central production unit supplying footwear to Cameroon’s defence and security services. Officials said the facility would help strengthen the reliability of military supply chains while supporting the development of local industrial capabilities.

The project follows the commissioning of a military uniform production factory and is part of a broader programme that also includes plans for an ammunition factory and an armoured vehicle assembly unit. Authorities say the initiative is intended to strengthen logistical autonomy for national security operations while supporting local technical expertise and industrial activity.

The inspection concluded with a tour of the site and discussions between the minister and project engineers on construction progress and delivery timelines.

Source: Sbbc

African banking regulators meet in Yaoundé

African banking regulators meet in Yaoundé

Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, is hosting the annual conference and meeting of the Community of African Banking Supervisors (CABS) from June 4 to 5, 2026.

Held under the theme “Strengthening Prudential Cooperation and Financial Stability in Africa,” the event brings together banking regulators from across the continent to examine how supervisory frameworks can adapt to rapid changes in the financial sector.

The discussions are expected to focus on risk management in an environment shaped by accelerating technological innovation, the expansion of digital financial services, the emergence of new financial instruments, and evolving prudential risks.

“In a rapidly changing financial environment, marked by accelerating technological innovation, the growth of digital financial services, the emergence of new financial instruments, and evolving prudential risks, it is essential to strengthen cooperation, experience-sharing, and regulatory convergence among African supervisors,” said Yvon Sana Bangui, president of the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC), the banking regulator for the CEMAC region, which includes Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.

Established in Algiers on January 10, 2013, the Community of African Banking Supervisors serves as the technical arm of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB).

The organization functions as a continental platform for cooperation among African banking and financial supervisory authorities. Its mission is to promote a coordinated African approach to prudential regulation and supervisory issues.

To carry out its mandate, CABS works closely with international organizations involved in financial regulation and stability, including the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Financial Stability Institute (FSI), the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, African central banks, and international financial institutions.

Since November 2025, the organization has been chaired by COBAC, the banking supervisory authority of the CEMAC region.

Source: Business in Cameroon

National Episcopal Conference: Bishops renew call for peace

National Episcopal Conference: Bishops renew call for peace

The President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea, has renewed the Catholic Church’s call for peace and dialogue, urging both Church leaders and political authorities to address the root causes of conflict as the country continues to face security, political, and socio-economic challenges.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 51st Plenary Assembly of NECC members, Archbishop Nkea emphasized that peace must remain a national priority, particularly in Cameroon’s conflict-affected North-West, South-West, and Far North regions.

“Peace is a fundamental human right, indispensable for the development of peoples, social cohesion, economic progress, and respect for human dignity,” Archbishop Nkea said on Tuesday, June 2.

The Local Ordinary of Cameroon’s Bamenda Archdiocese reflected on the April 15-18 Apostolic Journey of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon, describing it as a historic moment for the local Church and a source of renewed hope for the nation.

“At a time when our Church and our country needed it most, he accepted, against all odds, even risking his own life, to come and comfort us and renew in us the hope that does not disappoint,” the NECC President said.

He also highlighted the Holy Father’s appeal for reconciliation and an end to violence, recalling that Pope Leo XIV spoke of the suffering caused by the conflicts affecting parts of Cameroon, including the loss of lives, the displacement of families, disruptions to education, and growing uncertainty among young people.

The Cameroonian Archbishop said the Church remains committed to promoting peace, dialogue, and hope while encouraging greater investment in the country’s youth as an essential part of building a stable future.

Quoting Pope Leo XIV, Archbishop Nkea noted that the tensions and violence affecting parts of Cameroon have caused profound suffering, including loss of life, displacement of families, disruption of education, and uncertainty among young people.

“Enough of war, with all the pain it causes through death, destruction, and exile,” the Catholic Archbishop said, echoing the Pope’s call.

He emphasized that peace cannot be achieved solely through political declarations but requires a sincere commitment to dialogue, conversion, justice, and national reconciliation.

“We will never achieve lasting peace without a firm decision to choose the path that leads to it, with all its demands of conversion, love for country, change of mentality, and dialogue,” he said.

As Cameroon prepares for future municipal elections, Archbishop Nkea called for prayers and vigilance, noting that elections in the country are often accompanied by tensions and violence.

“The appeasement that we contributed to create after the presidential election was not a sign of weakness, but a necessity for our society,” he said.

A significant portion of the Archbishop’s address focused on the role of young people in building a peaceful and prosperous future.

Drawing from Pope Leo XIV’s remarks during his visit, Archbishop Nkea emphasized that youth remain the nation’s greatest hope.

“Young people represent the hope of the country and of the Church. Their energy and creativity are priceless treasures,” he said.

He warned that unemployment, social exclusion, and lack of opportunities continue to expose many young people to violence, migration, drug abuse, prostitution, and despair.

“Investing in education, training, and entrepreneurship for young people is therefore a strategic choice for peace,” Archbishop Nkea said.

The NECC president also encouraged the Church in Cameroon to reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, particularly its teaching on the ethical challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.

“In times marked by the challenges posed by a certain use of digital technology and artificial intelligence, we must discern how to receive the Holy Father’s encyclical in our context,” he said.

Archbishop Nkea also used the occasion to celebrate the 60th anniversary of NECC, describing the milestone as a testament to six decades of evangelization, ecclesial maturity, and faithful service to the people of God.

The 51st Ordinary Plenary Assembly of the NECC, running from May 31 to June 5, is bringing together Catholic Bishops from across Cameroon to review pastoral priorities, discuss national concerns, evaluate Church projects, and strengthen their collective mission of evangelization.

Throughout the gathering, Archbishop Nkea said, the Bishops are to continue praying for peace in Cameroon and around the world while seeking ways to respond to the challenges facing the Church and society.

“We freely chose to come together and persevere in our journey toward eternity. May the Holy Spirit remain the principal protagonist of our communion and collegiality, so that our work may be for the glory of God and the salvation of all,” he said.

Source: aci Africa

What does President Biya really want? Money, women or cigarettes?

What does President Biya really want? Money, women or cigarettes?

Paul Biya came to power at 49. Fewer people in Cameroon at that time were criminals and what did he do?  Nothing.

After more than 40 years as head of state, Biya is now a champion of incompetence and a pretty mess in human form.

This begs the question: what does President Biya really want? Money, women or cigarettes?  The answer is none of the above.

What every long-serving dictator in Africa eventually wants is something far more elusive. To be sure, another tomorrow that looks exactly like yesterday.

Money? At a certain point in power, the treasury is just accounting.

Women? We of the Cameroon Concord Group can only speculate, but the Unity Palace has a bigger fish to fry.

Cigarettes? Even a chain smoker eventually puts one out.

Frankly speaking, the true object of desire in our editorial office in London is longevity itself. Not biological longevity, not political longevity but the ability to wake up, glance at the calendar and discover that another decade has quietly slipped by while you remained in the same chair.

In this current dispensation, ministers come and go. Presidential advisers come and go. Political trends in Yaounde come and go. Prime Ministers are being appointed. Governments are being changed. Citizens complain. Yet Unity Palace remains as immovable as a mountain that has misplaced its retirement paperwork.

Concerned citizens have been asking, “Why stay so long?” Supporters answer, “Why leave?” Civil administrators answer, “Register your media outlet with the authorities in Yaoundé before asking difficult questions.”

Meanwhile, the nation is watching a political drama so long-running that it risks being reclassified as a geological formation.

So what does President Biya really want?

According to this editorial: not money, not women not cigarettes.

Biya wants the same thing every veteran of power is accused of wanting by journalists all over the world: One more term. Then one more after that. And perhaps, just for administrative convenience, one more after that.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

North Korea unveils nuclear fuel plant as Kim vows ‘exponential’ boost to deterrent

North Korea unveils nuclear fuel plant as Kim vows ‘exponential’ boost to deterrent

North Korea on Thursday unveiled a new facility to produce nuclear bomb fuels, with leader Kim Jong Un announcing plans to bolster the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate.”

The official Korean Central News Agency said the facility used “more sophisticated technology” but didn’t provide further details, such as where it is located and when it began its operation. State media photos showed what appeared to be a large centrifuge hall, indicating the plant is likely used to enrich weapons-grade uranium.

The disclosure of the new factory is in line with Kim’s repeated vows to expand its nuclear weapons program to cope with what he called escalating US-led military threats.

KCNA said Kim visited the nuclear facility on Wednesday to learn about its operation indices and its long-term production plan.

KCNA quoted Kim as saying the urgency for bolstering up the country’s nuclear war deterrent, both in quality and quantity, has grown because of confrontations with “the most ferocious enemies,” an apparent reference to the United States and South Korea. Kim cited other unspecified threats and crises as a need to boost North Korea’s nuclear capability, it said.

Kim claimed that North Korea’s weapons-grade nuclear materials production capacity has more than doubled compared with five years ago, according to KCNA. There are virtually no ways to independently verify his claim.

After a meeting at the facility, Kim said that he and other top officials “confirmed the order of priority for implementing the ambitious future plan designed to beef up our state’s nuclear forces at an exponential rate,” KCNA said.

KCNA photos showed Kim walking through narrow aisles lined with dense rows of silver tubes and pipes, in what appeared to be a centrifuge hall. Another image showed him speaking with senior officials in a meeting room, where a blurred graphic depicting a cone-shaped object was spread across a table. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the graphic showed a warhead design.

The facility’s revelation came less than two years after North Korea unveiled another covert uranium-enrichment plant in September 2024, in its first public disclosure of such a facility since showing one at the country’s main Yongbyon nuclear complex to visiting American scholars in 2010.

Kim delivered a similar message during his visit to that facility in 2024, calling for an increase in the number of centrifuges to “exponentially” expand the country’s nuclear arsenal and urging the development of more advanced centrifuge systems.

Last September, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said that North Korea was operating a total of four uranium enrichment facilities including the Yongbyon complex, and that they were running everyday.

Nuclear weapons can be built using either highly enriched uranium or plutonium, and North Korea has facilities to produce both at Yongbyon.

North Korea has focused on enlarging and modernising its nuclear arsenal since Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. Kim has since rebuffed US and South Korean offers to restart diplomacy.

In April, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi told reporters that his agency had confirmed “a rapid increase” in activities at nuclear facilities in North Korea.

Source: AP

Chad-Cameroon Pipeline delivers more revenue to Cameroon

Chad-Cameroon Pipeline delivers more revenue to Cameroon

Cameroon collected CFA12.2 billion in transit fees from Chadian oil exports during the first four months of 2026, according to the Pipeline Steering and Monitoring Committee (CPSP).

The figure represents an increase of CFA1.2 billion, or 11%, compared with the same period last year. According to the CPSP, the revenue came from the transit of 16.1 million barrels of crude oil produced in Chad and transported through the 1,080-kilometer Chad-Cameroon pipeline between January and April.

As a landlocked country, Chad relies on the pipeline to export its crude oil to international markets. The oil is shipped through Cameroon to the offshore terminal at Kribi, on the country’s southern coast. In return, Cameroon receives a transit fee on every barrel that crosses its territory.

The fee currently stands at $1.321 per barrel, based on publicly available information. The current rate is the result of negotiations initiated by Cameroon in 2013 to secure periodic increases in the transit charge. Originally set at $0.41 per barrel when the pipeline entered service, the fee was revised upward in 2013 and again in 2018, reaching its current level. Under the agreement between the parties, another increase was scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2023. However, no public information has emerged on whether that adjustment has been implemented.

The latest revenue figures highlight the continuing importance of the pipeline for Cameroon, which benefits financially from Chad’s dependence on the export route to access global oil markets.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Atanga Nji Boys abduct 12 people in Ndop

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Atanga Nji Boys abduct 12 people in Ndop

About 12 people, including 10 passengers on a bus, were kidnapped early Tuesday by suspected Atanga Nji Boys in the Northwest Region, where an armed separatist conflict is ongoing, according to locals and security sources.

The bus left the locality of Ndop and was heading to Bamenda, the chief city in the North West when it was intercepted by gunmen who were reportedly armed and equipped by the current Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji.

“The Atanga Nji Boys stopped the bus in the Sabga locality and took 10 passengers, including the driver. Two individuals who witnessed the incident were also carried away. They took them into the bush,” a security source in the region said.

Movement along the highway has been halted, and a search operation for the hostages has been launched, according to local authorities.

Kidnappings for ransom are common in the Northwest and Southwest regions, where Ambazonia Restoration Forces have been clashing with government soldiers since 2017, seeking to establish a new nation.

By Fon Lawrence with files from Xinhuanet

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