Five years ago, Cameroon organized a major national dialogue to resolve the country’s Anglophone crisis – an armed conflict that killed hundreds, displaced thousands, involved sexual violence against women, and forced many children to leave school. The dialogue brought together thousands of Cameroonians to chart a path towards lasting peace. However, the lack of social cohesion, as well as inadequate inclusion and trust-building measures cast doubts on its outcomes. President Biya, the main dialogue convener, was noticeably absent throughout the process. Key separatist leaders at home and abroad also boycotted discussions. The absence of these key stakeholders has been a point of contention, fuelling doubt about the dialogue’s effectiveness.
Dozens of resolutions were reached during the national dialogue, including the adoption of the special status for the Northwest and Southwest regions, the restoration of the house of chiefs, and rapid reintegration of ex-combatants into the society among others. Presidential decree No. 2020/136 created a follow-up committee on the implementation of dialogue resolutions on March 23, 2020. Since then, the Prime Minister of Cameroon Joseph Dion Ngute has led efforts and chaired different dialogue implementation meetings, such as the one held in Buea in 2023, to evaluate the progress of implementing the dialogue’s outcomes. Yet influential civil society organisations in Cameroon continue to call for a more inclusive national dialogue amid these efforts.
On Friday, October 4th, 2024, the TV channel of the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, PRC TV, organized a debate entitled “President Paul BIYA, the Grand National Dialogue, and the Resolution of the Crisis in the North-West and South-West regions.” The aim of the debate was to analyze efforts towards implementing dialogue outcomes during the premier edition of “Face à la République” (Nation on Stage), focusing on government efforts in Cameroon’s hyped national dialogue. Notwithstanding the hype, influential opposition leaders in Cameroon lament the lack of political will in resolving the crisis, labeling government claims that everything is under control as false and misleading. A user on X (formerly Twitter), reacting to the TV show celebrating the fifth anniversary of the dialogue, described the analyses in the debate as a “deep faking reality.”
Persistent issues overshadow dialogue achievements celebration
Many people in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon continue to live in fear, despite claims by Biya and his supporters that the situation was under control. Armed separatists continue to demonstrate their strength, using threats to enforce lockdowns, as seen on October 1st, a supposedly “Ambazonia” independence day celebration. These events took place on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the major national dialogue. Civil society activists in the Anglophone regions have also argued that the decrease in violence intensity is a result of the lack of coordination among armed groups and a change in military strategy, rather than the effects of Biya’s national dialogue. Reacting to this celebration on X/Twitter, a former US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa commented, “On October 1, many Southern Cameroonians are commemorating Ambazonia’s 63rd ‘Independence Day’, when Southern Cameroons joined in a Federation with former French Cameroon. Once Ambazonians have a referendum and decide their own future, there will likely be a new date to celebrate.” The persistence of fear and insecurity in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, despite the achievements of the national dialogue thus far, suggests that its outcomes have inadequately addressed the underlying causes of the conflict.
The granting of a special status to the two Anglophone regions, the creation of the house of chiefs, the establishment of a common law section at the National School of Magistracy, and the allocation of a budget for reconstruction are some measures that have been implemented and used to hype the dialogue process. Yet, the persistence of marginalization and the exclusion of meritorious individuals to fit into these structures in favor of Biya’s ruling party’s sympathizers have reinforced claims about the structural causes of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. Thus, for the implementation of dialogue outcomes to be successful, these issues must be adequately addressed.
Furthermore, the decentralisation process in Cameroon is still far from being realised even though a commission was specifically created to discuss this issue during the dialogue process. The issue of federalism, which many civil society groups have advocated for as a solution to the conflict, was considered a taboo topic during the dialogue. This has resulted in continuedinadequate political representation and inequitable distribution of resources. This explains why, amidst the fifth anniversary celebrations, civil society groups are still calling for a more inclusive dialogue with no taboo topics.
What Next?
Though not directly connected to the national dialogue, the arrest of an influential separatist leader, Mr. Ayaba Cho Lucas, in Norway just days before the fifth anniversary celebration of the national dialogue sends a strong message to extremists and inciters of violence. Cho’s arrest might create a space for moderate voices within the separatist movement to come forward and engage in a peaceful dialogue process. This could serve as a catalyst for increased international engagement and pressure on Cameroon to facilitate a more inclusive and productive national dialogue.
Friends of Cameroon in Africa and beyond should pressure the government and separatists for a more inclusive national dialogue. Such a process should include civil society, women, and other politically marginalized groups. This is crucial to avoid repeating the limitations of the 2019 dialogue, where participation and leadership of dialogue commissions was largely limited to members of Biya’s Cameroon People Democratic Movement (CPDM) party and some of its party sponsored civil society and women groups.
Christantus Begealawuh
Christantus Begealawuhis an expert in African Peace and Security and a consultant at Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASDEV). He is a PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa, Canada.
