The root causes of the conflict in Cameroon can be traced back to the nation’s colonial history. Cameroon was colonized by both the French and the British in the early 20th century, leading to a linguistic and cultural divide after the two colonies were unified after independence. A brief civil war in the 1960s ended with a victory for the Francophone government in 1970, and the establishment of a one-party state. Paul Biya became President of Cameroon in 1982, and has ruled ever since. The country experienced decades of relative peace, although citizens suffered under an authoritarian government, with only one competitive election in the 1990s, and consistent repression of political dissent. Biya’s government increased centralization of the country, which raised tensions in Anglophone regions. The current violence in Cameroon comes from two sources – continued violence due to an unsuccessful Boko Haram incursion which began in 2014, and a continuing civil war known as the Anglophone Crisis.
Anglophone Cameroonians have long felt marginalized by the Francophone government. The conflict officially began in 2016 when lawyers and teachers from the Anglophone regions initiated protests against perceived discrimination and the imposition of the French legal and educational systems in their regions. The government’s response was harsh, with numerous protesters arrested and attacked by security forces. Separatist groups aiming to establish an anglophone state known as “Ambazonia” emerged, and in 2017 they began attacks against Cameroonian security and police forces. Following a declaration of independence, the Cameroonian army launched an operation in the territory.
The ensuing violence has had dire consequences for the civilian population. Thousands have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. Moreover, allegations of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and torture, have been reported on both sides of the conflict, further exacerbating the suffering of the people. The military has been accused of burning down villages and has restricted the availability of information and the access of journalists. Separatist forces have also committed abuses, attacking schools and other civilian targets. The fighting has led to thousands of deaths, and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced. The government sees the issue as a military problem, although there have been some small efforts to make peace, including a new special status for the Anglophone regions.
Peace attempts:
The Cameroonian government initiated a National Dialogue aimed at addressing the grievances of the Anglophone community and finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. However, many Anglophone leaders and separatist groups have boycotted these talks. There has been a fragmentation of the separatist movement as well, with a number of armed groups becoming involved in the conflict. The government decided not to join two major international initiatives, one led by Switzerland in 2019, and one headed by Canada in 2023. There has been some positive progress, such as the creation of a new special status for the Anglophone regions. Neighbouring countries like Nigeria have hosted talks between Cameroonian government representatives and Anglophone leaders, although progress has been slow. However, this political change had little impact on the ground, as political repression and violent confrontation between the government and the rebels has continued. It is clear that both sides see this as a military issue, and a dispute that can only be solved by force. For there to be a real chance for peace, all involved parties must agree to talks, and be willing to pursue a peaceful resolution.
In recent years, Cameroon’s conflict landscape has evolved but the core conditions remain fragile. Violence in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions has continued with little sign of a decisive end: by early 2025 the crisis was still described as a “bloody stalemate.” (Wikipedia) More than 500,000 people were internally displaced in those regions by February 2025, and Cameroon was declared by the Norwegian Refugee Council in mid-2025 to be the world’s most neglected displacement crisis, highlighting both the scale of human suffering and the lack of diplomatic traction. (NRC) Meanwhile, in the Far North region the Boko Haram insurgency and its affiliates remain active: in 2025 attacks by jihadist groups near the border with Nigeria doubled in number, and civilians were increasingly being abducted for ransom and used as leverage. (ACLED) Humanitarian access remains severely impeded, with over 3.3 million people in need of assistance as of early 2025. (USCRI) Political tensions rise at the national level: the impending October 2025 presidential election looms as a potential flashpoint of instability, as no clear succession plan exists and President Biya’s control is deeply entrenched. (Global Guardian) The spatial pattern of violence in the Anglophone regions remains largely unchanged, clustering around transport corridors and rural terrain favourable to insurgents, reflecting how the conflict has become entrenched rather than expanding — which doubles as both a sign of containment and stagnation. (Mapping Africa Transformations)
