President Biya Recognises Anglophone Crisis

For the first time since ethnic violence broke out in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, President Paul Biya has acknowledged there is a problem, speaking publicly about the root causes of the issue.

The president recognised there were key differences between Cameroon’s majority French speakers and its minority English speakers, stemming from the two groups contrasting experiences under colonial rule.

Although not explicit, Mr Biya seemed to suggest the current system of centralised power was not proving successful in quelling tensions.

For the last three years Anglophone separatists have clashed with government troops over the status of the country’s English-speaking regions.

The conflict has so far claimed more than 3,000 lives, displaced over a million people and seen numerous atrocities committed by both sides.

This latest move may be an indication that the president will move away from using the military to crush the rebellion, a tactic that has not worked thus far and drawn international condemnation form the West.

The US notably excluded Cameroon from the African Growth and Opportunity Act a few weeks ago, a wide-ranging trade agreement between America and a number of Sub-Saharan African countries.

President Trump explained “I am taking this step because I have determined that the Government of Cameroon currently engages in gross violations of internationally recognised human rights”.

It is not clear whether international pressure played a role in this apparent turn-around from the president, but it has been welcomed as an important first step in solving the developing crisis.

President Biya spoke about possibly granting the Anglophone regions special status but did not provide any further details.