The Cameroon Dispatch

Cameroon’s anglophone crisis reached a new low at the weekend when at least 17 people were shot dead by security forces and 50 wounded, according to Amnesty International. Protesters had gathered in towns across the country’s two English-speaking regions to mark a symbolic declaration of independence, and were confronted by police firing tear gas and live ammunition in running battles. There has been an 11-month trial of strength between the authorities in the majority francophone country and English-speaking protesters, who are angry over alleged discrimination, and the marginalisation of their two regions – North West and South West Cameroon. Click on the link below to read full article http://www.irinnews.org/news/2017/10/04/cameroon-s-descent-crisis-long-history-anglophone-discord

The  Pan African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has announced its audited half year financial results ended June 30, 2017 , showing remarkable performance across major metrics. UBA grew its gross earnings for the period by 34.5 percent to USD0.73 billion, as against USD0.54 billion reported in June 2016. This impressive performance, which reflects the strong momentum of UBA’s business and its increasing share of customers’ wallet, was driven by the 44.3 per cent and 16.0 per cent growth in interest income and non-funded income respectively. The Group’s operating income stood at USD0.53 billion, compared to USD0.38 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016, representing a 39.2 percent growth.  Notwithstanding the impact of Naira devaluation and double digit inflation in Nigeria and a number of other African countries where UBA operates, the Group managed through its cost lines to deliver a sterling Profit Before tax (PBT) of USD18...

The United Bank for Africa, Wednesday August 2, launched its latest banking innovation service, UBA Connect for its  branches  in the CEMAC region. The service gives UBA customers the ability and convenience to instantly access their accounts in banking halls of branches anywhere within the region. This entails withdrawing cash over the counter with the use of checks and making cash deposits. The bank’s customers in the CEMAC region are the first to experience the innovation. Going by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of  UBA Cameroon,  Isong Udom, it is much easier for the system to work in the region because the countries use the same currency. He also said they chose to launch the product in Cameroon because the country is the economic hub of the sub-region. “Businessmen traveling within the region no longer have to worry about the cost and safety of moving around with large amounts of liquid cash on them” he said. Ikye Idukpaye, who came all ...

Mozilla-backed research reveals main barriers to internet access in African countries Compelling Mozilla-backed research ( www.Mozilla.org ), carried out by Research ICT Africa, finds that significant barriers to internet access remains in four African countries – Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The research aims to understand, from a comparative perspective, how the citizens use the internet when data is subsidised and when it is not. Knowing that affordability is one of the primary barriers to Internet access and particular optimal use, the main objective of the focus groups was to obtain qualitative information that reflects the perceptions of female and male Internet users, new users, and non-Internet users from urban and rural locations about how people use the Internet. A 2016 International Telecommunications Union report  ( http://APO.af/KAylqd ) estimates that only about 25 percent of the population of Africa has access to the internet. Results of the resea...

Since the discovery on 2 June 2017 of the corpse of Bishop Jean-Marie Benoît Bala of Bafia, and especially after the solemn announcement of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) through the voice of its President, Mgr. Samuel Kleda, on 13 June, for whom "Bishop Jean-Marie-Benoît Bala did not commit suicide, he was brutally assassinated",  Cameroonians are embarrassed. It is not unnecessary, beyond all technical considerations of forensic expertise, to recall that all Cameroonians saw Msgr. Kleda and other senior religious leaders along the bank of the Sanaga at the time of lifting the body of the Bishop of Bafia out of water. Thus, when he publicly evoked the brutality with which Bishop Jean-Benoît BALA was assassinated , one is inclined to believe that it is on the basis of observations, even "basic", that he and all those who were in direct contact with the remains of the unfortunate Bishop made. CRM does not wish to interfere with invest...

The US and the United Kingdom have been very reticent following the on-going socio-political quagmire in the two Anglophone regions of Cameroon since November 21, 2016 after lawyers and teachers embarked on an indefinite strike to protest against marginalisation. Since then, courts and schools have been grounded as the crisis took a different twist plunging that part of the country into upheavals. The Cameroon government decided to cut internet services in the North West and South West which was only re-established after several months. Faced with this imbroglio, the government has been adamant to open meaningful dialogue with the leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society led by Barrister Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem A. Neba and Mancho Bibixy incarcerated by the Yaoundé regime for close to seven months now. Britain, the former colonial master of Southern Cameroons has till date not made any official statement vis-à-vis the stalemate in Anglophone Cameroon. Desp...

Things Are Falling in Place (a response to Barrister Akere Muna’s “Things Fall Apart”) Sincere thanks to Barrister Akere Muna for his “Things Fall Apart” article on the s. It provides not only great reading, but it reminds us all that many peace-loving citizens continue to think through and offer (at least for public debate) what they consider possible solutions. Kindly allow me to comment on some aspects and highlight what I consider shortcomings in your approach: First, your diagnosis is to the effect that things are falling apart in the s. You cite a litany of divisions, indirectly insinuating that these divisions stem from the ongoing crisis. Not true! Long before the current crisis, we were a divided people. We have always been a divided people.  The so-called “United Republic” under Ahidjo-Foncha-Biya-Muna has never existed. Not anymore than you accurately indicated that there is no “one, and indivisible” . To be clear, our colonizers did not start calling ...

Increased spending on healthcare in the public and private sectors across the African continent has resulted in improved health indicators and life expectancies. “But the progress of this improvement is extremely slow and not commensurate with the increase in funding,” says Dr Amit Thakker, chairman of the African Healthcare Federation and speaker at the Africa Health Exhibition & Congress ( www.AfricaHealthExhibition. com ).  The private healthcare sector, as well as non-government organisations (NGOs) are well placed to help improve healthcare across the continent, and while there have been Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), these need to be stepped up if Africa wants to beat its healthcare challenges. Leader of Deloitte Digital Africa, and leader for Healthcare and Life Sciences, Valter Adão says “Healthcare spend is often sizeable in dollar terms but low relative to GDP, like in Nigeria, or reasonably comparable to European countries but the outcomes are poor, like in Sout...

According to the Index, Botswana scores highly based on a range of factors that include improved credit rating, current account ratio, import cover and ease of doing business LONDON, United Kingdom, April 19, 2017/ -- Botswana is the most attractive economy for investments flowing into the African continent, according to the latest  Africa Investment Index 2016  ( http://APO.af/sUtRNQ ) by Quantum Global’s ( www.QuantumGlobalGroup.com ) independent research arm, Quantum Global Research Lab. Botswana Gaborone According to the Index, Botswana scores highly based on a range of factors that include improved credit rating, current account ratio, import cover and ease of doing business. Commenting on the Index, Prof Mthuli Ncube, Head of Quantum Global Research Lab stated: “Despite considerable external challenges and the fall in oil prices, many of the African nations are demonstrating an increased willingness to achieve sustainable growth by diversifying their economie...

United Bank for Africa ( UBA ), Africa’s Global Bank operating in 19 African countries, has announced the promotion of 3,000 staff members, reinforcing its commitment to human capital investment and career progression, at the current challenging operating circumstances.  Promotions were made across  UBA ’s global network. In a letter written earlier this month to Group staff by CEO, Kennedy Uzoka.  “Since my recent appointment as GMD/CEO, one of my priorities has been to address the needs of our people.  I strongly believe that if we take care of our people, our people will take care of our customers - our ultimate employers.” “Investment in our human capital is critical to our success.  It is a product of our ability to invest for the long term and create an institution that is built to last.  It is the bedrock of our determination to be Africa’s leading customer focused bank”. In addition to the Group-wide promotion, Mr Uzoka unveiled a new W...

More than 200 international delegates composed of decision and policy makers, planners, earth observation data users and experts from 49 beneficiary countries of MESA Project, other stakeholders and partner institutions are expected to attend. The 2nd MESA Forum is organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Government of the Republic of Senegal under the theme “from Earth Observation to Policy Development and Implementation”. The European Union provides financial support to the MESA Project. The Media is invited to cover the opening ceremony and Press Conference on  Monday, 24 April 2017 , at King Fahd Hotel, Dakar, from  9:00 - 12:00 AM . The objectives of the 2nd MESA Forum, among others include, to: Show case achievements of the MESA Project; Demonstrate how MESA services has influenced policy and decision making, policy development, and policy implementations at national, re...

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), Mr. François Louncény Fall, urges the Cameroonian authorities to examine with diligence the difficulties of the populations and entrepreneurs of the English-speaking regions of North West and South West, which have been deprived of Internet since mid-January 2017. "This is a deplorable situation. But I am convinced that this important development and communication tool will be gradually re-established throughout Cameroon", he said before leaving Cameroon on 13 April after a four-day official visit.                                                                 ...