Paul Biya ,the President of the Republic of Cameroon ,has in his New Year 2022 message to Cameroonians delivered on December 31,2021,vowed to track down perpetrators and sponsors of criminal activities in the country wherever they are hiding and prosecute them. Criminal activities such as murders, kidnappings, arson are rife in the Northwest and Southwest regions since the ongoing Anglophone Crisis erupted in 2016.
************************** Read full speech below:
Fellow Cameroonians,
My Dear Compatriots,
This year, the coronavirus pandemic has yet again
featured among the major causes for concern worldwide.
The disease has not been eradicated despite
significant efforts by the scientific community and governments.
It is noted that the virus tends to adapt to our
environment over time, as evidenced by the emergence of new variants, thus
making control of the pandemic particularly challenging.
Unfortunately, it continues to plunge families
into mourning, disrupt social life and create economic distortions.
Should we then despair and yield to pessimism?
Obviously NO.
We learn from history that this is not humanity’s
first epidemic, and it is undoubtedly far from being its last.
By the way, I am confident that we will overcome
the coronavirus in the same manner as previous epidemics.
For my part, I will spare no effort in ensuring
that the requisite measures to stem its spread in our country are actually
implemented.
The response strategy implemented by the
Government is yielding excellent results. Over the past two years, it has
helped to save lives and to curb the spread of COVID-19 in our country.
Accordingly, it should be continued and, as
appropriate, improved to better adapt to the mutations of this dangerous virus.
Hence, the need to stay alert and to continue
observing the rules of hygiene and preventive measures such as wearing a mask
in all public places or physical distancing.
However, given the virulence of the virus, vaccination is definitely an additional preventive measure.
In many cases, a full vaccination course helps to
avert severe complications of the disease, which are generally fatal.
That is why I urge each and every one to get
vaccinated and not to pay heed to the conspiracy theories that abound on social
media about the coronavirus vaccine.
Indeed, combining preventive measures with
vaccination will enable us to break the chain of contamination of this virus
and return to normal life more speedily.
My Dear Compatriots,
Notwithstanding the persistence of the COVID-19
pandemic-related health crisis, we have remained focused on the target we set
within the framework of our National Development Strategy for the 2020–2030
period.
Despite its adverse impact on the economic fabric,
we have relentlessly continued implementing our transformational projects,
thanks to the sustained mobilization of non-oil revenue, the implementation of
domestic budget consolidation measures and support from our development
partners.
Fiscal reforms, particularly in the taxation and
customs sectors, have boosted our capacity to mobilize funds from the
international financial market.
The credibility of Cameroon’s signature thus
helped to successfully refinance the Eurobond and to conclude a new Economic
and Financial Programme with the International Monetary Fund.
Thanks to financial resources mobilized both
within and outside the country, substantial investments have been made to
complete the first- generation transformational projects.
These include:
completion of the first phase of the
Yaounde-Nsimalen, Yaounde-Douala and Kribi-Lolabe motorways. They have been
operationalized under public-private partnerships;
construction of 914 kilometres of asphalted roads;
extension of the health map with the commissioning
of the Ebolowa and Bafoussam referral hospitals, as well as the completion of
that of Garoua;
implementation of projects to achieve energy
self-sufficiency through continuation of construction work on the Nachtigal dam
and completion of the hydropower transmission line from the Memve’elé dam.
Works are ongoing to interconnect the Northern and
Southern electrical grids. The implementation of this project will contribute
to a sustainable reduction of the energy deficit in our country’s northern
regions.
At the same time, there was a need to continue
ensuring private sector competitiveness in a macro-economic environment
severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is common knowledge that the pandemic has led
to rising sea freight costs, thus directly increasing the price of essential
goods.
Aware of the huge sacrifices made by national
economic operators to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic, I instructed the
Government to reduce by 80% the sea freight transportation cost to be included in
calculating customs duties.
The Government must also continue discussions with
the private sector to identify further measures that can be implemented.
By the way, if we have to meet the growth
challenge, we must strive to reduce our imports and increase the volume of our
exports by boosting domestic production.
In any case, it behoves us to create conditions
for more robust, sustainable, inclusive and employment-generating growth,
particularly for our youths who are and will remain the primary beneficiaries
of ongoing reforms in various areas.
Considering the measures taken, we have reason to
be optimistic about economic recovery and an uptick in our growth rate to 4.2%
in 2022, from 3.6% in 2021. This positive outlook is consistent with that of a
global return to growth as announced by
the relevant international bodies. Our country has the capacity to make the
most of this situation.
My Dear Compatriots,
Despite the challenges faced by our country, we
continue to be respected on a global scale.
The trust Cameroon enjoys among our partners is the result of our constant efforts to ensure that the country remains the haven of peace and stability that it has always been.
To this end, we have stepped up our efforts to
maintain peace and security nationwide.
Boko Haram’s sporadic incursions into the
Far-North Region in recent months have been met with stiff resistance from our
defence forces. Once more, I wish to pay them a well-deserved tribute for their
courage, commitment and professionalism.
I take this opportunity to commend the full
mobilization of the nation’s lifeblood, the population and vigilante
committees, that are contributing decisively to the success of our popular
defence strategy.
I am pleased to note that a large number of our
compatriots who had joined armed groups have accepted my peace overture.
Many Boko Haram members have laid down their arms
and are being catered for in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
Centres in the Far-North Region. The same holds true in the North-West and
South-West Regions where many members of armed groups continue to surrender.
However, many of our compatriots remain
within the ranks of armed groups. They continue to engage in criminal
activities, increasing attacks with improvised explosive devices and murders of
unarmed civilians.
The recent assassination of three
students and a teacher of Bilingual High School Ekondo Titi added to their long
list of abuses and atrocities.
I would like, once again, to reiterate
Government’s firm determination to restore peace in the regions that are under
security threats.
It should be clearly understood that
wherever the perpetrators and sponsors of such acts are hiding, they will be
relentlessly tracked down and will face the full force of the law.
In this fierce fight against barbarism, I urge the Cameroonian people to step up collaboration with our defence and security forces in order to neutralize the fanatics of armed violence and to preserve the integrity of our territory.
Many of our compatriots have fallen in battle
while engaged in this lofty civil and military defence task. May our
determination to keep up the fight bring solace to them as their sacrifice for
the Republic will not be in vain.
They are role models for our youths, whom I urge
to shun indoctrination attempts by secessionist groups.
In this fight against terrorism, we plan to enlist
the support of a wide range of partner States by debunking falsehoods about our
country’s human rights situation propagated within international circles by some
of Cameroon’s detractors.
My Dear Compatriots,
True to our commitment to peace and tolerance, we
have continued to demonstrate openness and readiness for dialogue in order to
call a halt to this crisis that has wreaked far too much suffering on our
populations.
Thus, after holding the Major National Dialogue,
we have continued to accelerate and deepen decentralization.
Regions, as regional and local authorities, were
set up this year and are beginning to find their feet.
The North-West and South-West Regions have been
granted special status to reflect their cultural and language specificities.
Overall, regionalization is being implemented
countrywide and contributes towards increasing our fellow citizens’
participation in the management of local affairs.
These democratic strides very clearly demonstrate
that our country is irreversibly and resolutely engaged in the methodical
perfection of its democratic process, in order to further meet the legitimate
aspirations of the Cameroonian people.
I am fully aware that some people would prefer
that we move faster in this area. However, we must avoid any kind of haste that
may undermine our country’s unity and our republican ideal. Surely, we will
carefully and patiently do whatever needs to be done.
In all circumstances, we must promote constructive
and regular dialogue between the various sociological components of the
Republic in order to mobilize them for our country’s emergence.
My Dear Compatriots,
Lately, we have witnessed an upsurge in
unpatriotic behaviour, the proliferation of hate speech and the posting of
violent, obscene and shameful videotapes which have shocked the nation’s
collective conscience.
The persistent publication of “fake-news” in the
mainstream or social media has contributed towards sustaining falsehood, thus
preventing many of our fellow citizens from getting the right information on
key issues.
Therefore, I appeal to your sense of individual
responsibility and urge each of you to promote the culture of peace.
I call on the Government to step up efforts to
raise awareness on the responsible use of social media by all social classes.
We must remain a patriotic, united and supportive people.
We must cherish peace and seek harmony at all
times.
Let us resolve to actively ensure that these
values promote living together to which our people as a whole deeply aspire.
Fellow Cameroonians,
My Dear Compatriots,
We are faced with specific challenges at the dawn
of the new year. Our country will host the Africa Cup of Nations from 9 January
to 6 February 2022.
In the run-up to the tournament, we have all
witnessed the profound transformation that has taken place in the cities that
will host AFCON 2021 matches.
The preparation of the tournament has helped to
accelerate the infrastructural development of many of our cities.
Urban roads have been constructed or
rehabilitated.
The technical capacity of existing health
facilities has been upgraded. New hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment
have been built in our regional capitals.
Ultramodern hotels have been built to accommodate
official delegations, special guests and tourists who will visit Cameroon
during the tournament.
We will continue implementing this investment
programme by reducing the infrastructure disparities existing between the
regions of our country in various areas.
It is unacceptable that some regions should feel
forsaken, while others are progressing.
That is why I decided to create State universities
in the three regions of our country that do not yet have one, namely the East,
North and South Regions. Other infrastructure will follow, particularly in the
airport, industrial and road sectors, in order to make each region a real
development hub.
To that end, we must enhance public finance
management governance by fighting corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
Therefore, all those found guilty of financial
malpractice or illicit enrichment will face the consequences before the
competent courts.
My Dear Compatriots,
As we prepare to celebrate African football, I
urge Cameroonians to mobilize massively to make AFCON 2021 the most beautiful
football jamboree ever organized on our continent.
We want it to be a great moment of brotherhood. It
therefore behoves us to extend a warm welcome to the 24 sports delegations,
officials and all those who will be staying in our country during the
tournament.
Let us offer our guests the rich cultural
diversity that has earned our country the nickname “Africa in miniature”. Let
us extend to them the hospitality they rightfully expect from us, and which is
part and parcel of our traditions.
Thanks to the virtues of our people, particularly
their courage and selflessness, we have not only overcome the ordeals
encountered during this year that is ending, but we have also continued to
forge ahead.
As a Nation, we have the duty and opportunity to
remind the world that we are a united and indomitable people, capable of
displaying this fighting spirit that has enabled us in the past to win great
battles.
Before I conclude, I would like to call on our
Beloved Indomitable Lions to do their utmost to ensure that they end this
festival in grand style on the evening of 6 February 2022.
Let us rise to the challenge and remind the world
that we are a great Nation.
Happy and prosperous New Year 2022.
Long live the Republic!
Long live Cameroon!
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