Cameroon Tribune » YAOUNDE Cameroon

Forum For Peace Launched by african youth’s

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 04:33:39 +0000

The Pan African youth civil society organization, African Youth Forum For Peace (AYFP), was officially launched at the Yaounde, Djeuga Palace Hotel on 1 December 2008.

The organization whose pioneer president is Cameroonian born, Ngalim Eugene Nyuydine saw the light of day in the presence of eminent personalities such as the acting representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to Cameroon, Dr Fanidji, the chairman of the Economic, Cultural and Social Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC), Barrister Akere Muna, among others.

The African Youth Forum For Peace pioneer president said the organization is the outcome of the efforts of the United Nations and the Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) in mobilizing the African youths around the themes of the millennium development Goals through various Pan-African Youth Leadership Summits. The organization, he said, is a response to the numerous conflicts plaguing the continent of Africa. During the first Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit held in Dakar-Senegal from é7 to 30 June 2004, the Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP) under the leadership of Ngalim Eugene pioneered the creation of the African Youth Forum for Peace with youth leaders from the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.

The launching of AYFP was therefore the concrete realization of the dreams of the African youth leaders. Statements from eminent personalities during the occasion tied with the objectives of the organization. Professor Verkijika Fanso, lecturer at the University of Yaounde I, talked on the importance of peaceful conflict resolution in armed conflict situations: the case of Cameroon and Nigeria over the Bakassi Peninsular. The acting representative of UNFPA in Cameroon, Dr Fanidji talked on the African Youth Charter, National Youth Polices and National Youth Councils as instruments for youth participation in peace-building. Barrister Akere Muna presented a reflection on the role of the African youth in peace-building the speakers cited the deplorable situation in armed conflict ridden countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Darfur in Sudan.

AYFP whose executive committee was presented at the launching ceremony, seeks to mobilize and coordinate youth initiatives on peace and future of Africa; promote the vision and goals of the African Union; provide training on leadership, conflict prevention, management and resolution; play major roles in addressing and managing conflicts in Africa.

Chinese Ambassador visits Yaounde

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 06:33:46 +0000

H.E. Xue Jinwei, paid a maiden visit to the Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paeditric Hospital yesterday.

It was an exceptional day at the Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital in the Ngousso neighbourhood yesterday. The Chinese ambassador to Cameroon, H.E. Xue Jinwei, paid a maiden visit to the health facility. The visit was as a result of fruitful cooperation that exists between Cameroon and China. H.E. Xue Jinwei, met the different departments notably the maternity ward, reanimation ward, Chinese pharmacy, x-ray among others and also the personnel. Traditional dance groups from the country could be seen in some corners in the hospital premises to welcome the august guest.

Speaking during the occasion, the Director General of the YGOPH, Professor Doh Anderson Sama said the hospital is classified among the referral hospitals in Cameroon and the sub region thanks to contributions from China, especially in the domains of research, human relations and equipment. He also hailed the government for its support in the functioning of the hospital. Professor Doh Anderson Sama used the opportunity to present to the ambassador the needs of the hospital for the 2010 in terms of acquisition of new materials. He said the visit was also to make the ambassador see the hospital and appreciate better the situation.

For his part, the Chinese ambassador called on the personnel to work hard to ensure quality heath care in the hospital. He said health is an important factor in the relations between Cameroon and China. He said China is a faithful friend of Cameroon and that his country will continue to support cooperation between China and Cameroon especially in the domain of health.

FCFA to Support Young Farmers

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:13:19 +0000

Farmer associations in Yaounde received FCFA 20 million of the package Last Thursday.

The government of Cameroon, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has disbursed FCFA 116 million to assist locally-based youths involved in agricultural activities in the country. The money is geared towards improving on the working conditions of the young farmers, acquisition of farm inputs as well as the promotion of small mechanisation.

Speaking during the launching of the distribution of the government assistance in Yaounde last Thursday April 8, 2010, during which 20 farmer organisations in the Centre bagged FCFA 1 million each, the Secretary General in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Eko’o Akouafane Jean Claude, said the money is part of government’s support to projects that can create employment to fight poverty and boost economic development. The money was distributed within the framework of a project piloted by the Ministry code-named, “Support Programme for the settlement of young farmers (PAIJA). Through the programme, government selects, supports, supervises and follows up youths involved in agro-pastoral activities in their areas. According to the national coordinator of the project, Nkoulou Martial, the beneficiaries went through thorough screening before being selected and rigour would be employed to ensure that the purpose for which the funds are disbursed is attained. So far, pilot centres have been created in the South, Adamawa, South West and Centre Regions.

Some of the beneficiaries described the gesture as a new dawn for them and their associations promising to do all to ensure that the money boosts their activities so that they can live and let others live.

kidnappers demand 15000 dollars for Chinese nationals

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:27:13 +0000

YAOUNDE (AFP) – The kidnappers of seven Chinese nationals abducted off the Bakassi peninsula in southwest Cameroon have demanded 15,000 dollars (11,000 euros) for their release, a Cameroonian source said Sunday.

"The hostage-takers made a request of ransom for 15,000 dollars," the source close to the matter told AFP. "The Chinese are prepared to pay the sum but the Cameroonian authorities do not agree."

A confirmation could not be obtained from Chinese officials. on Sunday.

The hostages were working for a private Chinese fishing company when they were kidnapped early Friday in international waters off Bakassi, according to the Cameroonian source and the Chinese embassy, quoted by Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

The previously unknown group of kidnappers calls itself the Africa Marine Commando, the Cameroonian source said.

The resource-rich Bakassi peninsula has been at the centre of a territorial dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon for 15 years. It was handed back to Cameroon in August 2008 after the International Court of Justice ruled in Cameroon's favour.

The marshy coastal region, potentially rich in oil and gas, has recently witnessed a spike in rebel attacks. Ten oil sector workers including seven French were kidnapped there in late 2008 by a group calling itself the Bakassi Freedom Fighters.

man faces life imprisonment in Myanmar for forgery

cameroon news — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:04:12 +0000

YANGON, Myanmar - A Cameroon football player who sought refuge at the French Embassy in Myanmar's main city could face life imprisonment on charges of forging currency notes, a newspaper said Monday. The man, who was not named, fled temporarily to the embassy in Yangon last Tuesday as he was being taken to court by police. He surrendered to police a short time later. The man and a friend had been charged with counterfeiting currency notes, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the local Weekly News journal said. The two men had come to Myanmar to play with local football clubs. After failing to secure contracts, the two lived in a downtown hotel where they were allegedly counterfeiting U.S. currency, the report said. They were arrested after the hotel manager informed local authorities.

US zoo provides help for more than 1

cameroon news — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:40:41 +0000

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) - A conservation group is caring for more than 1,000 African gray parrots with help from an Ohio zoo after the birds were rescued from smugglers who had stuffed them into crates bound for the Middle East. At least 120 of the birds have died since they were saved last month. The remaining parrots have been transferred to a wildlife conservation center in the West African nation, said Ofir Drori, director of a conservation group called the Last Great Ape Organization. Cameroonian officials found the parrots stuffed into poorly ventilated wooden crates at the airport. Drori said the crates were being ferried to a Kuwait-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight.

Cameroon – Prime Minister grants audience to the first resident ambassador …

cameroon news — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:00:32 +0000

The Prime Minister, Head of Government Philemon Yang on Tuesday 23rd Febraury 2010 granted audience to the first resident ambassador of Turkey to Cameroon, His Excellency Atilay Ersan at the star building, an honor for which he said he would be remembered and the same reason for which much is expected of him. The diplomat who presented copies of his letters on the 13th of January 2010 to the Minister of External Relations, a day after arriving in Cameroon, told the press after the 45-minute discussion that he was honored to have been received by the Prime Minister. "Turkey and Cameroon are two countries which established very good relations and there is no problem between our two countries and now my test is to promote those friendly relations to a much higher level, political, economic, social, cultural, military and educational fields," says Mr. Ersan as the reason for which he was in Cameroon. He further explained that he was paying a courtesy visit to all the Ministries, priority among which is the Prime Minister's office. Among the issues which he discussed with the Prime Minister, he cited bilateral visits, and the increase of trade relations, being that the present trade volume does not reflect the potentials of the two countries. He equally pointed out that cultural relations are almost non-existent, a state of affairs which he said calls for a lot of creativity. Talking about the decision by his Government to open up residence in Yaounde, he disclosed that before the recent development, Turkey had only twelve embassies on the continent of Africa. His Government decided in 2007 to declare the Years of 2008 and 2009 as the Years of Africa by opening up new embassies, including Cameroon. So far, eight have already been opened in 2010 and five more to come in the coming years. Serving as a career diplomat since 1938, His Excellency Ersan, who is coming to Cameroon from his previous post as Minister Counsellor in London, has worked in Holland, Spain, Denmark and Ethiopia.

Cameroon police seize 700 parrots at airport

cameroon news — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:40:41 +0000

YAOUNDE - Police in Cameroon seized nearly 700 parrots at an airport as they were about to be smuggled out of the country, a source close to the case said on Wednesday. Officers found the birds in 14 crates at the airport in the southern city of Douala, Cameroon's main economic centre, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many of the parrots were dead, but the survivors were handed over to the Ministry of Wildlife and will be taken to a zoological park in Limbe, in the southwest of the country. "The crates of parrots were about to be loaded onto a flight run by an Ethiopian airline company," the source said, without giving details of the birds' final destination. Police were unable to arrest the smugglers, who may have been tipped off by "accomplices at the airport" ahead of Sunday's swoop, the source said. Last month a cargo of 300 parrots was seized at the same airport. Cameroon has frozen the export of parrots while a census of their population is carried out, according to the source.

West Africa: British pilot dies in Cameroon plane crash

cameroon news — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:08:28 +0000

Yaounde - A small aircraft has reportedly crashed in southern Cameroon, killing its British pilot. Cameroon Radio-Television said that the plane had "collided violently with a large baobab tree after a mechanical failure". It said that the accident had happened on Monday as the solo pilot sprayed banana plantations at Mbanga, about 50km north of Douala, the country's economic capital.

Water crisis persists in Cameroon’s capital city

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:14:21 +0000

Inhabitants in the capital of Cameroon, Yaounde, are finding themselves in a very precarious situation as taps are running dry. Several areas of the capital have experienced a severe water scarcity, going for months without a drop. The situation is described to be fast becoming a crisis. Each day, before a majority of the inhabitants wake up in the morning, taps have already stopped flowing and water returns only at about 9:00 p.m. This is when the situation is good. At times water may start flowing again only after midnight. The population therefore must wake-up late at night or before 4:00 a.m. to fill containers with water. "But the quantity of water stored is hardly enough for a day in a big family", Ivana B complains. But the situation is getting worst in other neighbourhoods as some people have gone for weeks and even months without potable water flowing from their taps. As a result, an interminable row of buckets is usually seen near certain taps in town. "This is only one of the daily manners in which citizens express their difficulties having water", Beatrice O, an inhabitant of the Obili neighbourhood in Yaounde recounts. In a desperate need for water, Beatrice says she and her neighbours, each day make a line in front of a tap where water runs in drops. In the Nkolbisson neighbourhood, the water situation is more difficult. It is almost one year that there is no water in the area. The inhabitants depend on wells for water to carry out their daily chores. People in Nkolbission say they are forced to incur extra expenditure to buy drinking water. The problem is more serious because there are people in Nkolbisson who have paid and deposited documents for potable water connection two years ago but there are no results. In offices, toilets and some corridors are "no go" areas because of the stench that comes out due to lack of water. In trying to put themselves at ease, certain workers take refuge in neighbouring hotels around their offices where special water provision has been made. Even posh "residential" quarters in Yaounde such as Bastos, Odza, Messamendongo also have water problems. The government is trying to deal with the situation and has instructed some specialised bodies to save the city dwellers. Fire fighters brigade, the police and the city council, are reported to having been sent out to supply water to the neediest neighbourhoods.