Caption: A general view of political paraphernalia from the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement of incumbent Cameroonian President Paul Biya, in Yaounde
CAMEROON – Ruled with an iron fist by President Paul Biya for 43 years, Cameroon is central Africa’s most diversified economy.
In recent years, the country has battled violence from a separatist movement among its English-speaking minority in the western regions and jihadist attacks in the north.
Wealth and diversity
Cameroon derives its name from a river which 15th-century Portuguese explorers called Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) and is today called the Wouri.
An abundance of natural and agricultural resources makes for a highly diversified economy, accounting for more than 40 percent of the total GDP of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).
However, poor governance has stifled development in Cameroon, which ranked 140 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Four in 10 Cameroonians live below the national poverty line, according to a 2024 World Bank report.
The country of nearly 30 million people is often referred to as a mini-Africa because its many ethnic groups and diverse geographic and climatic zones are seen as emblematic of the continent.
The French-speaking part of the former German protectorate, carved up between France and Britain after World War I, gained independence in 1960, joined a year later by British Cameroon.
Breadbasket of central Africa
With significant agricultural production and a prominent role in regional trade, Cameroon is seen as the breadbasket of central Africa.
Its agro-ecological diversity is critical for subsistence farming and staple food crops, such as avocados, cassava and maize, as well as export products like cocoa, coffee, bananas and cotton.
“Cameroon’s agro-ecological strengths, productivity gains and the importance of the agricultural sector in the overall economy explain its current role as a food supplier for the CEMAC region and demonstrate its potential for future expansion,” according to a World Bank statement.
Agriculture is also the country’s largest employer, according to the National Institute of Statistics.
World’s oldest leader
At 92 years old, Biya is the world’s oldest head of state and is one of the last remnants of “Francafrique” — a policy whereby Paris furthered its interests in Africa through cronyism — amid growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
In recent years, his prolonged absences have given rise to recurring rumours about the state of his health.
Biya is seeking an eighth term on October 12 in a presidential election in which his main opponent Maurice Kamto has been excluded by the Constitutional Council.
Since his highly contested re-election in 2018, violations of press freedom and the “arbitrary” arrests of opposition activists have been regularly criticised by rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Instability
Cameroon’s Far North region has been plagued since 2009 with attacks and kidnappings by Boko Haram jihadists.
Separatists in the English-speaking North West and South West regions have been fighting a guerrilla campaign for independence since 2017.
By mid-2023, more than 638,000 people were internally displaced across the Anglophone regions and at least 1.7 million were in need of humanitarian aid, HRW said.
Both rebels and the military are regularly accused of crimes against civilians.
At least 6,000 civilians have been killed in the violence, HRW estimated.
Football star Eto’o
Cameroon’s national football team, the Idomitable Lions, is a great source of pride, with five Africa Cup of Nations victories and eight World Cup appearances.
Former star striker Samuel Eto’o is considered one of the greatest African players of all time.
Now president of the national football federation, Eto’o’s international career included stints at Inter Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea before retiring in 2019.
Eto’o in March 2024 opposed the appointment of Belgian Marc Brys as head coach of the men’s senior team, a choice imposed by the sports ministry, before eventually conceding. (AFP)
