Local Development : What Contribution Of The Diaspora?

The Decentralised and Cross-border Diaspora Cooperation Parliamentary Network (REP-COD) is offering breakfast to Cameroonians from the Diaspora who are back in the country now to witness and support the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) TotalEnergies 2021 Cameroon being organised from January 9 to February 6, 2022.
The breakfast event slated for Yaounde, Douala and Limbe is an opportunity for members of the Diaspora and the people’s representatives to commune and chart ways of enabling the Diaspora better participate in the development of the country. The Head of the Technical Secretariat of REP-COD, Hon François Xavier Mpon told Cameroon Tribune that with regard to facilities, the network has put at the disposal of Cameroonians in the Diaspora information concerning the creation of enterprises in 72 hours, customs procedures for imported materials and how to acquire land and structures to step enterprises.
At the executive level, there is a Department in charge of Cameroonians Abroad in the Ministry of External Relations. Indeed, the bond between government and Cameroonians in the Diaspora became more consolidated when the First Edition of the Forum for the Diaspora (FODIAS) was organised in Yaounde from June 26-30, 2017 on the theme, “Cameroon and its Diaspora: acting together for the development of the nation.”  Over 400 Cameroonians of the Diaspora from some 28 countries presented what they had to offer for the development of the country and the forum ended with key recommendations. The Major National Dialogue that took place in the Yaounde Conference Centre from September 30 – October 4, 2019, also saw the active participation of members of the Diaspora and recommendations on ways they could, especially contribute to the return to peace and normalcy in the crisis-affected North West and South West Regions. Cameroonians abroad have been participating in presidential elections.
From the First Edition of the Forum for the Diaspora and th...