Retro 2022 : Consolidating Concrete Achievements

Each new year comes with its challenges. And at the level of the country, measures continue to be put in place to meet envisaged aspirations. In 2022, the country had a number of such uphill decisions to take and activities were carried out either to ensure that things worked out better or to carve new paths for the wellbeing of the population. Be it in the domain of politics, diplomacy, economy, social or sports across the country and abroad, there were significant occurrences that had a major impact on Cameroon. One such event was activities to mark 40 years of the New Deal Regime of President Paul Biya. Apart from supporters of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party who sought to steal the show, other segments of the population like members of political platforms that have over the years professed their unalloyed alliance to the Head of State through the Presidential Majority as well as other citizens came out to demonstrate their indebtedness to the man who has been the architect of major events in the nation in the past four decades. It was an opportunity to recount the evolution Cameroon has undergone under the New Deal, take stock of the setbacks and draw up strategies to continually improve and make plans for an even greater vision for the country.     
It is in this light that key energy projects like the Memve’ele Dam, the electricity interconnection link between Bekoko in the Littoral Region and Bafoussam in the West Region came to fruition. Knowing how important electricity is to economic growth, it is expected that progressive endeavours to get the country out of energy deficit would be primordial to every other sector of the economy. By laying emphasis on energy supply, government is out to assure investors that chances exist to do business in Cameroon. It was therefore not surprising Cameroon had the first export of goods to Ghana within the framework of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) this year and intends to do more as the years go by.     
The quest to encourage better external trade and investment possibilities for the country was visible in part of the package that Cameroon took thanks to the participation of the Presidential couple at the Second US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. from 13-15 December, 2022. By meeting strong political and business minds from Africa and America in the United States of America, the Head of State and his entourage were able to conceive a new diplomatic lease of life for relations between the USA and the African continent on the one hand, as well as Cameroon on the other hand.
 Besides the far-reaching discussions at the Summit, there was a side-line audience which the Head of State granted to the President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló. It was an occasion to reinforce brotherly African ties and diplomatic bonds capable of promoting cohabitation within the African Continent. With a cabinet Minister receiving the American Under Secretary of State, Wendy Ruth Sherman who told the press after the audience that America remains committed to working with the government and people of Cameroon to ensure peace and stability, it was like a clear signal for the return of normalcy to the restive South West and North West regions and a booster to Cameroon’s image for hosting many refugees.
Also of great significance in forging growth in the country was the audience granted to Peter L. Briger...