Paul Biya is scheduled to address Cameroonian youths this Tuesday, February 10, 2026, on the occasion of the 60th National Youth Day. The annual message comes at a time of deep frustration among young people who say their hopes for opportunity and inclusion continue to fade.
The Head of State has not been seen in public since January 8, when he received New Year wishes. His prolonged absence has fuelled speculation and heightened concerns about leadership visibility at a moment when the country’s youth face mounting economic and social pressure.
For many young Cameroonians, the Youth Day address has become a ritual of unfulfilled expectations. Each year, promises of empowerment, jobs, and inclusion are repeated. Each year, tangible change remains limited.
Recent editions of The Guardian Post highlight this growing disconnect.
Editorials and commentaries question which new promises will be made and which old ones will again go unmet. They point to past commitments announced in the February 10 Youth Day messages, the November 6 inaugural speech of the current mandate, and end-of-year addresses that have yet to translate into real outcomes.
President Biya pledged that his eighth mandate would prioritise youth empowerment.
He spoke of employment, innovation, and a stronger role for young people in national development. Years into the mandate, many youths say their daily realities tell a different story.
Unemployment and underemployment remain widespread. Access to finance for youth-led initiatives is limited. Merit-based opportunities are often overshadowed by patronage and favouritism.
The sense of alienation is growing. Many young people report struggling to feel a sense of belonging in a country where hard work rarely guarantees progress. Rising living costs and declining public services deepen the feeling of abandonment.
Youth voices captured in public debates reflect fatigue rather than hope.
They make numerous promises and repeated assurances that never materialise.
For them, trust in official rhetoric has steadily eroded.
This year’s Youth Day message is therefore being received with caution.
Young people are no longer asking for inspiring words. They are demanding concrete policies, clear timelines, and visible results.
As Cameroon marks six decades of celebrating its youth, the leadership’s challenge is clear. Symbolic speeches are no longer enough. For the nation’s youth to believe again, promises must finally turn into action.
