Cameroon is home to more than 1738 different linguistic groups. The country is often referred to as “Africa in miniature” for its geological and cultural diversity. Natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. The country is unique in Africa in almost all ramifications. It harbours one of the best dishes in Africa and if not the world. Her people are beautifully made.
Cameroon has millions of Cameroonians out of the country in all walks of life. You could find them in UK, Germany, USA, Canada and on every corner of mother earth as doctors, engineers, software developers, accountants etc. Most of these Cameroonian Diasporans are doing extremely well. Most have nurtured the idea of coming back home to invest. Most have acquired another nationality but still remains Cameroonian by blood. These persons because of the political and economic set up in the country cannot invest back home. Most of them would wish to give back greatly to the country they love so much.
In this light, the regime, though politically afraid that liberalizing the economy and allowing the Diaspora to invest freely back home could weaken the regime grasps on its people or make those in the Diaspora to engage politically in the Cameroons, we of this platform think that the regime need not be afraid. There are thousands, if not millions of Cameroonians born out of the country. Some African-Americans have been able to trace their roots back to Cameroon. It is time the regime starts thinking on how to engage more with the Diaspora for the love of the Fatherland. They can begin by creating a Ministry for Diaspora Engagement which will be a platform only for the Diaspora. There is a lot the regime, Cameroonians, and the country can gain if such a platform is created and managed from an angle of trust and transparency.
Sylvie Bello who is a leading advocate of the Cameroon American Council in the USA share same views. She wrote on her Facebook page
” I support a creation of a Cameroonian Ministry Of Diaspora Engagement with the objective to not only connect with Cameroon-born, first and second generation Cameroonians with Cameroon but also to recognize, re-connect and re-engage the global Black community and friends of Cameroon.
Whether your heritage/DNA from Cameroon is one generation removed or 10 generations removed….such a Ministry should bring us all home. Thoughts? India, Ireland, and Ivory Coast have active Diaspora Ministries. Research suggests that16% of African-Americans trace their DNA and heritage to Cameroon. Part of my work as leader of the movement and founder of Cameroon American Council will be to seek to understand, cultivate allies and tap into resources for a feasibility study of a Ministry Of Diaspora Engagement in Cameroon. This will lead to intangible benefits like national pride, patriotism, Black pride…as well as, lead to tangible benefits like an enhanced Cameroon Diaspora agenda leads to strengthening Cameroon’s Development, Democracy, Diplomacy, and Defense. On September 29th during the Congressional Cameroon Caucus kickoff, we will make a case for such a Ministry in Cameroon that embraces and engages all Cameroonians, Global Black and friends of Cameroon to our beloved Cameroon…”
Based on these strengths, BaretaNews supports the idea of a Ministry of Diaspora Engagement. It is very feasible to be done.
God is still saying something.
