BREAKING / DEVELOPING NEWS | BaretaNews | 18 October 2026
A declaration bearing the names and signatures of ten convenors sets out plans for The People’s Consultative Conference (TPCC), an inclusive initiative intended to bring together people across political and religious divides in the search for a lasting solution to the Southern Cameroons conflict.
Under the theme “Towards a Permanent Solution”, the organisers propose consultations at home and in the diaspora, followed by a physical conference in the first quarter of 2027—January to March.
The proposal raises a central question: will Cameroun allow this AAC3-like gathering to hold freely?
The comparison with a third All Anglophone Conference is BaretaNews’ editorial framing. The document names the initiative TPCC, not AAC3, and does not announce it as an officially designated successor to the earlier conferences.
A platform open to competing political positions
The convenors explicitly invite unionists, federalists and independence supporters, alongside people who belong to no movement or have become disillusioned with existing efforts.
Participants would not be required to abandon their preferred identity or political convictions. The declaration recognises the different ways people describe themselves, including Southern Cameroonians, Ambazonians, Anglophones and English-speaking Cameroonians.
For this initiative, “Southern Cameroonians” would serve as an inclusive working designation, without prejudging a political or constitutional outcome.
“We call the Unionist, the Federalist and the Independentist alike, without asking anyone to surrender their conviction.”
Consultations first, a physical conference next
The proposed first phase would collect experiences, concerns and priorities from communities in the North-West and South-West, both at home and abroad. Organisers say these findings would form the basis of conference deliberations.
The second phase would bring delegates together to examine those findings and determine the way forward. Although the document identifies the first quarter of 2027, it does not specify an exact date or venue.
The emphasis is on meaningful grassroots participation, so that people affected by the conflict can contribute to decisions taken in their name.
No predetermined settlement or new leadership claim
The declaration says TPCC does not presume what the final solution should be. It also says the initiative is not intended to replace existing organisations or settle questions of leadership.
Instead, its stated aims are to build trust, identify common ground and develop principles for future engagement. The convenors describe themselves as custodians of a process whose legitimacy must come from the people.
The document places this effort within a longer history of consultation, referring to AAC I in Buea in 1993, AAC II in Bamenda in 1994 and the proposed Anglophone General Conference of 2018–2019 associated with Cardinal Christian Tumi and other leaders.
Will Cameroun allow the conference to proceed?
The organisers state that they have engaged, and continue to engage, relevant authorities. They describe the proposed process as lawful, transparent, peaceful and non-violent.
That statement is not confirmation that permission has been granted. The declaration contains no approval notice or official guarantee that the physical conference can proceed.
For BaretaNews, the practical question is whether organisers and participants will be able to consult communities, express differing political views and assemble peacefully. Those conditions will matter as the initiative moves from a declaration towards an actual gathering.
The ten signatories
The declaration’s final page lists the following members signing for the College of Convenors:
- Bah Augustine Ndangam
- Prof. John Fobanjong
- Pa Andrew Azong Wara
- Dr Lucie Ngongbo
- HRH Dr Tanyi Robinson
- Rev Dr. Enonchong Mbiwan
- Rev Dr. Godwill Ncham
- Sessekou/Dr. Sammy B. Arrey-Mbi
- Alhadji Mohammed Aboubakar — Chief Imam of Buea
- Imam Tukur Mohammed Adamu
A call for participation and prayer
The convenors call on people across communities, political traditions and religious convictions to support the process, bringing their disagreements as well as a willingness to listen.
Its stated guiding principles include inclusivity, mutual respect, good faith, transparency, non-violence, political and constitutional pluralism, an independent consultative process and collective ownership of its outcomes.
The declaration also invites people of goodwill to pause every Friday at 3 p.m. in prayer for wisdom, unity and the initiative’s success.
The proposal now faces the task of turning its commitment to inclusion into a workable process, while clarifying arrangements for the planned 2027 conference.
Stay tuned: BaretaNews and Mark Bareta’s position statement coming soon.
Source: “Declaration on the Convening of the People’s Consultative Conference — Towards a Permanent Solution,” a three-page document supplied to BaretaNews. This report describes the convenors’ stated plans; it does not confirm government authorisation.
