Cameroon

Deadly protests followed the 92-year-old president’s re-election, which opponents have called ‘fraudulent’.

Cameroon’s longtime leader, Paul Biya, has been sworn in for a new seven-year term following his victory in last month’s presidential election, which his opposition rival has described as “a constitutional coup”.

Addressing Parliament on Thursday, the world’s oldest president promised to stay faithful to the confidence of the Cameroonian people and pledged to work for a “united, stable and prosperous” country.

There were deadly protests in several parts of Cameroon days after the October 19 vote, followed by a three-day lockdown this week after former minister and key contender Issa Tchiroma claimed victory and alleged vote tampering.

The government has confirmed that at least five people were killed during the protests, although the opposition and civil society groups claim the figures are much higher.

The incumbent, Africa’s second-longest serving leader, took the oath of office during a session of Parliament in what residents describe as the heavily militarised and partially deserted capital, Yaounde.

Priscilla Ayimboh, a 40-year-old seamstress in Yaounde, does not see a new term for Biya as likely to change anything.

“I’m tired of Biya’s rule and I no longer care whatever he does. It’s a pity. I wonder what will become of Cameroon in the next seven years: there are no roads, water, and jobs,” she said.

Munjah Vitalis Fagha, a senior politics lecturer at Cameroon’s University of Buea, told The Associated Press news agency that Biya’s inauguration was “taking place in a tense yet controlled political atmosphere, marked by deep divisions between the ruling elite and a growingly disillusioned populace”.

Fagha added: “The ceremony occurs amid calls for political renewal, ongoing security challenges in the Anglophone regions, and widespread concerns over governance and succession.”

Cameroon’s top court on October 27 declared Biya the winner of the election, with 53.66 percent of the vote, ahead of his ally-turned-challenger, Tchiroma, who secured 35.19 percent.

Tchiroma insists Biya was awarded a “fraudulent” victory in the election.

“The will of the Cameroonian people was trampled that day, our sovereignty stolen in broad daylight,” Tchiroma wrote on Wednesday night. “This is not democracy, it is electoral theft, a constitutional coup as blatant as it is shameful.”

Biya came to power in 1982 following the resignation of Cameroon’s first president and has ruled since, following a 2008 constitutional amendment that abolished term limits. His health has been a topic of speculation as he spends most of his time in Europe, leaving governance to key party officials and family members.

He has led Cameroon longer than most of its citizens have been alive – more than 70 percent of the country’s almost 30 million population is below the age of 35. If he serves his entire term, Biya will leave office nearly 100 years old.

The results of his nearly half-century in power have been mixed; armed rebellions in the north and the west of the country, along with a stagnant economy, have left many young people disillusioned with the leader.

The streets have grown restless since Cameroon announced the results of its Oct. 12 presidential election, which returned 92-year-old Paul Biya as the country’s leader for an eighth consecutive term since 1982.

From Douala to Garoua and the capital, Yaounde, protesters have clashed with police, denouncing what they call a “stolen” and “manipulated” election, revealing the deep anger and mistrust that have defined the country’s politics for decades. 

Biya, who won the election with 53.66 per cent of the vote as declared by the Constitutional Council, is Africa’s oldest and one of the world’s longest-serving leaders. This latest election extends his 43-year rule for another seven years. 

Biya’s main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former ally turned critic, rejected the results, claiming victory based on his campaign’s own tallies. He accused the government of “manipulating the will of the people” and called for nationwide demonstrations. His appeal quickly spread through social media and opposition networks, sparking street protests that soon turned violent.

Other opposition parties and civil society groups have also raised concerns about the credibility of the election. They point to unusually high voter turnouts in some districts, inconsistencies in vote tabulation, and the speed at which results were certified. 

But the anger on the streets is about more than the election. For many, the problem is about a system they say is built to protect incumbency and silence opposition.

Cameroon has been grappling with multiple crises that have weakened its social and political fabric. For nearly a decade, the country has battled separatist insurgencies in the English-speaking North West and South West regions, jihadist attacks in the Far North and the border with Nigeria, and worsening economic hardship in its cities. The election, analysts warned before the vote, could act as a trigger to more instability in the country. Those fears have now materialised. 

The violent ongoing protests have claimed the lives of at least four people, and hundreds have been arrested. Observers suggest the figure may be higher. 

The UN Human Rights Office has since called on security forces to “refrain from the use of lethal force” and urged protesters to demonstrate peacefully. It also reminded authorities of their obligation to respect international human rights law and called for restraint from all political actors.

“We urge the authorities to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all cases of election-related violence, including the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force, and to bring those responsible to justice,” the UN statement read. 

Douala, the country’s economic capital and largest city, has been the epicentre of the post-election unrest. Eyewitnesses report scenes of gunfire, barricades, and hurried funerals in the city.

In the north, Garoua has also seen violence after reported attacks near Tchiroma’s residence. Smaller towns have joined in, with reports of arrests and clashes spreading across the country. Observers warn that the tension risks taking on ethnic and regional dimensions — a dangerous trend in an already divided nation.

Ethnic divisions have long shaped Cameroon’s politics, and the 2025 election has further exposed these fractures. President Biya’s support remains anchored in his Beti/Bulu base from the Centre and South, while many Bamiléké and Anglophone communities continue to feel excluded from power. The candidacy of Issa Tchiroma, a northern Fulani politician, introduced another layer to the political landscape but did little to ease existing mistrust. Although some of his support came from northern and western groups united mainly by opposition to Biya, the campaign and its aftermath remained charged with ethnic undertones.

As these divisions deepened, tensions between the authorities and the opposition escalated sharply. The government has accused Tchiroma and his supporters of inciting violence and promised to hold them accountable through legal action. Officials say the state is acting to preserve order, but critics argue that the heavy-handed response risks deepening public resentment. Security operations, arrests, and reported internet restrictions have further strained the situation. Access to several areas has been cut off, making it difficult for journalists and humanitarian workers to verify reports of casualties or destruction. However, Tchiroma promised to continue his push until “final victory”. 

As the unrest spreads, attention has also turned to the country’s conflict-prone Anglophone regions. Separatist movements are watching closely, with many viewing the chaos as proof of the central government’s weakness and are using the moment to push their demands for independence. Local leaders warn that any harsh crackdown by the state could inflame tensions in areas where peace is already fragile. 

“Had Biya and his entourage exercised more care in the months before the vote and understood the depth of the government’s unpopularity, this standoff might have been averted,” wrote the International Crisis Group.

Beyond the immediate crisis, the unrest underscores a deeper issue — the fragility of Cameroon’s democratic institutions. Elections are meant to provide legitimacy and a peaceful means of political competition. Instead, they have become flashpoints for unrest. For many young people who have grown up knowing only one president, the sense of disillusionment runs deep. Unemployment remains high, corruption is endemic, and the promise of reform feels distant.

International reactions have been predictable but cautious. Western governments and regional bodies have called for dialogue and restraint. While congratulating Biya on his re-election, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, stated that he “is gravely concerned about the reported violence, repression and arrests of protesters and political actors in connection with the election results.”

Youssouf urged “the Cameroonian authorities to accord topmost priority to inclusive national dialogue and consultation with all political stakeholders in order to reach consensus in the spirit of national unity, peace and collective security.”

Whether those appeals will be heeded remains uncertain. What happens next depends on how the government and opposition respond in the coming weeks. Analysts warn that Cameroon stands at a crossroads. A violent crackdown could trigger a wider crisis, while genuine dialogue might begin to ease the tension. 

The first step, according to the International Crisis Group, should be an independent review of the election results and the violence that followed — a process that includes civil society, opposition representatives, and credible international observers.

Equally critical is the release of protesters detained for exercising their right to peaceful assembly. Restoring communication channels, lifting internet restrictions, and creating safe conditions for independent reporting would also help reduce misinformation and rebuild trust.

But the challenges go far beyond the current unrest. Cameroon’s long-term stability depends on addressing structural grievances, from political exclusion and corruption to the Anglophone crisis that has displaced hundreds of thousands. The government’s reliance on military solutions in the separatist regions has failed to end the conflict, while economic inequality and youth unemployment continue to feed discontent nationwide.

Without deep reform, each election risks becoming another trigger for instability. Political analysts argue that the ruling party must open the political space, allow real competition, and engage communities long excluded from decision-making. “Cameroon’s democracy has been reduced to a ritual,” one Cameroonian journalist told HumAngle. “People vote, results are announced, and nothing changes.”

For now, calm remains fragile. Markets have slowed, schools have closed in some regions, and the streets are lined with soldiers. In several cities, families are mourning relatives caught in the violence. Others fear more crackdowns as protests continue.

The coming days will test whether President Biya’s government can navigate the crisis without pushing the country into deeper turmoil — or whether the unrest will harden into yet another chapter of Cameroon’s long struggle between power and the people.

If the country fails to learn from this moment, the cycle of repression and resistance will only deepen. And for millions of Cameroonians weary of conflict, the dream of a peaceful transition of power will remain just an illusion. 

Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya has won a record eighth term with 53.66% of the vote. His rival Issa Tchiroma Bakary also claimed victory and reported gunfire near his home as protests over alleged election fraud left at least four people dead.

A crackdown by armed forces in Cameroon has killed at least four opposition supporters amid protests over the declared re-election win by President Paul Biya.

Protesters calling for fair results from the African country’s contested presidential election held on October 12 have hit the streets in several cities as 92-year-old Biya prepares for an eighth term, which could keep him in power until 2032 as he nears 100.

Biya, whose election win was finally confirmed by Cameroon’s Constitutional Council on Monday, is Africa’s oldest and among the world’s longest ruling leaders. He has spent 43 years – nearly half his life – in office. He has ruled Cameroon, a country of 30 million people, as president since 1982 through elections that political opponents said have been “stolen”.

What’s behind the deadly protests?

Supporters of opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon party have defied a ban on protests, setting police cars on fire, barricading roads and burning tyres in the financial capital, Douala, before the announcement of the election result. Around 30 activists have been arrested.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon to break up the crowds that came out in support of Tchiroma, who had declared himself the real winner, and called for Biya to concede.

Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, the governor of the region that includes Douala, told the AFP news agency that the protesters attacked police stations in the second and sixth districts of the city.

Several members of the security forces were wounded, and “four people unfortunately lost their lives,” he said. Tchiroma’s campaign team confirmed the deaths on Sunday were of protesters.

Opposition supporters claim the results of the election have been rigged by Biya and his supporters in power. In the lead-up to the announcement of the result, the current government rejected these accusations and urged people to wait for the result.

Who is the main opposition in Cameroon?

The Union for Change is a coalition of opposition parties that formed in September to counter Biya’s dominance of the political landscape.

The forum brought together more than two dozen political parties and civil society groups in opposition to Biya with an aim to field a consensus candidate.

In September, the group confirmed Tchiroma as its consensus candidate to run against Biya.

Tchiroma, 76, was formerly part of Biya’s government, holding several ministerial positions over 16 years. He also served as government spokesperson during the years of fighting the Boko Haram armed group, and he defended the army when it stood accused of killing civilians. He was once regarded as a member of Biya’s “old guard” but has campaigned on a promise of “change”.

What happened after the election?

After voting ended on October 12, Tchiroma claimed victory.

“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” he said in a video statement posted on Facebook. He called on Biya to “accept the truth of the ballot box” or “plunge the country into turmoil”.

Tchiroma claimed that he had won the election with 55 percent of the vote. More than 8 million people were registered to vote in the election.

On Monday, however, the Constitutional Council announced Biya as the winner with 53.66 percent of the vote.

It said Tchiroma was the runner-up with 35.19 percent.

Announcing the results on Monday, the council’s leader, Clement Atangana, said the electoral process was “peaceful” and criticised the opposition for “anticipating the result”.

What are the main criticisms of Biya?

Under Biya’s rule, Cameroon has struggled with myriad challenges, including chronic corruption that critics say has dampened economic growth despite the country being rich in resources such as oil and cocoa.

The president, who has clinched wins in eight heavily contested elections held every seven years, is renowned for his absenteeism as he reportedly spends extended periods away from the country.

The 92-year-old appeared at just one campaign rally in the lead-up to this month’s election when he promised voters that “the best is still to come.”

He and his entourage are often away on private or medical treatment trips to Switzerland. An investigation in 2018 by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project found Biya had spent at least 1,645 days (nearly four and a half years) in the European country, excluding official visits, since being in power.

Under Biya, opposition politicians have frequently accused electoral authorities of colluding with the president to rig elections. In 2008, parliament voted to remove the limit on the number of terms a president may serve.

Before the election, the Constitutional Council barred another popular opposition candidate, Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, from running.

Some opposition leaders and their supporters have been detained by police on a slew of charges, including plotting violence.

On Friday, two prominent leaders, Anicet Ekane and Djeukam Tchameni of the Union for Change, were arrested.

The African Movement for New Independence and Democracy party also said its treasurer and other members had been “kidnapped” by local security forces, a move it claimed was designed “to intimidate Cameroonians”.

Analysts also said Biya’s hold on power could lead to instability when he eventually goes.

What is the security situation in Cameroon?

Since 2015, attacks by the armed group, Boko Haram, have become more and more frequent in the Far North Region of the country.

Furthermore, since gaining independence in 1960 from French rule, Cameroon has struggled with conflict rooted in the country’s deep linguistic and political divisions, which developed when French- and English-speaking regions were merged into a single state.

French is the official language, and Anglophone Cameroonians in the northwest and southwest have felt increasingly marginalised by the Francophone-dominated government in Yaounde.

Their grievances – over language, education, courts and distribution of resources – turned into mass protests in 2016 when teachers and lawyers demanded equal recognition of English-language institutions.

The government responded with arrests and internet blackouts, and the situation eventually built up to an armed separatist struggle for an independent state called Ambazonia.

The recent presidential election was the first to take place since the conflict intensified. Armed separatists have barred the Anglophone population from participating in government-organised activities, such as National Day celebrations and elections.

As a result, the Southwest and Northwest regions saw widespread abstention in voting on October 12 with a 53 percent turnout. The highest share of votes, according to the official results, went to Biya: 68.7 percent and 86.31 percent in the two regions, respectively.

What will happen now?

Protests are likely to spread, observers said.

After the deaths of four protesters before the results were announced, Tchiroma paid tribute “to those who fell to the bullets of a regime that has become criminal during a peaceful march”.

He called on Biya’s government to “stop these acts of barbarity, these killings and arbitrary arrests”.

“Tell the truth of the ballots, or we will all mobilise and march peacefully,” he said.

Deadly clashes have broken out in Cameroon after opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma declared victory in an election yet to publish results. Tchiroma urged his supporters onto the streets to demand President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest serving ruler, step aside after over 43 years in power.

Hundreds of supporters of opposition presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma accuse President Paul Biya’s government of seeking to rig the vote.

At least two people have been killed by gunfire in Cameroon, as protesters rallied a day before the announcement of presidential election results, the opposition campaign has said.

Hundreds of supporters of opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma barricaded roads and burned tyres in Cameroon’s commercial capital Douala on Sunday. Police fired tear gas and water cannon to break up the crowds. A police car was also burned.

The protesters say Tchiroma beat veteran leader Paul Biya, 92, in the October 12 polls and have accused authorities of preparing to rig the election.

Protests have flared in several cities, including the capital Yaounde, Tchiroma’s hometown Garoua, as well as Maroua, Meiganga, Bafang, Bertoua, Kousseri, Yagoua, Kaele, and Bafoussam.

The demonstrations came after partial results reported by local media showed that Biya was on course to win an eighth term in office.

During the counting process, according to the figures, Tchiroma was declared the winner. But during the national count, the electoral commission announced that Biya would be the winner, which Tchiroma disputes.

He claims that he has won the elections and that he has evidence to prove it, which led to a call for national demonstrations to demand the truth about the ballot boxes.

‘We want Tchiroma’

“We want Tchiroma, we want Tchiroma!” the protesters chanted in Douala’s New Bell neighbourhood. They blocked roads with debris and threw rocks and other projectiles at security forces.

Reuters news agency reporters saw police detain at least four protesters on Sunday.

Cameroon’s government has rejected opposition accusations of irregularities and urged people to wait for the election result, due on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, Tchiroma’s campaign manager said authorities had detained about 30 politicians and activists who had supported his candidacy, heightening tensions.

Among those he said were detained were Anicet Ekane, leader of the MANIDEM party, and Djeukam Tchameni, a prominent figure in the Union for Change movement.

Cameroon’s Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji said on Saturday that arrests had been made in connection with what he described as an “insurrectional movement,” though he did not say who – or how many – had been detained.

Biya is the world’s oldest serving ruler and has been in power in Cameroon since 1982. Another seven-year term could keep him in power until he is nearly 100.

Tchiroma, a former minister and one-time Biya ally, has said that he won and that he will not accept any other result.

Leading opposition candidate unilaterally declares himself the victor, and calls on incumbent Paul Biya to concede.

Cameroon opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has unilaterally declared victory in the country’s presidential election.

Tchiroma made the statement in a nearly five-minute speech posted to social media early on Tuesday. Although official channels have not declared results, he urged long-term incumbent, 92-year-old President Paul Biya, to call him to concede.

“The people have chosen, and this choice must be respected,” Tchiroma demanded in the video.

However, the government warned earlier this week that only results announced by the Constitutional Council can be considered official. The body has almost two weeks to make the announcement.

A former government spokesman and ally of Biya for 20 years, Tchiroma was considered the top contender to unseat Biya in Sunday’s elections.

After he resigned from the government in June, his campaign drew large crowds and key endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.

But Biya – in power for 43 years and the world’s oldest serving head of state – has been widely expected to secure another seven-year term in office, given his tight grip on state machinery and the fragmented nature of the opposition.

Cameroon’s government has not responded officially to Tchiroma’s declaration.

However, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned recently that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to announce the winner, and that any unilateral publication of results would be considered “high treason”.

Cameroon’s electoral law allows results to be published and posted at individual polling stations, but final tallies must be validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to announce the outcome, the Reuters news agency reported.

‘Honour’ the ballot box

In the video, filmed in his northern hometown of Garoua in front of the national flag, Tchiroma urged Biya to “honour the truth of the ballot box”, and to concede and offer congratulations.

Doing so, he said, would be a mark of Cameroon’s political maturity and the strength of its democracy.

The election results, he said, represent “a clear sanction” of Biya’s administration and marked “the beginning of a new era”.

Tchiroma also thanked rival candidates “who have already congratulated me and recognised the will of the people”.

He called on government institutions and the military to recognise his victory and “stay on the side of the republic”.

“Do not let anyone divert you from your mission to protect the people,” he said.

Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, is likely to extend his 43 years in power in the Central African nation.

Polls have opened in Cameroon in an election that could see the world’s oldest serving head of state extend his rule for another seven years.

The single-round election on Sunday is likely to return 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya as president for an eighth term in the Central African nation of 30 million people.

Biya, in power for 43 years, faces off against 11 challengers, including former government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, who has generated unexpected momentum for a campaign calling for an end to the leader’s decades-long tenure.

Bakary – a close ally of Biya for 20 years, who resigned from the government in June to join the opposition – is considered the top contender to unseat the incumbent after another leading opponent, Maurice Kamto, was barred from the race.

But analysts predict Biya’s re-election, given his firm grip on state machinery and a divided opposition.

‘Divide to rule’

“We shouldn’t be naive. We know full well the ruling system has ample means at its disposal to get results in its favour,” Cameroonian political scientist Stephane Akoa told the AFP news agency, while noting that the campaign had been “much livelier” in recent days than previous versions.

“This poll is therefore more likely to throw up surprises,” he said.

Francois Conradie, lead political economist at Oxford Economics, told the Reuters news agency that while “a surprise is still possible”, “a divided opposition and the backing of a formidable electoral machine will, we predict, give the 92-year-old his eighth term”.

“Biya has remained in power for nearly 43 years by deftly dividing his adversaries, and, although we think he isn’t very aware of what is going on, it seems that the machine he built will divide to rule one last time,” Conradie said.

Biya – who has won every election in the past 20 years by more than 70 percent of the ballot – ran a characteristically low-profile campaign, appearing in public only on Tuesday for the first time since May, AFP reported.

His sole rally in Maroua, the regional capital of the strategic Far North region, drew a crowd of just a few hundred people, far smaller than a rally in the same city by Bakary this week, which drew thousands, AFP said.

‘We want change’

Cameroon is Central Africa’s most diversified economy and a significant producer of oil and cocoa.

But voters in a country where about four people in 10 live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank, complain about the high cost of living, high unemployment and a lack of clean water, healthcare and quality education.

“For 43 years, Cameroonians have been suffering. There are no jobs,” Hassane Djbril, a driver in the capital, Yaounde, told Reuters.

He said he planned to vote for Bakary. “We want change because the current government is dictatorial.”

Herves Mitterand, a mechanic in Douala, told Reuters that he wanted to see change.

“For me, things have only gotten worse,” he said. “We want to see that change, we want to see it actually happen. We don’t want to just keep hearing words any more.”

The vote takes place in the shadow of a conflict between separatist forces and the government that has plagued the English-speaking northwest and southwest regions since 2016.

More than eight million people have registered to vote. The Constitutional Council has until October 26 to announce the final results.

Amid ongoing terrorist activities by Boko Haram in northern Cameroon, particularly in the Far North, contraband trade with Nigeria and neighbouring countries has resulted in a significant increase in Cameroon’s deficit, reaching 50.7 billion FCFA (around US$89.8 million).

A report from Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (NIS) regarding informal transborder trade for 2024 indicates that this deficit is increasing compared to last year’s numbers, which reached 44.6 billion FCFA (approximately US$79 million). This deficit was noted in 2023 following the record high of 71.8 billion FCFA (around US$79 million) in 2022. 

The deficit, which is in Cameroon’s disfavour, is principally due to the heavy weight of informal purchases from Nigeria, a neighbouring country with a commercial deficit of 111,73 billion FCFA in 2024 after the 2022 peak of 168.04 billion FCFA.

“The structural disequilibrium of the informal commercial balance with Nigeria can be explained by two closely linked factors namely, the extensive land border with this neighbouring country (Nigeria) doubled with the permeability of the border and the dynamism of the Nigerian economy accentuated by the drop in the exchange rate of its currency, the naira, as well as the competitivity of its offer in the hydrocarbons sector,” the NIS noted.

The NIS added that informal importations from neighbouring countries, including Nigeria, which shares a common border of 1,500 kilometres with Cameroon from north to south, have two principal entry points: the Far North and the North within the northerly part of Cameroon and the Southwest in the southern part.

The majority of imported goods primarily pass through the Far North region, accounting for 49.4 per cent of imports in 2024, followed by the North region at 20.8 per cent. This trend is largely influenced by contraband networks dealing in fuel, livestock, and manufactured products. According to NIS, fuel and lubricants make up the largest share of these imports at 22.1 per cent, with live animals following at 14.6 per cent.

Over 70 per cent of smuggling activities between Cameroon and its neighbouring countries, especially Nigeria, occur in the Far North and North regions. This continues despite the insecurity caused by Boko Haram militants operating in the Far North of Cameroon.

On the contrary, the influx of transit through the Southwest Region has dropped (-38.7 per cent), due to the Anglophone crisis, according to the report. The Adamawa (-17.5 per cent) and the East (-3.3 per cent) have also seen their imports contrast due to security and logistical difficulties (degraded roads and armed groups).

Since 2016, separatist activities have disturbed the Southwest and Northwest regions of Cameroon, which have boundaries with Nigeria. These activities are slowing down economic activity. These same activities are parallel to exactions by armed groups from the Central African Republic, which endanger the corridors of the East and Adamawa regions of Cameroon.

UN cultural organisation this week announces its choice of sites to be granted World Heritage status.

The United Nations cultural organisation has added a remote Aboriginal site featuring one million carvings that potentially date back 50,000 years to its World Heritage list.

Located on the Burrup peninsula in Western Australia, Murujuga is home to the Mardudunera people, who declared themselves “overjoyed” when UNESCO gave the ancient site a coveted place on its list on Friday.

“These carvings are what our ancestors left here for us to learn and keep their knowledge and keep our culture thriving through these sacred sites,” said Mark Clifton, a member of the Aboriginal delegation meeting with UNESCO representatives in Paris.

Environmental and Indigenous organisations argue that the presence of mining groups emitting industrial emissions has already caused damage to the ancient site.

Benjamin Smith, a rock art specialist at the University of Western Australia, said Murujuga was “possibly the most important rock art site in the world”, but that mining activity was causing the rock art to “break down”.

“We should be looking after it,” he said.

Australian company Woodside Energy, which operates an industrial complex in the area, told news agency AFP that it recognised Murujuga as “one of Australia’s most culturally significant landscapes” and that it was taking “proactive steps … to ensure we manage our impacts responsibly”.

Delegation leader Raelene Cooper said the UNESCO listing sent “a clear signal to the Australian Government and Woodside that things need to change”.

Making the UNESCO’s heritage list does not in itself trigger protection for a site, but can help pressure national governments into taking action.

African heritage boosted

Cameroon’s Mandara Mountains and Malawi’s Mount Mulanje were also added to the latest edition of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has presented Africa as a priority during her two terms in office, although the continent remains underrepresented.

The Diy-Gid-Biy landscape of the Mandara Mountains, in the far north of Cameroon, consists of archaeological sites, probably created between the 12th and 17th centuries.

Malawi’s Mount Mulanje, in the south of the country, is considered a sacred place inhabited by gods, spirits and ancestors.

UNESCO is also considering applications from two other African countries, namely the Gola Tiwai forests in Sierra Leone and the biosphere reserve of the Bijagos Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau.

On Friday, UNESCO also listed three notorious Cambodian torture and execution sites used by the Khmer Rouge regime to perpetrate genocide 50 years ago.

Authorities in the Adamawa Region of Cameroon have called for vigilance and better urban planning to avoid future disasters following the death of four persons and the displacement of families after heavy torrential rains and floods.

Local sources told HumAngle that the heavy rainfall in Ngaoundere, the regional capital, and surrounding areas caused significant damage and forced numerous families to leave. “The floods have seriously impacted the usage of several roads in the region, and many of the roads are out of use. Several schools and markets have been closed down, and access to most areas is now impossible without assistance,” a civil society activist in Ngaoundere said.

For several days, the rainfall in Ngaoundere, the region’s main town, led to a rapid rise in water levels from a nearby lake. This surge damaged infrastructure and left residents stranded, as Valeri Norbert Kuela, the prefect of the Vina division in the area, reported.

A civil engineering expert, who examined the ravaged location, stated that the profundity of the damage shows that the way houses are constructed here is not structured. The engineer warned that something has to be done by strictly vetting building plans before approval is given for construction. 

“The large number of houses which easily collapsed without much effort is evidence of the veracity of accusations that have always been levied against Council authorities, that very little real control is carried out before and during the construction of houses in the city,” he said. “I hope these deaths and damage to several houses would teach the council authorities to do their work better.”

Several displaced individuals who spoke with HumAngle revealed that bribing construction verifiers to overlook standard building regulations was harmful to them.

“Where do I start from now at my age? How long would I have to stay in someone else’s uncompleted building with my children and grandchildren? Sometimes, being ‘smart’ can be a sort of stupidity,” one local, an octogenarian, cried out.  “I thought I was smart by bribing council control staff to look the other way while I bent the construction rules. Look at where I find myself today.”

Cameroon is facing the world’s most neglected displacement crisis, according to a recent report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The growing humanitarian emergency is worsened by insufficient funding, limited media attention, and a lack of effective international engagement.

The NRC’s Neglected Displacement Crises Report ranks crises based on three core criteria: humanitarian funding shortfalls, minimal media coverage, and inadequate political efforts to resolve conflicts. Cameroon, already prominently in past editions, now leads the list, underscoring the worsening plight of displaced communities.

Globally, displacement caused by conflict or disaster has doubled over the past decade, with 2024 marking a peak in numbers. Cameroon has endured multiple crises over the last ten years, each displacing thousands across the country.

The ongoing Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West regions, where separatist groups have clashed with government forces since 2016, has resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements, causing school closures.

In the Far North, insurgencies by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists have ravaged the Lake Chad Basin since 2014, creating a severe humanitarian emergency. Meanwhile, violent instability spilling over from the Central African Republic, along with ethno-political tensions over resources along the border with Chad, has further destabilised the region.

Despite the severity of these crises, international diplomatic engagement and financial assistance remain minimal. The NRC states that Cameroon’s 2024 humanitarian response plan is only 45 per cent funded, leaving a gap of $202.8 million needed to address urgent needs.

“Adequate funding is essential,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of NRC, in the statement. “But funding alone cannot halt the suffering. Without effective conflict resolution, disaster prevention and diplomatic engagement, these protracted crises will go on and on. More people will be displaced, and more lives will be shattered.”

The NRC annually highlights the ten most overlooked displacement crises worldwide, shining a spotlight on communities suffering in silence. Alongside Cameroon, the 2024 list includes Ethiopia, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Mali, Uganda, Iran, DR Congo, Honduras, and Somalia.

Refugees from neighbouring countries now living in Cameroon speak of deliberate neglect. Djeinabou, a 32-year-old Central African Republic refugee, says: “Life is very difficult at times, and we get by with a little farming and working in small businesses to try and find enough to eat. We worry about the future of our children. They need to go to school. We have been forgotten here in Cameroon, and it’s very difficult for us to even think about the future of our families.”

Globally, humanitarian funding shortfalls are growing. The report reveals a $25.3 billion gap in 2024, with more than half of the required aid unmet. This comes as global military spending hits record highs, raising serious questions about donor priorities.

Egeland condemned the trend: “International solidarity is being overtaken by increasingly introverted and nationalistic policies in previously generous donor nations. This is deepening the neglect of people affected by crisis and displacement at a time when a record number of people have been forced from their homes.”

Several donor countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Belgium, have slashed foreign aid budgets, further restricting resources available to address crises like Cameroon’s.

The NRC insists that displacement is not a distant problem but a shared global responsibility. The report calls urgently for a reversal of brutal aid cuts, warning that continued neglect will cost more lives.

“It is critical that we do not accept donors’ abandonment of aid as a foregone conclusion. Displacement isn’t a distant crisis: it’s a shared responsibility. We must stand up and demand a reversal of brutal aid cuts which are costing more lives by the day,” Egeland urged. 

Without swift intervention, the suffering of displaced communities in Cameroon and beyond will continue, and international neglect will only worsen their conditions.

A Cameroonian soldier was killed and three others were wounded during a two-night attack by Boko Haram terrorists from 19 to 20 May. The assault occurred in Kerawa, a locality on the border with Nigeria, within the Kolofata sub-division of the Mayo-Sava division in the Far North region.

A member of the local vigilante committee said the assailants, who came from Nigeria, targeted a Cameroonian military post. “After opening fire on the post, the assailants quickly fled towards the Nigeria-Cameroon border,” he stated.

The recent attack highlights an alarming trend, as Boko Haram terrorists have become more aggressive since March, utilising previously unseen sophisticated weaponry during their operations. Notably, one major incident occurred on the night of March 24 to 25, 2025, in Wulgo, in the Logone-et-Chari division, where 12 Cameroonian soldiers lost their lives. 

This week’s deadly assault serves as a reminder that, despite claims of a retreat by the terrorists, the threat they pose remains constant within the Lake Chad Basin. Even with strong responses from the Cameroonian army, Boko Haram continues to conduct violent operations, instilling fear and destabilising the border areas with Nigeria. This comes despite repeated assertions from the military that they have broken the back of Boko Haram in the region.

As part of its intensified violent campaign, Boko Haram/ISWAP increased the deployment of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along critical highways in the Lake Chad region, especially in Nigeria. Over the past month, numerous IED detonations occurred, resulting in casualties among both civilians and security forces.

Recent developments have seen two significant bridges – one in the Gujiba local government area of Yobe State and the other in the Biu local government area of Borno State – damaged by IED blasts attributed to the terrorist group. These incidents have significantly disrupted mobility, making entire routes perilous and putting commuters at heightened risk of attacks, particularly in resettled communities that are already unstable.

The destruction of these essential infrastructures also threatens humanitarian efforts and the region’s economic stability. Human rights groups, humanitarian organisations, and local media have cautioned for months that resettling populations without adequate security measures may expose them to reprisals and further displacement.