Amidst security challenges, including threats from Boko Haram in the Far North and secessionist attacks in the Northwest and Southwest, Cameroon is turning to Colombia’s expertise in conflict resolution and peace consolidation. This move is designed to strengthen its disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process, which began in 2018 with the formation of a committee tasked with facilitating the social reintegration of former militants and repentant terrorists. As part of this endeavor, Cameroon has been chosen to participate in the “South-South Cooperation Program for Peace Consolidation: From Colombia to the World,” which was officially launched on April 19 in Yaoundé and will also be implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Oumarou Chinmoun, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of External Relations (Minrex), stated: “The National Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Committee (CNDDR), a newcomer in Cameroon’s process of peace and national unity, requires multifaceted support both domestically and internationally to carry out its activities. This peace consolidation program represents a real opportunity for our country to benefit from the support, guidance, and even training by experts with proven expertise in disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration."
Eleonora Betancur Gonzalez, Director General of the Colombian Presidential Agency for International Cooperation (APC), reminded that her country’s government inked a historic peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016, putting an end to over 50 years of armed conflict. This agreement serves as a “model” for countries grappling with similar crises, like Cameroon. The program’s establishment aims to cater to the interest and demand of participating countries in understanding the institutional framework guiding a genuine peace process in Colombia. It will facilitate knowledge sharing on enhancing peace consolidation processes through DDR, drawing from the Colombian experience, designing peace consolidation cooperation programs for Africa, sharing best practices and community experiences in peacebuilding, and implementing an action plan in each country, taking into account its socio-economic adaptability to the Colombian experience.
Francis Faï Yengo, the national coordinator of the CNDDR, is hopeful that Cameroon can leverage Colombia’s experience to build upon the progress made so far through this program, which notably receives support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). As per CNDDR data, around 4,000 ex-combatants are currently housed in centers in Meri (Far North), Bamenda (Northwest), and Buea (Southwest), many of whom are preparing for their transition to civilian life. “They receive training in agriculture, construction, computer science, etc. These activities prepare them for the final phase of the process, which is reintegration into society,” stated Francis Faï Yengo. This is precisely the challenge, especially since the conflict is still ongoing in the Anglophone regions. Colombia has developed a model that assists former FARC members in finding employment as soon as they disarm and reintegrate sustainably into society—a model that Cameroon aspires to emulate.
The program’s launch follows a visit to Colombia last year by the CNDDR coordinator, Francis Faï Yengo. He explained that the visit was intended to learn from Colombia’s experience in peace and DDR and to share what Cameroon has been doing in this area since the inception of the structure he has been leading for nearly 6 years. This visit facilitated an initial exchange of knowledge and experiences, paving the way for international cooperation and mutual learning in peace consolidation and reconciliation.
Patricia Ngo Ngouem
