US urged to rethink ties with Cameroon after reelection of ‘corrupt’ Biya regime
The chairman of the United States Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee has said that the US government must reassess its diplomatic partnership with Cameroon, criticising the country's “corrupt” ruling and asserting that it poses “economic and security risks to the American people.”
In a post on X, Republican Senator Jim Risch of Idaho criticised the “sham” reelection of President Paul Biya, saying his regime has only made life worse for those living in Cameroon — including Americans.
“The corrupt Biya regime in Cameroon hunts its political opponents, enables Wagner’s illicit activities, and has created conditions for jihadist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS to thrive and fuel the Anglophone crisis,” Risch wrote on November 4.
The US senator was referring to the Wagner Group, a Russian state-funded paramilitary organisation, and the Boko Haram, a jihadist militant group that has troops in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Mali.
While Washington has had diplomatic ties with Youanda since 1960, Risch asserted that Cameroon “is not a US partner.”
“It’s time to reassess this relationship before the blowback gets worse,” he said.
A former French colony, Cameroon has always struggled with managing the divide between its Anglophone and Francophone regions.
This age-old conflict has caused separatist groups to mushroom, further intensifying the instability of the Central African country.
While criticisms of the 92-year-old Biya are not new, Risch’s comments are significant as the US has a formal allyship with Cameroon. Its president, Donald Trump, has also been keen on peacemaking during his second term.
In an archived page in the US Department of State Website, Cameroon was described as a “key” player in regional stability and a “regional partner in countering terrorism in the Lake Chad Region and anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea.”
The two countries have had a bilateral investment treaty in place since 1986, and Washington has provided nearly $1.7 billion in foreign assistance since 2001.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
