Which language would you like to use this site in The Cameroonian authorities must immediately release three supporters of the association Pouvoir au Peuple Camerounais (Power to the People of Cameroon – PPC) and their relatives arbitrarily arrested and detained for a fortnight and put an end to arbitrary arrests and detention in the country Mohamadou Ballo and Ibrahim Oumarou were arrested allegedly for wearing t-shirts bearing the name of the organization in the town of Figuil in the Mayo-Louti department in the North region a youth organization founded in August 2024 has not altered this trend,” said Fabien Offner researcher at Amnesty International’s regional office for West and Central Africa Ibrahim Oumarou and Hapsatou Issa were transferred to Garoua on 13 September According to information gathered by Amnesty International Hapsatou Issa is currently being held at the northern gendarmerie legion Moustapha Tizi and Mohamadou Ballo at the Garoua 1 gendarmerie research brigade and Ibrahim Oumarou at the Garoua judicial police Hapsatou Issa was arrested on the night of 9-10 September at her home she was told she had been arrested because she is the sister of a PPC spokesperson who is currently on the run after receiving threats who had come to visit his detained mother to bring her food was also arrested and has since been held at the Garoua 1 gendarmerie research brigade Authorities must end the growing crackdown on human rights anyone who dares criticize the authorities an activist for the Anglophone cause or a demonstrator runs the risk of being arbitrarily arrested and detained tortured and tried by military courts in violation of the country’s international human rights obligations this trend is likely to increase as the presidential election approaches” “Authorities must end the growing crackdown on human rights and uphold the country’s international human rights obligations including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Cameroon is a state party.” has also been arbitrarily detained since his arrest on 19 July 2024 in Gabon He was transferred to Cameroon on 23 July without any known legal or diplomatic procedure He is being held in Yaoundé at the Central Judicial Research Department of the Secretary of State for Defence He was able to meet his lawyers only a month after his arrest arms trafficking and insulting the President and members of the government Videos of Ramon Cotta posted on social media and reviewed by Amnesty International were mainly limited to criticisms of the Cameroonian authorities and criticism of the Cameroonian embassy in Gabon Ramon Cotta is likely to have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment leading to a partial paralysis and to have experienced difficulties in accessing healthcare This would constitute violations of the Nelson Mandela Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners was arbitrarily detained from 24 July to 31 July after denouncing Ramon Cotta’s arrest in a video viewed more than 218,000 times on TikTok Together we can fight for human rights everywhere Your donation can transform the lives of millions If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you The Far North of Cameroon is facing a major agricultural crisis due to a prolonged absence of rains sorghum and other vital crops in this region are drying up The crops are already attacked by pests and drought that are eating away at them the Lamido of Garoua El Hadj Ibrahim El Rachidini organized a great prayer on August 9 after three days of fasting imploring God to send rains to save the crops in danger This religious approach reflects the urgency of the situation and the distress of local farmers including the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Gabriel Mbairobé have not yet taken any measures or made any public statements on this worrying phenomen.The persistence of this drought could have repercussions not only on local harvests but also on the supply of peanuts It is crucial that immediate action is taken to support farmers and respond to this crisis #RainShortage #FarNorthofCameroon #CallforHelp #LamidoofGaroua #LocalFarmers Read the original article on Camer.be AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals representing a diversity of positions on every topic We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. 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Subscribe to Railways AfricaTM Magazine Discover the various ways in which you can subscribe and access Africa's rail news Unveiling Tomorrow's Cameroon Through Today's News Sept 5 – Cameroon’s national football team accompanied by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education The delegation landed ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier against Namibia's Brave Warriors Head coach Marc Brys and his squad were welcomed by the Governor of the North Region who extended a warm reception on behalf of the local population "We are thrilled to host the national team and are confident that the people of Garoua will provide an enthusiastic atmosphere," the governor stated The team traveled on the same flight as officials from the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) including Secretary-General Benjamin Banlock The flight also carried Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials the match commissioner from the Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Confirms Match Venue in Garoua Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute issued a communiqué resolving previous disputes over the match venue The government acknowledged CAF's decision to hold the match at Garoua's Roumdé Adjia Stadium "The Prime Minister has taken note of CAF's decision to play the match against Namibia at Roumdé Adjia Stadium and looks forward to the warm welcome that the inhabitants of Garoua will undoubtedly extend to all stakeholders," the statement read The communiqué also expressed the government's willingness to address any practical issues raised and encouraged all parties—including the Ministry of Sports and local authorities—to work collaboratively for the success of the upcoming matches Anticipation is reaching a fever pitch in Garoua as residents prepare to host the national team Local broadcaster CRTV is making arrangements to ensure comprehensive coverage of the match "The excitement is palpable; everyone is eager to support the Indomitable Lions," said a local shopkeeper The presence of Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi alongside the team has sparked reactions on social media Some users questioned his role in the delegation suggesting that his involvement could be seen as overstepping He should avoid any actions that could be perceived as interference," commented one user on Facebook Others called for unity ahead of the important qualifier it's crucial that all parties work together for the good of the team and the nation," said another supporter have returned to Mbankomo to continue preparations for the upcoming UNIFFAC tournament Coach Marc Brys is expected to finalize his lineup as the team gears up for the first round of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers The match against Namibia is seen as a critical step in Cameroon's journey to the continental tournament in Morocco The ongoing conflict over the venue for the Cameroon vs Namibia match highlights deeper tensions between the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education (MINSEP) FECAFOOT selected Japoma Stadium in Douala as the match venue raised concerns about the stadium's availability leading the government to push for the match to be held in Yaoundé instead FECAFOOT has insisted on holding the match in Garoua at the Stade Roumdé-Adjia including accommodation and logistics for both the Cameroonian and Namibian teams FECAFOOT has even secured preliminary approval from CAF for the match to be held in Garoua with Namibia agreeing to the arrangement under specific conditions This disagreement reflects a broader struggle for control over football affairs in Cameroon While FECAFOOT has the authority to propose the match venue and handle logistics it must still work with local authorities and comply with regulations The 2015 MINSEP-FECAFOOT Convention outlines the responsibilities of both parties leading to confusion over the final decision The situation reveals underlying power dynamics and the challenges of coordinating major sporting events in Cameroon both sides will need to find common ground to ensure the game goes ahead smoothly the decision will likely hinge on both logistical considerations and the need to balance national interests with international regulations The outcome of this standoff could set a precedent for how such conflicts are handled in the future making it a critical moment for Cameroon's sports administration Identify construction & infrastructure project opportunities in Africa.  Proposals expected by 30 January for 242km Ngaoundere-Garoua route Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Works (MINTP) has invited bids by 30 January for reconstruction works on the 242km Ngaoundere-Garoua road The route is part of the 2,100km Douala-N’Djamena corridor linking Cameroon’s western port city of Douala to N’Djamena The work is being undertaken under phase 4 of Cameroon’s Transport Sector Support Programme (PAST) which was built in the 1990s and is a breakpoint on the corridor is at the end of its lifespan and in a dilapidated state causing excessive journey times and transaction costs namely the 50km Ngaoundere-Malang crossroads-Bottom of the Mbe Cliff section with a duration of 36 months; the 39km Mbe Cliff-Keroua bridge route over 24 months; the 77km Keroua bridge-Salah bridge road over 36 months; a 56km route linking Salah bridge to the entrance of the Ouro Andre village over 24 months; and a 56km road running from the entrance of the Ouro Andre village to the Benoue bridge over 24 months The tender was issued on 11 December 2024 and can be viewed here Related works will include the development of 15km of urban roads in the towns of Ngaoundere Gouna and Ngong; the rehabilitation of 139km of roads to open up the agro-pastoral basin in the North Region; and the revamping of 163km of access roads to cotton-growing basins in the Adamaoua region The specific objectives of the Ngaoundere-Garoua road project include the opening up of the Adamaoua plateau production basins; reduction in journey time and transport cost on the Douala-N’Djamena corridor as well as the Douala-Bangui corridor that links to the capital city of the Central African Republic (CAR); and promotion of the use of other modes of transport The Ngaoundere-Garoua road scheme has a total cost of €340.7 million (US$351.2 million) and is aimed to be completed by December 2030 It is being supported by the African Union and the Cameroonian government as well as the African Development Bank (AfDB) which approved loans worth a combined €330 million for the scheme in December 2024 The Douala-N’Djamena corridor is seen as the most important in Cameroon the corridor accounts for 35% of Cameroon's GDP and serves 35% and 20% of the populations of Cameroon and Chad respectively “The renovation of the most deteriorated section [of the corridor] will help improve the performance of the Cameroonian road network in order to promote participation and private investment in the agro-industrial transport and logistics sectors along the Douala-N’Djamena corridor and will facilitate cross-border trade,” said Serge N’Guessan Previous PAST phases are ongoing or on the verge of being completed PAST 1 is aimed at providing an alternative access route to the Douala-N’Djamena corridor via the central plain of Cameroon and the Centre and Adamaoua regions The work involves the development of the 248.6km Batschenga-Ntui-Yoko-Lena road and is part of the government’s efforts to channel produce from the Mbam-Sanaga agricultural basin to the main consumption centres of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) region through the Yaounde-Ndjamena-Bangui Yaounde-Gabon-Equatorial Guinea and Yaounde-Republic of Congo corridors Completion on the US$514.9 million project is targeted by December 2025 PAST 2 covers the rehabilitation of the Yaounde-Bafoussam-Babadjou route which connects the southern and northern regions of Cameroon via the west while connecting the Bamenda-Enugu (Nigeria) corridor to the Douala-N’Djamena corridor from Ngaoundere The US$505.9 million scheme was expected to have been concluded by December 2024 PAST 3 targets the construction of a 365km ring road that forms a loop crossing five departments of the North West Region and includes several connections to the Nigerian border The US$247.8 million project is planned to be completed by December 2026.  Top photo: Cameroon road (Source: Facebook @ MINTP) World Bank to support establishment of country’s first BESS and facilitate investments.  Line is country’s second high-speed rail network Your one-stop-shop for information and actionable intelligence on the construction and infrastructure pipeline in African countries Construction News  Construction Market Reports  Construction Project Intelligence All Rights Reserved CA Digital Marketplace (Business in Cameroon) - The Port Authority of Douala (PAD) is expressing interest in the renovation of Garoua Port in the northern part of the country This was announced during a workshop that reviewed and approved the feasibility study for the port's renovation and the dredging of Lagdo and Maga lakes conducted by the firms Le Competing/Bet Geocompetence and Scet Tunisie PAD intends to dredge Garoua Port as part of its renovation project They recently refurbished the multifunctional dredger Chantal Biya in Nigeria PAD also plans to use its expertise to improve governance tools and develop Garoua Port into an economic powerhouse for the northern regions The goal is to create an industrial-port complex that expands beyond the current boundaries This plan will be outlined in a master plan for Garoua Port’s development from 2025 to 2035 The master plan will need to align with the national sustainable development strategy and planned investments such as the Ngaoundéré dry port and the proposed extension of the Ngaoundéré-N’Djamena railway through Garoua has struggled with reduced activity due to sediment buildup aims to enhance trade with Nigeria and formalize many transactions with this neighboring country Kribi Bitumen Plant Set to Start Construction in 2025 with Government Backing CEMAC Bond Market Hits CFA 8.45 Trillion in March 2025, Interest Rates Drop Cameroon’s Timber Output Projected to Rise in 2025 Despite Higher Export Taxes Central Africa Stock Exchange Sees 98% Drop in Trading Value in Q1 2025 Every week the economy and investment news from Cameroon Mboa Paris Trains 30 Young Cameroonians to Boost Tech and Entrepreneurship Cameroon Audit Targets Former Officials for Mismanagement in Agricultural Project Camwater Seeks Global Bids to Launch Bottled Water Lines in Five Cities Bafoussam Workshop Highlights Benefits of Cameroon-EU Trade Agreement Cameroon Could Reach 350,100 Tons of Cotton in 2025 (Beac) Paul Biya Appoints Johnny Razack as Chair of Cameroon’s National Investment Company Cameroon Refuses Work Visa Renewal for Casino and Super U Boss Over Toxic Workplace Claims Cameroon Joins Global Charter to Fight Illegal Fishing (Business in Cameroon) - Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) reported a slight decrease in transport costs for August 2024 The announcement was made in its latest monthly report on household consumption prices This decline contributed to a 0.1% reduction in transport fares the drop is mainly due to the lower prices of smuggled fuel known locally as “zoua-zoua” or “fungen,” coming from Nigeria which has seen a significant increase in supply The recent devaluation of Nigeria's currency the price of a liter of this smuggled fuel dropped from CFA800 to CFA350 in Garoua Experts described this devaluation as “historic.” Smugglers from Cameroon were buying the fuel for about CFA125 per liter on the Nigerian side of the border marking a nearly 40% drop compared to earlier in the year widely used by motorbike taxi drivers in northern Cameroon the fare from Garoua to Pitoa fell from CFA500 to CFA350 that this decrease in transport fares follows a period of price hikes transport prices had increased by an average of 14.4% which manages official statistics in Cameroon The last time, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon faced off The Brave Warriors of Namibia, the clash ended 2-1 in favour of the Southern African nation. The first Group J AFCON Qualifier between the two countries this September 7, at the Roumnde Adja Stadium in Garoua will surely be a level ground for Cameroon to settle scores and snatch the relay baton at the ongoing 2025 AFCON qualifying matches The boys of Marc Brys will also be looking forward to clinch a victory and move past the current crisis rocking the Cameroonian football federation, FECAFOOT, for sometime now. In fact Collin Benjamin of Namibia stated that they will make it a difficult terrain for Cameroon also. Garoua being the host ground rekindles memories in the indomitable lion’s squad, September 12, 2023 was the last time the African footballing nation played at the 30000-seater historic Roumnde Adjia Stadium, a match that ended 3-0 in favour of the Cameroon against Burundi. In fact, Cameroon will be keen in protecting their 22-match unbeaten records at home amid the rocking tensions surrounding football in Cameroon, a situation that pulled through Cameroon’s last two games; one against Cabo Verde in Yaounde and another against the Palancas Negras of Angola in Luanda. In last 16 encounters across all international footballing scenes, Cameroon can just count four victories in sixteen outings. In their last five matches; Cameroon played an all one tie with Angola, trashed Cabo Verde 4-1 at home,lost in a 2-0 game to Nigeria, defeated The Gambia 3-2 and fell off to a 3-1 defeat in the hands of Senegal Namibia has not been at her best also,Peter Shalulile and his teammates have had difficult times as well in their last outings; one of them being a 5-0 spanking from Angola in the COSAFA Cup. The Brave Warriors have failed to score in seven of the eleven clashes, a time she was able to win just two games in all. In her last five games, Collin and his boys lost crushingly to Angola, played a 4-2 victory over Mozambique in penalties, defeated Seychelles 3-1 and Lesotho 2-1 and in one of the clashes with Angola both teams settled for a goalless tie  In their 18 away games; that is AFCON qualifiers, Namibia managed just four victories and a single tie game Head-to-head records; Cameroon Vs Namibia  Both countries have fielded in a total of 4 matches at the AFCON with Cameroon recording 2 victories, 1 defeat and 1 draw game. # January 26 1997; Cameroon 4-0 Namibia, Africa Cup of Nations  # July 12, 1997 Namibia 0-1 Cameroon, Africa Cup of Nations  # March 24, 2023; Cameroon 1-1 Namibia, Africa Cup of Nations # March 28, 2023 ; Namibia 2-1 Cameroon; Africa Cup of Nations Votre adresse e-mail ne sera pas publiée. Les champs obligatoires sont indiqués avec * Enregistrer mon nom, mon e-mail et mon site dans le navigateur pour mon prochain commentaire. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Cameroon - pictured here in 2008 - will host 2021 Africa Cup of Nations matches The stadium seats in Garoua have been replaced ahead of the Nations Cup The outside of Garoua's Roumde Adjia stadium in 2008 ahead of the second leg of the African Champions League final The same Garoua stadium's exterior in August 2021 Garoua's 30,000-capacity stadium will host five games in Group D the main stand and roof at the Roumde Adjiia stadium were in need of attention the stadium was ready to host its eight Nations Cup matches Fans attend Africa's Champions League final second leg between Coton Sport and champions Al Ahly in November 2008 but will Yamal build legacy to rival Messi 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Premier League reaction & Champions League race latest as Forest draw at Palace The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Palmer's brilliance could be key moment in Chelsea's Champions League quest Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Still number one & 'sparring' with Draper - return of Sinner Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Two opposing views on football's transgender ban Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. It was Victoria United’s second defeat in a row, following their loss to Gazelle FA on Matchday 9 Opopo endured a tough 3-0 loss to Coton Sport of Garoua on Matchday 10 of the MTN Elite One Despite aiming to make the most of their trip to the northern region Victoria United met a tactical and organized Coton Sport team Coton Sport dominated the match leaving Opopo struggling Nathan Douala and his team-mates struggled to capitalise their chances David Ngambe’s men failed to do justice on their attacking moves were just waiting for a small opening to strike The breakthrough came in the 40th minute when Captain Félix Oukiné gave the home side a 1-0 lead before John Bosco added another in the 45th minute (2-0) overwhelmed by the home side’s dominance allowing Djonkep to score the third (3-0) commanding victory les actualités camerounaises et la revue de presse Lebledparle.com à ne pas manquer Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Actualité du Cameroun ce matinMTN elite oneVictoria United Lebledparle.com is a site dedicated to news in Cameroon news from Cameroon and all useful information analyzes and all the news in real time and continuously According to the Director General of ANTIC though digitization has transformed all spheres of life it is not of course hitch-free as unscrupulous individuals are exploiting the security flaws to make gains reason why the security agencies law enforcement officers and magistrates should be put onboard Professor Ebot Ebot Enaw insists that Cameroon through ANTIC is sparing no effort in ensuring that the digital landscape is protected through exchange of services trainings and engagements in the surveillance of the public administrations through a digital spyglass Noting that scamming tops up the chart of cybercrimes in Cameroon; that scam represented about 52% of cyber crimes cases recorded in 2023 with losses estimated at FCFA 1.1 billions,the ANTIC emphasized that the annual come together this time in Garoua was just inevitable He insists that the vulnerability of mankind explains why it is obligatory to ensure a cybersecurity culture that leverages permanent awareness raising as well as continuous training of actors of the cybersecurity chain; magistrates and law enforcement officers who have the mandate to track and prosecute cyber criminals ANTIC therefore has taken up the challenge to build trust and confidence in the entire judicial process this because the judge hears the allegations rules on the admissibility of the evidence while ANTIC sets into the judicial process by providing feasible evidence that has been scientifically proven The ANTIC boss states clearly that the core of approach by his agency is to engage the ecosystem in terms of building partnerships with key stakeholders and groups through capacity building processes and awareness raising seminars most especially with law enforcement officers and magistrates To facilitate the evidence process in the judicial chain magistrates need to have an understanding of the different types of cybercrimes perpetrated in the cyberspace the tools and technologies used to fight these crimes etc The platform that was organised between August 21 to 23 2024 zoomed on cybercrime and cybersecurity- a global perspective social media security and personal data management digital evidence typology and domain name litigation a midway for strengthening existing collaboration ties between ANTIC and the judiciary was presided over by the representative of the Director General of ANTIC the Director of Studies and ICT Development Les champs obligatoires sont indiqués avec * mon e-mail et mon site dans le navigateur pour mon prochain commentaire Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This work, Bringing the 50th Team to Africa, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This work, Using education as a weapon, Soldiers help Cameroon deter Boko Haram, by Sean Kimmons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. The former CAF President, Issa Hayatou who died a week ago in Paris will be buried in his native home, Garoua on Friday. His remains, according to family sources, will leave Paris today and arrive at Nsimelen International Airport Yaounde. On the same day, there will be a wake keep in his Yaoundé residence till dawn. The next day, the body of Hayatou who was a Prince of the Garoua lamidat, will be buried according to Islamic rights. A lamidat is a traditional Muslim chiefdom in northern Cameroon. In a related development, the former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Dr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba, has described the late Hayatou, as a big loss to football and humanity, adding the Cameroonian “The news about the death of former CAF President Hayatou came as a shock because I was looking forward to sending him my felicitations on his birthday,” Ojo-Oba, a former CAF and FIFA Security Manager stated. He stated further “You can just imagine how deeply shocked I was when I heard about his passing but having said that, I’m consoled that President Hayatou did his very best for African football. “His tenure witnessed monumental development across the continent and we can never forget his good ideals.” “I think to say Hayatou was a true servant of African football’ is an obvious statement because he devoted all his life to the growth and development of African football, “the former Oyo State Commissioner for Sports noted. UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now earn US Dollars through domain flipping, buy domain names for cheap and have it resold to earn up to $15,000. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. Standard microbiology protocols and statistical tools were utilized to identify ESBL-producing bacteria and characterize their phenotypic susceptibility and resistance profiles in the study population. This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and susceptibility patterns of ESBL-E associated with UTIs in Northern Cameroon. These insights emphasizes the importance of implementing appropriate treatment guidelines and antimicrobial stewardship measures to mitigate the spread and impact of MDR ESBL-producing strains on public health. Infectious Diseases: Epidemiology and Prevention Volume 11 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1187934 Background and objectives: The emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) is causing increased morbidity and mortality around the world as a result of therapeutic failures ESBL-E are priority pathogens due to their multidrug resistance (MDR) particularly in urinary tract infections (UTIs) This study aimed to retrospectively determine the prevalence of multi-drug resistant ESBL strains isolated from UTIs in Northern Cameroon and to evaluate the effectiveness of the ATB UR Gallery of BioMérieux in diagnosing ESBL-E in clinical settings Methods: Standard microbiology protocols and statistical tools were utilized to identify ESBL-producing bacteria and characterize their phenotypic susceptibility and resistance profiles in the study population Results: Out of the 144 enterobacteria isolates successfully cultured The ATB UR EU gallery identified 33 (23%) multi-drug resistant ESBL-producing strains while the double synergy test identified 35 strains without disc reconciliation and 38 strains after reconciliation The most prevalent ESBL-E isolate was Escherichia coli followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (20%) and Enterobacter aerogenes (2.9%) the study revealed the emergence of Imipenem resistance (5.7%) all ESBL strains were sensitive to Fosfomycin (FSF/FOS) demonstrating its potential as an effective therapeutic option 37% of the ESBL producers exhibited co-resistance to over 20 different antibiotics Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and susceptibility patterns of ESBL-E associated with UTIs in Northern Cameroon These insights emphasizes the importance of implementing appropriate treatment guidelines and antimicrobial stewardship measures to mitigate the spread and impact of MDR ESBL-producing strains on public health emphasizing the urgent need for informed AMR surveillance and stewardship A serious public health concern in the country is to reach a therapeutic impasse in which no antibiotic will be effective against such infections as the co-occurrence of ESBL-positive isolates and AMR is now considered a national public health threat The time-consuming nature of the laboratory diagnoses in the country as well as the overuse and inappropriate antimicrobial therapy may exacerbate this concern as in other resources-limited countries Tools such as ATB UR EU Gallery can be used to detect ESBL-producing bacteria in clinical and public health laboratories for proper laboratory surveillance of AMR This study was therefore carried out in an effort to provide phenotypic characteristics and epidemiological relevant data for MDR-ESBL surveillance and stewardship with the help of two standard phenotypic methods (ATB UR EU Gallery and Double synergy test) which lies between the Adamaoua and Far-North regions of the country It shares borders with Nigeria in the west and the Central African Republic in the east retrospective study to analyze multidrug-resistant enterobacteria strains that were characterized in the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun Annexe bacteriology lab in Garoua (CPCAG) in 2017 We collected urine samples from subjects with suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs) attending health facilities in Garoua sex and recent history of antibiotics therapy were documented The ATB UR gallery was used to test the antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae (33) The ATBTM UR EU (08) gallery is a qualitative standardized method for determining the antibiotic susceptibility of urinary Enterobacterales in a semi-solid medium It is very comparable to the reference methods There are several pairs of cups in the ATB UR EU gallery (08) The first pair acts as a growth control without the use of antibiotics The remaining 15 have one or two antibiotic concentrations (c and C) the growth is visually analyzed with an ATB The result allows the strain to be classified as Susceptible the EUCAST committee refers to the sensitive and intermediate categories as “Standard Dose Sensitive” and “High Dose Sensitive,” respectively The “Resistant” category has remained unchanged we tested 25 antibacterial drugs commonly prescribed in the country including six classes: Beta-lactams (n = 13) ESBL is suspected when the inhibition diameter of third and/or fourth generation cephalosporins and/or monobactam decreases. All tests were performed in accordance with the Antibiotic Committee of the French Society of Microbiology's recommendations (CA-SFM 2019) (34) The same inoculum was used to conduct the double synergy test the double synergy test with disc matching The double synergy test is a widely used phenotypic reference method for detecting ESBL in Enterobacteriaceae The double synergy test consists of looking for a synergistic image between a disc of amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (AMC 20/10 μg) and a disc of C3G [ceftazidime (CAZ) 30 μg and/or cefotaxime (CTX) 30 μg] and/or C4G [cefepime (FEP) 30 μg] and/or a monobactam [aztreonam (ATM) 30 μg] An ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae is identified on the ATB UR EU (08) gallery when wells with Cefoxitin 32 (CX32) are susceptible (S) and those with CTX (and CAZ) are resistant (R) For the synergy tests, a distance of 30 mm was maintained between the discs' centers. The presence of ESBL is indicated by the presence of a “champagne cork” synergy image (Supplementary Figures 1, 2) Strains that failed the double synergy test were tested by bringing the C3G and/or aztreonam discs (20 mm) closer to the MAC disc Due to the possibility of co-production of a high level of cephalosporinase (cases) Cloxacillin is an antibiotic that inhibits the growth of bacteria in Enterobacteriaceae groups 1 and 2 at 0.25 mg/ml and group 3 at 0.3 mg/ml it is ineffective against Gram-negative bacilli that produce penicillinases The synergy test on Mueller-Hinton agar (MH) with cloxacillin is interpreted by comparing it to the synergy test without cloxacillin The appearance of one or more synergistic images is considered positive The restoration of inhibition diameters around cephalosporins indicates the presence of a possibly high level of cephalosporinase associated with ESBL We created a database using the Sphinx Plus2—Lexica-V5 software where we inserted all data for statistical analysis The data was also analyzed with the R Statistical Software version 4.2.2 (R Core Team R Foundation for Statistical Computing) in the tidyverse ecosystem All variables were examined by univariate analysis using the χ2 or the Mann–Whitney U-tests as appropriate and a p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant The Ethics Committee of the University of Ngaoundere approved this study (Ref: N°2018/060/UN/R/RFS/CD-DSBM) The CPCAG authority reviewed and approved the study protocol The confidentiality of the study subjects' information was maintained in accordance with national and international regulations Number of isolates showing multi-drug co-resistance (MDR) and producing ESBL in the standard Double Synergy Test (A) and with disc approximation (B) The percentages of MDR strains to different numbers of antibiotics (C) Overall antibiotics resistance and susceptibility rates recorded among all isolates and drug tested (D) Comparison of different phenotypic methods for ESBL detection A substantial number of isolates also showed high levels of resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (86.44%) some antibiotics such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cefixime showed moderate effectiveness with resistance rates of 69.49 Co-resistance profile of ESBL+ isolates including Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes to the different antibiotics tested and Intermediate strains for various commonly used antibiotics in Cameroon Overall resistance and susceptibility of multidrug-resistant isolates including Escherichia coli Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter aerogenes These findings underscore the fact that the spread of ESBL+ is more pronounced in vulnerable populations such as children and older adults but also that UTIs in females are substantially less associated with MDR This suggests age and sex-specific antibiotic susceptibility as potential risk factors for multi-drug resistance Proportion of multi-drug resistant isolates along with the ESBL+ rate between genders and age groups Age and sex-specific multi-drug resistance profiles The distributions displaying the number of drugs to which MDR EBSL+ isolates are resistant The statistical significance tests were performed between age groups (A) and sexes (B) we demonstrate that incorporating the ATB UR EU (08) Gallery and the synergy test can effectively monitor and control the spread of ESBL+ antimicrobial resistance particularly in resource-constrained settings The majority of patients in our study population had a history of failed antibiotic therapy which could explain the relatively high prevalence of multi-drug resistant ESBL+ isolates A common feature of the bacterial isolates tested in this study is their high co-resistance (pan-resistance) to all beta-lactams tested with the exception of piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) and cefoxitin (FOX/CXT) which showed a ESBL+ sensitivity of 42.9 and 57.1% it is critical to implement strategies to reduce the prevalence and spread of ESBL-producing bacteria This includes promoting antibiotic prudence improving infection control measures in healthcare settings and expanding access to laboratory testing for accurate diagnosis and treatment A limitation of our study is the small sample size for some age groups which may limit the generalizability of our findings our study did not investigate the mechanisms underlying the differences in MDR and ESBL+ rates between gender and age groups more research is needed to clarify these probable risk factors for ESBL-associated MDR in urinary tract infections The current study has focused on the phenotypic characterization and prevalence of MDR ESBL-producing strains associated with UTIs in a clinical context by providing relevant data for AMR clinical stewardship a future direction would be the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for genotyping the identified ESBL-producing isolates to gain deeper insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying their multidrug resistance whole-genome sequencing of these isolates panels could help to identify genetic determinants of ESBL+ resistance such as mobile genetic elements including plasmids and integrons genotyping of ESBL-producing bacteria could provide crucial information on the genomic epidemiology and population structure of these pathogens which would then inform the development of public health guidelines and surveillance measures for MDR-ESBL variants the multi-drug resistant isolates in this study showed high resistance levels to the most commonly used antibiotics in Cameroon Our study provides evidence for significant differences in the proportion of MDR isolates with the ESBL positive rate between different gender and age groups These findings underscore the importance of continued surveillance and the development of effective strategies to prevent the spread or the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains in the population The high isolation frequency of ESBL+ strains requires clinicians to prescribe antibiotics rationally to reduce the selection pressure exerted by broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy For the epidemiological surveillance of MDR detecting enterobacteria BLSE+ strains should be a routine examination in the suspicion of enterobacteria infections the ATBTM UR EU (08) gallery can effectively screen ESBL+ strains for diagnostics avoiding additional costs to the patient and ensuring a better patient management and AMR surveillance in our laboratories The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Ngaoundere approved this study (Ref: N°2018/060/UN/R/RFS/CD- DSBM) Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants' legal guardian/next of kin KD-A-N and JN: funding acquisition and writing—original draft preparation and JN: writing—review and editing All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version The authors would like to thank the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun Annexe of Garoua and the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Ngaoundéré for their good collaboration in the realization of this project Zoclanclounon for his technical support in data visualization and constructive inputs The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Julien A. Nguinkal, anVsaWVuLm5ndWlua2FsQGJuaXRtLmRl; Karyom Djim-Adjim-Ngana, ZGppbWthcnlvbUBnbWFpbC5jb20= Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish (Business in Cameroon) - The slow progress on the Pont de la Bénoué-Pont Mayo Salah section of the Ngaoundéré-Garoua road (242 km) has highlighted the challenges faced by Croisière BTP Sarl responsible for addressing critical points the Ministry of Public Works expressed disappointment with the company's insufficient performance and "sporadic" mobilization delaying the rehabilitation of this crucial route for the Douala-N’Djamena corridor Croisière BTP Sarl won the contract following a 2023 tender and began work on the site in March 2024 the project owner found the company's performance unsatisfactory The Ministry of Public Works' communication cell reported that the company cited mechanical breakdowns and a generator fire to explain the delays in May 2024 This intermittent presence on the site has significantly slowed the necessary progress to improve traffic on this vital axis A field mission led by the Director General of Infrastructure Works revealed that Croisière BTP Sarl began laying bituminous concrete on June 1 covering an extension of 425 meters on the full road width and 125 meters on the half road width and reshaping of the existing pavement were carried out beforehand the overall progress of the work is only at 20% The ministry emphasized the need for the company to increase its efficiency and field mobilization Internal sources indicated that a formal notice might be issued to prompt a rapid improvement in operations The work on the Pont de la Bénoué-Pont Mayo Salah section aims to enhance traffic flow on this heavily deteriorated road The prolonged deterioration has caused significant difficulties for users and transporters making the rehabilitation of this section urgent This road is a vital link in the Douala-N’Djamena corridor facilitating the transit of Chadian goods estimated at around CFA 350 billion annually Reconstruction of the Ngaoundéré-Garoua road on National Route No a mission from the African Development Bank (AfDB) visited the site in March 2024 to finalize the financing dossier for the works Discussions are also ongoing with the European Union (EU) to secure total funding and significantly improve the road structure The Burundi national team has been in Garoua since Friday September 8 Etienne Ndayiragije's men are confident ahead of their clash with the Indomitable Lions This fourth and final match in Group C of the qualifiers is decisive for both teams people are talking about the September 12 match between Cameroon and Burundi in Garoua.Burundi is not the favorite for this match against the Central African giant even though this country is undeniably one of the great soccer nations The fact that Cameroon haven't qualified until the last day shows that their supremacy is no longer the same on the African continent I left for Garoua because I have confidence in my team I hope to return to my country with a qualification for the next AFCON," says Asman Nuhu But not everyone in Burundi thinks like Asman There are Burundians who say it's impossible to eliminate Cameroon."I love my country but at a certain point you have to be realistic.Cameroon are very strong I think even CAF would like to see Cameroon at the CAN more than Burundi referees often side with teams with a good background rather than unknown countries like Burundi," says Nkurunziza Jean-Paul a Burundian international referee who requested anonymity is reassuring He told Sport News Africa that the new head of African refereeing does not tolerate refereeing errors and that all referees have been warned the newspapers keep harping on about this crucial match for both countries The Indomitable Lions rarely miss a major soccer event In front of their home fans at the Stade Omnisport Roumdé Adja in Garoua Missing out on qualification against Burundi would be a major setback for Rigobert Song and his men Of the twenty-three Burundian players who have gone to Cameroon can claim a starting place in the Cameroon squad This just goes to show how much stronger Cameroon is than Burundi there's no match between the two teams."On the pitch surprises are possible.Burundi have a psychological advantage over Cameroon and that can work in our favor We have confidence in our players and I'm allowing myself to dream I tell you," says Burundian sports journalist Patrick Sota There's a huge difference between the two coaches Rigobert was a captain and leader of Cameroon and played at the highest level who played almost his entire career in Burundi Rigobert Song qualified his country for the World Cup in Qatar whereas Ndayiragije's only major competition was the CHAN with the Tanzanian national team Burundi are aiming to create a stir and qualify for the AFCON for the second time."We're ready for the fight.My players are in good shape and are just waiting for match day.The aim is to qualify and that's all there is to it," says Etienne Ndayiragije We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These 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effectiveness of the ad campaigns The armored vehicle stood at Cameroon’s Garoua-Boulai border crossing the barrel of its machine gun pointing unmistakably toward the Central African Republic (CAR) Border police said that they are on maximum alert after rebels attacked a crucial highway in the CAR blocking hundreds of trucks and prompting an exodus of terrified people into Cameroon An alliance of armed groups tried to advance on the CAR capital Bangui ahead of presidential elections on Dec The gunmen were swiftly thwarted by UN peacekeepers trying to strangle Bangui by launching hit-and-run raids on the RN1 Highway is a border town of 80,000 people where before the crisis about 200 trucks rolled across the border each day laden with essentials for the landlocked CAR’s capital The border point has become a parking lot — more than 400 trucks are stacked up but swiftly turned back because of the poor security “The border is now closed,” a senior police official said Soldiers from the elite Rapid Intervention Brigade have taken up a position at the edge of the border perimeter to tackle any rebel incursion police have stepped up patrols and identity checks in the streets — even in hotels and bars — and take away people unable to produce identification documents The attacks on CAR’s supply backbone are the latest crisis to roil a country that ranks second-poorest in the world and has seen little but bloodshed and misery since a coup seven years ago About two-thirds of the country is in the hands of armed groups that sprang up in the turmoil in 2013 but the effects of a de facto blockade is starting to be felt in higher prices for certain foods and supermarkets and wholesalers have said that their inventories are starting to dwindle hundreds of trucks are parked on the roadside and hundreds more on land in front of a government building a young Cameroonian “moto-boy,” or assistant driver “I’ve been sleeping here for 21 days,” he said “It gets cold at night and we don’t have much to eat.” a 22-year-old assistant driver from the CAR He was cooking for a group of 44 drivers and their assistants They included 17 truckers hauling fuel from Chad — a trip of 1,000km — and heading for Bangui “It’s impossible — they have to make the road secure,” said one of them hundreds of CAR residents in a nearby refugee camp crossed the border post each day to return home as their compatriots seek the haven of Cameroon UN High Commissioner for Human Rights data showed 2023 shows a scene of the signing ceremony of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua-Boulai 29 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua Boulai The launch constitutes the second phase of the project which aims to improve water production and supply in nine cities of the Central African nation The project will be implemented by the Chinese construction company CGCOC Group "The duration for the second phase of this project is 36 months .. I would therefore expect the CGCOC company to be as professional as it has always been," Essomba said after officially launching the project "The direct impact of this project will relate to the production of approximately 120,000 cubic meters available to the populations," said Blaise Moussa general manager of state-run Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation "And if we consider that each cubic meter corresponds to a household you can multiply what this can bring as a result." The project was launched in 2014 with the first phase of construction completed in four cities This second phase targets the cities of Garoua-Boulai 2023 shows a scene of the commencement ceremony of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua-Boulai Cameroonian Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba answers questions from Xinhua in Garoua Boulai Cameroonian Minister of Water and Energy Gaston Eloundou Essomba on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Chinese-aided water project in Garoua Boulai The college of race commissioners for the competition declared Mimouni Oussama Abdallah winner after a consultation meeting held at the end of the race The second lap of the race from Figuil-Garoua on 1st June was perturbed by torrential rains which left the pathways flooded and nearly impossible for cyclists to continue biking cyclists were taken aback by a heavy downpour in Figuil which did not cease even after  they got to the finish line at the Garoua ceremonial ground Completely drenched by the heavy downpour that lasted for over three hours the cyclists managed to ride through flooded pathways and slowed down by a heavy fog that covered the roads The Figuil-Garoua stretch covered a distance of 102.7km but the unfavorable weather conditions forced the timekeeper to stop timing 92km into the race president of the race commissioners ordered the discontinuation of the race conferred the yellow jersey to Clovis Kamzong Abossolo The race commissioners then held a meeting whose outcome was the announcement of the winner of the lap in the person of Algeria’s Mimouni Oussama Abdallah He  came first within the first two hours 16 minutes and was consequently declared  winner of the lap Oussama had an hourly average speed of 40.44 km per hour closely followed by his compatriots Megnouche Hamza in the 2nd position Ben Youcef Abdallah in the 3rd position and Sahiri Ayoub in the 4th position winner of the first lap who retained the yellow jersey had a cumulative time of 5 hours 18 Minutes 53 seconds He was followed on the classification chart by three Algerians ; Mimouni Oussama Abdellah in the 2nd position Ben Youcef Abdullah in the 3rd position and Sahiri Ayoub in the fourth 4th position The three Algerians each have a cumulative time of three hours at least two hours behind the holder of the yellow jersey winner of the second lap of the tour is followed by Clovis Kamzong Abossolo and Kuéré Nounawé Rodrigue with a coverage time of two hours 10 seconds each in this lap a closed circuit race that covers a distance of 99 2 km will take place on Sunday 2nd June 2024 in Garoua 12 March 2014 (IRIN) - Up to 130,000 refugees have fled from the Central African Republic (CAR) to Cameroon who are struggling to cope with the speed of the influx more than 20,000 CAR refugees entered Cameroon either internally or in neighbouring countries Very few aid agencies are present to respond to the needs of the displaced and many of the arrivals have not received any shelter materials West Africa Operational Representative with Médecins sans Frontières told IRIN the problem comes down to a lack of preparation on the part of aid agencies in Cameroon and a late - and slow - response on the ground [the UN refugee agency] which should be taking charge took time to mobilize its resources and coordinate the response In any case there is a lack of implementing partners,” he told IRIN As a result MSF has been forced to cover more activities than expected and partly take care of displaced people's needs in two camps and some surrounding settlements Some 30,000 refugees and returnees are estimated to have fled to East Region where they are staying in the border towns of Garoua-Boulai trucks and tents - some provided by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Others have been taken into people’s homes - some of them relatives “Garoua-Boulai is overstrained by the different groups of refugees and the situation is getting out of hand,” said the town’s mayor “The refugees outweigh the capacity of UNHCR and the only government hospital is overwhelmed with patients,” she told IRIN UNHCR and the Cameroon Red Cross (CRC) are registering refugees for transfer to a camp in Mborguéne but the site is more or less devoid of basic services The nearest health clinic is 27km from the camp Getting it up to scratch will require a lot of work men and women recount similar stories of family members being killed by anti-balaka militias said: “Their lives have been totally transformed or destroyed by what is happening in CAR arrived in Garoua-Boulai on 19 February in a container truck “My son Shadu and my brother were killed by anti-balaka in Yaluka I ran away with my two wives and 10 children,” he told IRIN all of my belongings and my shop when anti-balaka came and all our remaining money was taken from us,” 35-year-old Shaibu “My husband died during a fight when he tried to stop anti-balaka militia from sending us out of the house Two men stabbed him with knives in his chest and I ran away with my children,” Fadimatu says her granddaughter was raped by two men in the village of Barou but she has been sleeping every day,” Hawa told IRIN in tears “I came here with Papa and Mama and my sisters We sleep in a tent built by Papa.” Mamadu said that when he is hungry he begs for food in the village and brings what he can to his parents and sisters UNHCR and the CRC are distributing food to families “We don’t have enough food to eat and no money but it is not enough for everybody,” Shaibu told IRIN director of the Garoua-Boulai District Hospital which has received over 150 refugees daily since January told IRIN many arrived with injuries from clashes with anti-balaka militia they lack sleep and do not have enough rest,” he told IRIN “We have been addressing cases of malnutrition I have operated upon patients with gun and machete wounds and women with complicated pregnancies,” Hasim told IRIN Cholera and meningitis are dangers to watch out for said Dereje Terefe of the International Medical Corps “Refugees and locals are currently in a dry with high population density and harsh climate conditions,” he said stressing that Cameroon and CAR both lie in the African meningitis belt MSF is helping the local health district by running mobile clinics that offer emergency medical help in towns and villages along the border The district hospital has just seven nurses “We have very little capacity to address the growing health problems in this community… In February alone and their structures are just temporary,” said Hasim Forces from France and the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) are stationed at the border with Cameroon to prevent militia attacks They have also secured the road from CAR capital Bangui to Cameroon will encourage more refugee movements in weeks to come A lieutenant with the French Army in CAR said but movement around the country is still dangerous.” Some displaced groups in Cameroon complained the forces were not doing enough to protect them or to clamp down on the anti-balaka “The MISCA forces see anti-balaka stopping vehicles and abusing people Our vehicle was escorted by MISCA and white armies but it was still stopped and money taken from us all,” said a refugee in Garoua-Boulai Cameroon security officials are worried about the uncontrolled flow of people from CAR commander of Cameroon’s 123rd Infantry Mobile Company in Garoua-Boulai said identifying and registering refugees for handover to UNHCR “remains a big challenge to the authorities.” “We are searching every truck and all people who cross the border to ensure that fire arms are not infiltrated into Cameroon But this is not easy because there is no clear line of border distinction between Cameroon and CAR,” he told IRIN Many of the refugees coming into Cameroon are indigenous Mbororo people from the Bochambele which were targeted for their wealth and livestock although we came with nothing,” Shaibu Kidnappers are from different African countries and cross borders to capture or hide their victims – making this a complex transnational crime and difficult to contain kidnappers in North Cameroon amassed €3 million in ransom Kidnappings for ransom have increased in the context of North Cameroon’s active agricultural and animal husbandry economy These activities generate significant revenue on the border with the Central African Republic (CAR) are the departments most targeted by kidnappings for ransom Persistent issues of weapons possession and trafficking in these countries partly driven by sociopolitical crises and rebellions provide kidnappers with the means to carry out their activities Sources in North Cameroon told the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) how hostage takers cross these long and porous borders to find targets They subdue their victims and sow fear among civilians chosen for their perceived ability to respond to the ransom demands due to their apparent financial capacity.  The phenomenon is spreading beyond the northern and eastern regions (Far North Adamawa and East) to neighbouring areas in Chad Another was certain that some came from Sudan This cross-border dimension reveals a connection between the Sahel East Africa through Sudan and Central Africa Multiple ex-hostages interviewed by ISS researchers said kidnappers were predominantly Fulani Their accents varied and included those heard in Cameroon These accounts suggest potential links between transhumance across the border and ransom kidnappings in North Cameroon Interviewees also mentioned that some of the nomadic shepherds crossing the Chad and Niger borders into North Cameroon were concealing weapons But the reality is more complex, with multiple independent groups all kidnapping for cash. Sources suggest that kidnappers include Cameroonian armed groups as well as rogue elements among the Cameroonian defence and security forces Their modus operandi comprises three stages they collect information from their accomplices inside the communities they proceed with intimidation and blackmail sending messages to their potential victims asking for a sum of money to be delivered to a specific address they track victims and set up an ambush or carry out raids to capture them They take their victims into difficult-to-access mountains later crossing borders—hostages from Chad or the CAR end up in Cameroon and vice versa The kidnappers forbid the victims’ relatives from alerting the defence and security forces accomplices in communities provide ongoing information on victims’ movements and transactions Strengthening vigilante committees would help curb the ransom kidnapping industry particularly if the ransom is not paid.  The cross-border nature of these ransom kidnappings limits the capacities of Cameroon’s forces Effective responses to this phenomenon demand a coordinated cross-border approach could extend its actions to help address the problem given that all these countries are member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.  the flow of cross-border human trafficking must be systematically monitored by competent authorities in administration This will secure the essential pastoral and cross-border transhumance sector while impeding infiltration who are unmotivated and still untrained and who should include livestock farmers and hunters who control the rural tracks Strengthening their information and early warning capacity through training is crucial cellphone companies could help geolocate kidnappers during ransom negotiations All these measures could help address the problem of kidnapping for ransom in North Cameroon (Business in Cameroon) - Cameroon will soon build an ammunition manufacturing plant in Garoua Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense revealed that the project would be carried out in partnership with Turkey "Land procedures have already been completed The land [that will host the plant] has been identified and delineated we are negotiating with our Turkish partners with whom we will be working to make this project a reality," the official said He added that the plant would manufacture war and hunting ammunition.  The planned plant will considerably reduce ammunition expenditures because up to now the country has purchased ammunition from foreign parties.  The project was first mentioned in the press at the end of February 2016 during the visit of a Turkish delegation to the country with the working group set up by the Minister of Defense to identify ways to develop Cameroon’s military-industrial capabilities "Defense and security forces play a key role in the process that enables countries to strengthen [...] industrial sectors in their move towards economic emergence,” Minister Beti Assomo told the working group chaired by the Army Chief of Staff Canon Sportif de Yaoundé suffered but held on until the end to overcome Coton Sport of Garoua (1-0) Sunday It was on the 18th day of the Cameroonian soccer championship Cotonsport came into the game from a narrow 1-0 win over djiko in their previous game The victory seemed to put the defending champions back on track but Canon had other plans Paul Henri Tchinkeu scored the only goal of the game before the hour of play (57th) It allows Canon to consolidate its leadership position in Group A adds another setback to its series of eight defeats in nine consecutive games This seemingly was the stroke on the camel's back as angry supporters of the Garoua club could be seen ranting outside in front of the team's bus after Sunday's defeat Without Kaïba Djawal announced missen by the club Eric Moursou in training with the selection of under 23 years and Patient Wassou withdrawal due to illness Coton Sport did not let themselves ridiculed The defending champion of Cameroon showed a good face throughout the game but failed to score an equalizer as Canon's keeper Mbaynaissem spared no effort to keep his cage save Cotonnière Industrielle du Cameroun (Cicam)’s factory will no longer have the cotton necessary to produce ecru (unbleached fabrics) and the semi-finished product CICAM uses to produce its African prints in Douala SODECOTON has once again stopped delivering cotton to CICAM’s Garoua-based plant because of unpaid bills The memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies authorizes SODECOTON to stop supplying the Garoua plant once its outstanding debt reaches XAF200 million SODECOTON is claiming over XAF1.3 billion of unpaid bills from the plant the Garoua-based plant is obliged to exploit its last stock but the plant will stop operations and the 352 staff laid off following an instruction from the Presidency of the Republic which subsequently resumed operation on February 2 The disagreements between SODECOTON and CICAM could affect the strategic relationship needed to develop a strong textile industry as planned by the 2020-2030 National Development Strategy As a result of determined government efforts locals of the border town with the Central African Republic now go about their normal business unhindered by CAR Séléka rebels calm and serenity now reign in Garoua Boulai in Lom and Djerem Division of the East Region right on the border with the Central African Republic According to the Divisional Officer for Garoua Boulai Subdivision the security situation in Garoua Boulai - located 250 km from Bertoua capital of the East Region - has improved significantly in the recent past You have selected an article from the AllAfrica archive, which requires a subscription. You can subscribe by visiting our subscription page. Or for more information about becoming a subscriber, you can read our subscription and contribution overview You can also freely access - without a subscription - hundreds of today's top Africa stories and thousands of recent news articles from our home page » (Business in Cameroon) - Cameroonian customs officers stationed in Garoua-Boulaï (an eastern region town bordering the Republic of Central Africa) recently seized seven (7) kilograms of gold being smuggled The precious metal was hidden in the luggage of a Chinese national coming from the Republic of Central Africa the trafficker who was taken into custody claimed that the seized gold was the property of several of his compatriots living in the CAR This revelation confirms the existence of precious metal and stones trafficking between Cameroon and the CAR with   Garoua-Boulaï being one of the hubs of those traffics on the eve of a Kimberly Process assessment mission in Cameroon a report published by Canadian organization IMPACT (formerly known as Partnership Africa Canada-PAC) presented Cameroon as a hub where CAR’s conflict diamonds are exported The accusation was refuted by Cameroonian authorities but since then several precious metal shipments have been seized at airports and in cities across the country whose network often includes people living in the Republic of Central Africa is fought by Cameroonian customs officers on the ground and the anti-trafficking cells installed in the airports of Yaoundé and Douala since 2016 I received a lot of feedback after my first dispatch of the 2021 AFCON Diary yesterday which covered the first part of my trip to Garoua and I am encouraged by your comments and moral support for this tournament.I also promised to give the concluding part of that adventurous (not intended to be Cameroon so shall we have it?My 2 hours 53 minutes boat ride terminated at the Badake River bank at around 3:40pm local time Good thing is there are always young guys willing to help you offload and onboard luggages at a free-will token so that part is always easy.We began our road trip from Badake to Garoua at about 4:10pm after sorting everything we had to do with the River Bank Immigration of Cameroon There the dramatic part of the trip began.The driver drove us first to the Cameroonian border immigration office and after waiting for about 20 minutes their Oga arrived and said he had to move us to a nearby hospital for mandatory Covid test Jesu mi oI have always dreaded the Covid 19 test It was one reason I never attempted to travel for any of Super Eagles’ away games between July and December last year.Now I have to do it in a most dangerous circumstance What if they take me to their isolation centre Inside this wilderness where no one hears what you’re saying Am I about to witness my moment of Island of Patmos Mercy said NO!We (myself and my friend Victor Modo) could not even negotiate to tell the man that we are fully vaccinated and have our cards Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email (Business in Cameroon) - The Garoua-based factory of Cotonnière industrielle du Cameroun (Cicam) has shut down since last July 7 Cicam is suspending operations at this plant due to a lack of fuel to make machines work In a letter sent on July 12 to the Managing Director of Cicam Edouard Ebah Abada the Director of Production Adoum Abagana confirmed this statement but did not specify whether the lack of fuel is due to Cicam’s insolvency or an actual shortage of fuel oil 1500 which is the type used at the plant.  The company however plans to resume activities on July 19 "Even if we are planning to resume operations on July 19 it’s not very certain,” an employee of the plant said This comment reflects the general malaise that has been present among the 300 employees of the Garoua plant for several years despite the signing in 2015 of a CFA13.2 billion contract plan with the state Cicam is still struggling to keep its head above water The once market leader in Cemac now controls barely 5% of the local market Fabrics are now massively imported from China and West African countries This stiff competition sometimes smuggled in has had a significant impact on Cicam's finances According to official financial statements the company has accumulated losses of CFA13.4 billion in 2018-20 with a peak of CFA5.3 billion in 2018 alone fell from CFA13.2 billion in 2018 to just CFA9.9 billion in 2019 Cicam is not even able to produce enough fabrics for Women's day (March 8 (Business in Cameroon) - Financially fragilized by the fierce competition from fabrics imported from China and West Africa Cotonnière Industrielle du Cameroun-Cicam (which is the only cotton processor in Central Africa) recently took another blow this public company closed its Garoua-based plant Credible sources reveal that this plant closure was due to Sodecoton’s (another state-owned company) decision to stop supplying raw materials to CICAM the memorandum of understanding binding the two parties states that Sodecoton can decide to stop supplying Cicam when the latter’s debt toward it exceeds XAF200 million Cicam’s debt towards Sodecoton is estimated at XAF1.3 billion it argued that the pandemic offered it the opportunity to manufacture and sell face masks and pay its debt that debt kept growing and is now XAF1.3 billion," an authorized source explains A well-informed source believes that Sodecoton made that decision mainly because despite the debt Cicam owes it decided to import XAF600 million worth of Ecrus (unbleached fabric) while the Garoua plant can produce 600,000 tons of such fabric monthly for an estimated cotton consumption of XAF120 million this shows that Cicam’s top management is not considerate of the situation of the Garoua plant the Cicam could (as was already the case in 2020) experience some disruptions in the production of the March 8 commemorative wax print (for the International Women's Day) that provides it with a significant portion of its yearly turnover This hypothesis is all the more plausible since even the imports of the unbleached fabrics can be disrupted by international logistics problems caused by the fear of a 2nd wave of the coronavirus pandemic Coton Sport has a new strong man for its technical bench Daniel Bréard will be the new coach of the Garoua club The French technician has agreed a renewable one-season contract with his future employers Breard will be assisted by Christophe Ousmanou This will not be the 65-year-old Frenchman's first experience in Africa He previously coached Motema Pembe in the DRC in 2015 .He also coached Kamsar in Guinea (Business in Cameroon) - During a routine check in Garoua Boulaï an Eastern Cameroonian region sharing a border with the Central African Republic Cameroonian customs seized 448 boxes of smuggled medicines the final destination of these boxes from the Central African Republic was Douala The seizure is the result of the operation baptized “Halte au commerce illicite” (Halcomi) launched months ago by Cameroonian authorities This lightning raid is aimed at protecting the domestic market flooded with smuggled goods (Business in Cameroon) - Cameroon needs to raise over CFAF16 billion to finance the rehabilitation of the Port of Garoua This is the main information that transpired during the visit to the dilapidated infrastructure by Louis Epoubeke General Manager of the National Port Authority (APN) will involve the rehabilitation of most of the existing structures New facilities are also planned to develop trade the rehabilitation of the port of Garoua will boost trade with Nigeria It will also help formalize a large part of the transactions with that neighboring country The completion of the port will also provide additional revenues to the Garoua Urban Community the decentralized local authority to which the port infrastructure was retroceded in 2003 Coton Sport de Garoua won its seventh Cameroon Cup on Sunday Thanks to a late and controversial goal by Marou Souaibou the defending Cameroonian champions beat Bamboutos de Mboutos in the final (1-0) The Cotonculteurs thus realize the seventh championship-Cameroon Cup double of their history Coton Sport won the league title last season beating Eding Sport in a penalties in the finals played in Garoua Coton Sport and Bamboutos will have a rematch in the days to come in what is the Champions Cup to be played between the winner of the League and that of the Cup it is the Mangwa Boys who showed the most determination in this match The players of Emmanuel Ndoumbè Bosso put intensity and multiplied the opportunities Coton Sport played its chance in the final seconds of regulation time the regional capital of Cameroon’s northern region is currently running a daily deficit of 4,500m3 of drinking water the water minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba said during a recent site visit the public company that supplies drinking water in the country the production deficit is due to the cessation of some boreholes that allowed water to be collected and distributed in the city facilities now only deliver 13,500 m3 at full production the government announced the installation of about 500 boreholes in the northern region this year the Cameroonian partner of Italian firm Enerray signed an agreement with the investment promotion agency API in the framework of its 30 MW solar plant project in Garoua This XAF22 billion project was announced by Enerray in 2017 It consists of the installation of photovoltaic panels over about 70 hectares near the international airport of Garoua agreement with the API could mark the effective launch of the project since Enerray claims that in 2017 it obtained all the administrative authorizations for the project whose financing mechanisms are yet to be disclosed Enerray’s solar plant will boost energy generation capacity in the northern region where there are currently repeated power outages due to the constant drop of water in the Lagdo dam the main energy infrastructure in the North the project will capitalize on the intensity of sunshine in the northern region and boost the portion of solar energy in Cameroon’s energy mix which is currently dominated by hydroelectricity (61.77%) and thermal energy (38.2%) Let’s nevertheless note that several solar power plant projects have been announced but are yet to be developed up to now Examples include the Maroua (15 MW) and Guider (10 MW) projects announced by Maroua Guider Solar Company (MGSC) a joint venture formed by Norwegian Scatec and Sphinx Energy owned by a Cameroonian economic operator based in the US It also includes the 30MW mobile solar power plant projects in Maroua the French consortium Générale du Solaire-Arborescence Capital has been negotiating the construction of a 20MW solar plant in Ngaoundéré