By Doh James Sonkey
The Ambassador of the United States of America to Cameroon, H.E Christopher John Lamora was at International Relations Institute of Cameroon last May 30, 2023. The US Diplomat discussed on the US -Cameroon bilateral relations and US foreign policy for Africa.
He declared that “For the United States, Africa matters a lot.” He said in order to know that the United States holds Africa dearly at heart, we need to look back at what came out of the Africa-US Heads of State Summit.
He told the IRIC students that the US promotes shared goals in security.
Ambassador Christopher John Lamora said “Cameroon is a key country in the Golf of Guinea. We have supported Cameroonian Army in the fight against terrorism in the Golf of Guinea and the fight against Boko Haram. We trained the Cameroonian Army on their role of protecting civilians etc.”
The US has been cooperating with the Civil Society in Cameroon.
“We have given more than FCFA 350 billion to reinforce public health sector in Cameroon.” The US Diplomat disclosed.
He said President Paul Biya’s visit together with other African leaders during the last US-Africa Summit reinforced ties.
The US has a special eye on the protection of Human rights and that is why anybody who commits offences are targeted by the US for accountability.
“We promote economic growth in Cameroon by facilitating business contacts with US investors.” The Ambassador added.
“More than 2,000 Cameroonians have participated in exchanges organised by the United States. Since 1962, the US Peace Corps has been in Cameroon carrying out voluntary services.”
He said he is optimistic about the US-Cameroon future.
The United States of America has been intervening in security, humanitarian aid, health, training and promoting economic growth.
Speaking ealier as he welcomed the US Ambassador to Cameroon, the Director of IRIC, H.E Daniel Urbain Ndongo said his school has graduated about 10 000 Diplomats and others.
Ambassador Christopher Lamora was appointed to Cameroon last April 21, 2021.
The US Ambassador equipped IRIC’s library with some 150 books. The signing of the golden book marked the end of the US Diplomat’s visit to the International Relations Institute of Cameroon.
Keynote Speech by Ambassador Christopher J. Lamora
As Prepared for Delivery
International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC)
Tuesday, May 30, 2023, 14:00-16:30
Director Ndongo,
Students, faculty, and distinguished guests,
Good afternoon. Thank you for having me here today. The last time I was here, last June, I attended your50thanniversary celebration. It’s wonderful to be backtoday for amore substantial engagement with you. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time.
I want today’s session to be as interactive as possible, and I look forward to a robust question-and-answer period. But I think some opening remarks first on the United States’ engagement with Africa in general and with Cameroon in particular will be useful for setting the stage.
To put it simply—Africa matters. Scientific research has proven that humanity was born on this continent, and even though over thousands of millennia our species has expanded throughout the world, our collective future will also be shaped right here. This is already happening.
Important breakthroughs in medicine and climate change… Amazing innovations in information technology and other 21st Century industries… Tremendous entrepreneurship among women and young people… These are already occurring across the continent and here in Cameroon. And the United States is here, working with African governments and businesses and civil society organizations and everyday citizens to facilitate this in countless ways. And we will continue to do so.
But let me back up a step. Because this engagement is by no means new.
The United States has been engaged in Africa, including in Cameroon, across decades. Yes, we have responded and will continue to respond to urgent pressing events such as pandemics and refugee crises. But we also remain committed to our longtime, long-term work to invest in Africa’s tremendous human capital and in its institutions, as well as our longstanding partnerships with African nationsand people to promote shared goals in peace, security, and prosperity.
The U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Biden in December was a recent exampleof our longstanding partnership. I can’t tell you how pleased we were that President Biya, joined by some10 ministers, participated in the Summit.Not only did this strengthen our government-to-government ties, but it also laid the groundwork for new business-to-business relationships that have the potential to result in millions of dollars (billions of francs CFA) in bilateral trade and investment as well as the creation of hundreds if not thousands of jobs in both our countries.
But the African Leaders’ Summit wasn’t a standalone event. It fit into the larger context of our overall Africa policy.
So what is U.S. Africa policy? In his visit to South Africa last August, Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlined the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa, listing four core priorities:
- Foster openness and open societies;
- Deliver democratic and security dividends;
- Advance pandemic recovery and economic opportunity; and
- Support conservation, climate adaptation, and a just energy transition.
As the Secretary said,“[This is a strategy] that reflects the region’s complexity – its diversity, its power and influence – and one that focuses on what we will do with African nations and peoples, not for African nations and peoples.”
The United States and our African partnerscan’t achieve our shared goals either here on the continent or around the world unless we work together as partners… or, as you like to say here in Cameroon, lorsqu’Onest ensemble.
This brings me to my next topic—our critical partnership with Cameroon, which includes a broad range of issues, some of which I’ll cover in the next few minutes.
First: Cameroon plays a key role in regional stability and remains our strongest regional partner in countering terrorism in the Lake Chad Region. The dedication of the Cameroonian government and armed forces in this regard has been admirable. In this effort, we have assisted the Cameroonian military in building its capacity as part of the Multinational Joint Task Force to counter ISIS-West Africa and Boko Haram.
When I was in the Far North Region in February, I had the opportunity to visit Salak Base just outside Maroua and to talk with Cameroonian military officers about the work we’ve done together and that Cameroonian troops continue to do every day to disrupt violent extremist organizations. An important part of this effort is the buy-in and support of the local population, which is why we’ve done so much work training Cameroonian forces in civilian-military relations.
Meanwhile, down south, along Cameroon’s coast, we’re cooperating on maritime security. As we mark the 10th anniversary of the Yaoundé Architecture and Yaoundé Code of Conduct this year, we commend Cameroon’s leadership in the Interregional Coordination Centre for Gulf of Guinea maritime security. Whether you’re talking about piracy, unregulated fishing, or the economic potential beneath the sea, securing Cameroon’s territorial waters is in everyone’s collective interest.
Turning now to humanitarian assistance and health… The United States is the largest single-country donor of humanitarian assistance in Cameroonfor food, water, shelter, and services for vulnerable populations including refugees and internally displaced persons. Much of this assistance is funneled through, and delivered by, UN agencies. But we are increasingly using local Cameroonian implementing partners as well.
Likewise, helping to improve health outcomes is a top U.S. priority. Our cooperation with the government, NGOs, private sector, and civil society spans all 10 regions.
As an example, this year we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of PEPFAR—the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. In Cameroon, the United States has invested more than 350 billion Francs CFA through PEPFAR, making tremendous progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS and strengthening Cameroon’s health system. This longstanding partnership also laid a critical foundation that helped Cameroon prepare and respond to other pandemics, includingCOVID-19.
But even people who feelphysically safe from violence and physically healthy will not develop to their fullest potential if their human rights are constrained. The promotion and protection of human rights are U.S. priorities in Cameroon, in Africa more broadly, and around the world. To that end, weengage with government officials and collaborate with partners to prevent abuse, provide care and solace to victims, and hold perpetrators accountable. Our work in the human rights arena globally is perhaps best known through the Department of State’s annual Human Rights Reports, but the breadth of our human rights work is enormous, so perhaps we’ll have a chance to get more into that during the question-and-answer session.
Another key priority across Africa is to promote economic growth and two-way trade and investment. To this end, among other approaches, we facilitate trade missions for Cameroonian businesspeople to connect with U.S. counterparts,often resulting in joint projects.This weekend, two members of our Embassy team will accompany 40 Cameroonian businesspeople to New York for the International Franchise Expo.
We also sponsor trainings and exchange programs to develop the next generation of Cameroonian entrepreneurs and business leaders, often working in concert with organizations such as the American Chamber of Commerce.
Ultimately, everything I’ve been talking about this afternoon is really about people. Their potential. Their hopes and dreams. What they can do to realize those. And how the U.S. Government might be — and has been — a positive actor and catalyst for that.
For instance… More than2000 Cameroonians have participated in U.S. Government-sponsored exchangesover the past 65 years, including quite a number of current and former senior government officials as well as several of your faculty.Just last week, I had the pleasure of welcoming this year’s cadre of 17 Mandela Washington Fellows to my residence as they prepare for their upcoming programs in the United States. We’re proud of all our exchange alumni, who are giving back to their communities upon their return, sharing what they learned in the United States, and exemplifying the enduring partnership between our two countries.
This year also marks the 60th anniversary of Peace Corps Cameroon, which since 1962 has seen more than 3,800 volunteers come here, servingin every region. Many Cameroonians have told me about remarkable Peace Corps Volunteers who touched their lives. And I have no doubt that many remarkable Cameroonian communities have shaped the lives of Volunteers in return.
In closing, I’d like to emphasize this:While I by no means want to speak for you – as I said at the outset, I want to hear from you –one thing I know is that Africans want to see the United States as a partner: a political partner, an economic and commercial partner, and an investment partner. The United States wants those things too.
We can’t achieve our goals around the world without the leadership of African governments, institutions, and citizens.African voices, African leadership, and African innovation all arecritical to addressing the most pressing global challenges.
Regarding the U.S.-Cameroon relationship, I’m optimistic about our future together. In every major field, our two countries are working together for our mutual benefit.
We are invested in Cameroon’s future. We are invested in Africa’s future. And we will continue to be.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to our discussion.