Date & Time: July 28, 2021, at 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Cameroon Time  

Venue: Zoom Platform (Register Here)

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Background  

Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis, which became chaotic in October 2016, degenerated into a violent conflict between security forces and increasingly well-armed separatists fighting in the name of the country’s marginalized English-speaking minority. Irrespective of the measures put in place by the government to address the situation, violence has continued to ravage this part of the country leading to the death of civilians, members of the security forces and members of armed militants; with several people being internally displaced while others seek refuge in Nigeria as refugees.   

Conflict resolution is a complex process that involves several stakeholders capable of influencing each other and the conflicting parties at different levels. The voices of the Diaspora and Religious authorities in resolving the Anglophone Crisis has arguably been underestimated and undermined by the government that believes it can resolve the issue through a State centric approach. For close to years, the armed conflict in Anglophone Cameroon has been going unperturbed, and the government has not had effective control over the heavily-armed young militia. From this perspective, there is the need for the Diaspora and Religious authorities to intervene in the peacebuilding process in Anglophone Cameroon. Both the Diaspora and Religious authorities have made several efforts to resolve the crisis, but these have proven abortive. Although invited to participate in the Grand National Dialogue, the measures adopted after the dialogue have not stopped the violence. Also, whether the Diaspora’s and/or religious authorities’ suggestions were taken into consideration during the deliberative talks at the Grand National Dialogue remains debatable.  

Against this backdrop, the Peace and Security Division of the Nkafu Policy Institute has come up with this opportunity to encourage stakeholders of the conflict and the general public to participate and discuss the role of both the Diaspora and Religious authorities can play in silencing the guns in Anglophone Cameroon. 

Objectives of the Dialogue 

The event’s objective is to engage schools of thoughts, stakeholders and the general public in debates and discussions on how the Diaspora and Religious authorities can re-strategize to influence the resolution of the conflict in Anglophone Cameroon positively. From this standpoint and in accordance with the mission of the NKAFU Policy Institute – a Think at the Denis and Lenora FORETIA Foundation, the public dialogue will be centred on carrying out in-depth discussions and come out with recommendations that will spur a concise roadmap in resolving the Anglophone conflict and putting in place a platform for sustainable peace and development in the Northwest and Southwest regions in particular and Cameroon in general. 

Areas to be addressed 

• What measures have both the Diaspora and Religious Authorities undertaken towards the resolution of the Anglophone crisis? 
• What are the main successes, difficulties or challenges that the Diaspora and Religious Authorities face in the resolution of the crisis?
• What new strategies can the Diaspora and Religious Authorities adopt to have their voices heard in the resolution of the Anglophone crisis?
• What is the best option and way forward to the resolution of the Anglophone crisis?  

Who should participate? 

This event is open to the general public both within and without Cameroon. It will bring together participants from the public and private sectors, religious leaders, diaspora elite, academia, civil society organizations, NGOs, youth leaders, journalists, researchers, traditional authorities, and human rights activists. In general, it will bring together all stakeholders with the potentials and strategies to propose alternative approaches aimed at resolving the on-going Anglophone crisis. 

Expected output  

Based on the mission and vision of the Nkafu Policy Institute, information harnessed from the public dialogue coupled with that gotten from an independent research will be invested in the production of comprehensive and incisive evidence-based policy recommendations that the Cameroon government and other stakeholders can implore in taking into consideration the role of the diaspora and the religious authorities in addressing the anglophone conflict. 

Venue/Time  

• Time: July 29, 2021, at 3 PM Cameroon Time 
• Venue: The event will be held on ZOOM and streamed live on Facebook  (Register Here)

Organizers 

This event will be organized by the Nkafu Policy Institute – a Think Tank at the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation. 

Panelists and Moderator 

• Dr. William H. Arrey,  Senior Fellow in Peace & Security  Nkafu Policy Institute 
• Dr. Francis N Mbunya, Founder and CEO of Authors Path Academy. Dallas, Texas, USA 
• Dr. Marvis Tembi, Expert/Consultant in P/CVE and Peace Education Buea, South West Region 

Moderator  

• Mr. Joe Tiemonchu, Senior Journalist CRTV Cameroon, Yaoundé