My dear young compatriots,
The last few years have not been easy for our country, which has had to take up simultaneously several major challenges, namely:
- addressing the Boko Haram threat in our northern regions and that of armed gangs on our eastern border;
- hosting tens of thousands of refugees and displaced persons;
- managing the outburst of unrest in the North-West and South-West Regions, marked by sporadic acts of violence; and
- countering the impact of falling oil and commodity prices in a bid to return to growth.
I believe we can now make an initial appraisal of our struggles on these different fronts:
- Boko Haram’s potential to cause
harm has been severely undermined, thanks to the combined action of
Cameroon’s defence forces and its people;
- supportive measures have enabled many displaced persons and refugees to return to their homes;
- the situation in the South-West
and North-West Regions is stabilizing, and the Commission for the
Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism should thus be able to
delve into the crux of the problem;
- the latest assessments point to an improvement in our economy, with renewed activity in various sectors.
Indeed, the characteristic "resilience"
of the Cameroonian people deserves to be hailed once again, for, it must
be stated, credit for the results we have achieved goes to the people.
Not only did they not give up, but they lent their support to
government’s action.
Our compatriots at large, regardless of
social status, remained united throughout the ordeals. And such is what
makes a great nation.
Allow me, once again, to underscore the
heroism of our defence and security forces - mostly young people - whose
sense of duty and responsibility has been beyond all praise.
My dear young compatriots,
The Nation is calling on you strongly,
because, in the decades ahead, you will be our country’s leaders, hence
the need for you to be up to the task, by acquiring the necessary skills
and experience.
However, first, you must understand that
the "new world” which is unfolding before our very own eyes could be
tougher and more unstable than the old one. The rules that governed the
old world for more than half a century - the role of the United Nations
in maintaining world peace, international trade regulation, solidarity
through development assistance, etc. - could become more difficult to
apply, whereas nationalism, protectionism and isolationism are likely to
gain ground.
In a tougher and less open world, it
could become more difficult for developing countries to defend their
interests and secure their economic and social progress.
Accordingly, we should commend the
holding of events such as the recent African Union / European Union
Summit in Abidjan, which focused on youth education and training in
Africa and particularly the acquisition of new technologies and
modernization of agriculture.
These orientations are in line with the
objectives of China’s "new silk road" initiative and the development
assistance projects of Asian countries such as India, Japan and South
Korea. So, there are reasons to not yield to pessimism.
While Cameroon may rely on the
solidarity of its external partners, as well as the understanding of
major international organizations, the fact remains that its own efforts
are naturally foremost.
Indeed, this is not the business of the
government alone, but that of each and every one of us. And, in this
regard, I will echo the famous quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
Today, I renew this call for effort
which I made to you barely a year ago on the same occasion. Rather than
yielding to the tempting mirage of illegal emigration and undertaking a
hazardous and often doomed trip, I invite you to play an active
part in our great vision to achieve emergence by 2035.
I believe I can safely say that the State has done much in recent years to prepare you for this lofty task.
Regarding the budget, the combined
allocations of the three ministries responsible for education represent
about 15% of public spending. Great strides have been or are being made
in terms of infrastructure, school facilities and educational
opportunities.
The number of schools and universities
is growing progressively, the two most recent illustrations thereof
being the opening of a Faculty of Medicine in Garoua and a Higher
Teachers’ Training College in Bertoua.
Today, each of our ten regions has a
public higher education institution. Moreover, from this year on, our
universities will be connected to the global university cyberspace.
The programme to donate computers to our
students, which will be pursued actively, will help them to more easily
connect thereto and access more and more knowledge and resources.
The government’s policy, geared towards
learning trades as well as vocational and technical training, is
beginning to pay off as it fosters self-employment and the
socio-economic integration of youths.
As at 31 December 2017, 473,303 (four
hundred and seventy-three thousand three hundred and three) jobs had
been identified for youths, exceeding our set target of 400,000 (four
hundred thousand). We are however aware that more jobs are required to
curb youth unemployment.
Moreover, although growth slowed down
due to exogenous factors, we continued forging ahead in various sectors
of our development. The year 2018 will mark the completion of our major
first-generation projects such as:
- the hydroelectric dams that will soon be supplemented by power transmission infrastructure;
- road projects such as Douala
City’s east and west entryways, the second bridge over the Wouri River,
various highways and the motorways under construction.
Already, a series of projects known as
second-generation projects have been launched or are in the pipeline.
They concern energy generation, new road transport infrastructure and
especially the extension of our railroad network to N'Djamena and Limbe.
We will then have to devise an ambitious social housing strategy
commensurate with our needs.
Our GESP-based development programme
will be continued, as will the three-year "special youth" plan which,
since its inception last year, has prioritized youth access to
agriculture, industry, handicrafts, the digital economy and innovation.
Nearly 500,000 youths have already registered with the National Youth
Observatory to participate in the aforementioned youth plan. As funding
has already been secured, its implementation will be accelerated in
2018.
The year 2018 will also be a decisive
one for the preparation of AFCON 2019. The State has pumped considerable
resources into it. It will then be up to our footballers to live up to
their reputation and the outstanding achievements of their illustrious
predecessors. They have demonstrated in the past that they are up to the
task.
My dear young compatriots,
From my position as Head of State, I perceive signs of your growing interest in public affairs.
In this regard, your favourite platform
of expression is the social media. Whenever at a click, you access these
communication highways that give you global visibility, you must bear
in mind that you are not exempted from fulfilling civic and moral
obligations, such as respect for others and your country’s institutions.
Be patriotic Internet users working for Cameroon’s development and
influence, and not passive followers or naive relays for staunch critics
of the Republic.
The Cameroon of tomorrow, which is being
forged before our very own eyes, will differ almost entirely from that
of yesteryear. You will be its key beneficiaries. You will need to prove
yourselves worthy of it.
The world is about to witness a dramatic
change. The populations of most developed countries are aging. Africa,
on the contrary, will be a continent of predominantly young people by
the middle of the century.
This constitutes both an opportunity and
a challenge. Let us seize the opportunity and meet the challenge. I
believe our youths are capable of doing so.
A final word. As you know, 2018 will be
an important election year. You all who will be aged 20 years and above
will be able to - or rather should - exercise your right to vote. By
voting, you will be performing an act of responsible citizenship and,
thus, participating in forging your destiny.
Happy Youth Day to each and every one!
Long Live Cameroon’s Youth!
Long Live Cameroon!
Yaounde, 10 February 2018
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
