The Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Patricia Scotland, has paid a visit to Cameroon.
During the five-day working visit, she will hold talks with President Paul Biya, Prime Minister Philemon Yang and other members of Government, opposition party leaders and representatives of civil society.
It is expected that the Anglophone Problem would be high on the agenda of the Commonwealth Scribe’s discussions. There are hopes that she will try to give fresh impetus to efforts aimed at defusing the crisis in the English-speaking regions of the Northwest and Southwest.
Patricia Scotland had earlier called for peace, unity and non-violence in Cameroon, saying she was “particularly concerned about what is happening in the country.”
It is reported that upon landing on Cameroonian soil, Patricia Scotland expressed impatience to get to know Cameroon and its population,” but especially to discuss concrete means by which the Commonwealth can support Cameroon’s efforts to take up the urgent challenges it faces.”
The challenges, she is reported to have pointed out; include the explosive situation in the English-speaking Regions where the claims of lawyers and teachers have turned into violent calls for secession from the rest of Cameroon.
Cameroon joined the Commonwealth in November 1995, owing to the English-speaking Provinces of Northwest and Southwest. The Commonwealth of Nations, otherwise known as the ‘Gentleman’s Club, is an organization of English-speaking countries.
By joining the Commonwealth in 1995, Cameroon became the first Commonwealth nation also to belong to the Francophonie – an organization of French-speaking countries, owing to the fact that Cameroon is said to be a bilingual country.
The Post Newspaper