On the eve of the presidential campaigns launch, Cameroonians are asking hard questions not only about bread-and-butter issues at home but also about the country’s standing abroad. Once a respected regional voice, Cameroon now faces diplomatic invisibility, security uncertainties, and economic vulnerabilities. As voters prepare to hear from candidates, foreign policy must not be left out of the debate.
For decades, Cameroon projected an image of stability in a troubled region. Its role in peacefully resolving the Bakassi dispute with Nigeria through international arbitration at the International Court of Justice remains one of the country’s greatest diplomatic victories. In the 1970s and 1980s, hosting continental summits and leading CEMAC positioned Yaoundé as a reliable stabiliser and negotiator. Yet, in recent years, Cameroon’s foreign policy has drifted into silence, with little leadership on major African debates and limited presence on global issues shaping the continent.
In the neighbourhood, relationships have become more complex. Nigeria remains a key partner, but despite the resolution of Bakassi, cross-border insecurity, smuggling, and fragile trade flows still define relations. In Central Africa, Cameroon’s corridors remain lifelines for Chad and the Central African Republic, and the Douala-Kribi axis is the region’s gateway to the world. However, Yaoundé’s voice in ECCAS and the African Union has become muted. To many observers, the Anglophone crisis has not only weakened Cameroon internally but also eroded its credibility externally, exposing governance failures and complicating external perceptions of the country’s stability.
Security continues to shape external partnerships. Cameroonian troops remain essential in the fight against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in the Lake Chad Basin. Partnerships with France, the United States, China, and increasingly Russia reflect shifting alliances, but no clear doctrine guides these relationships. Instead, Cameroon appears reactive, dependent on security assistance rather than shaping an independent, coherent foreign policy framework. The lack of strategic articulation raises questions about whether the country has a defined place in an increasingly multipolar world.
Beyond security, Cameroon’s economic and cultural diplomacy remains underdeveloped. The country is the natural gateway for landlocked neighbours, with its ports, railways, and roads vital to subregional integration. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers enormous opportunities for Cameroon to lead as a regional hub, yet there is little evidence of clear policy to exploit this potential. On the softer side of diplomacy, Cameroonian football, music, and art remain some of the country’s strongest exports, but they have not been fully harnessed as tools of influence or soft power projection. The “Indomitable Lions” carry the national flag further than many diplomats, yet this asset remains underleveraged.
The challenge now is for presidential candidates to tell Cameroonians how they intend to reposition the country in the world. Will Cameroon once again be a leader in ECCAS and CEMAC, or will it remain a silent bystander? Will the next president craft a clear stance on strategic partnerships with China, Europe, the United States, and Russia, or will foreign policy remain ad hoc and reactive? Will Cameroon seize its economic and cultural assets to redefine its place in the African and global community, or continue drifting into irrelevance? Above all, what vision of Cameroon in the world will they present to citizens and international partners alike?
This article concludes our ten-part series on the key issues presidential candidates should be addressing in 2025. From peace and reconciliation to education, healthcare, youth, infrastructure, and now foreign policy, the message has been consistent: the election is about the vision they bring for the country. As campaigns begin, Cameroonians deserve more than slogans and vague promises. They deserve clarity, honesty, and a roadmap that restores confidence both at home and abroad.
📌 Summary Box
- Cameroon once held strong regional influence through CEMAC, ECCAS, and landmark diplomacy such as the Bakassi resolution with Nigeria.
- Today, the country’s global and regional presence has weakened, with muted leadership and reactive foreign policy.
- Security partnerships with France, the US, China, and Russia remain fragmented, driven more by necessity than clear strategic vision.
- Cameroon’s ports, roads, and cultural assets could make it a subregional hub under AfCFTA, but opportunities remain underexploited.
- Presidential candidates must explain how they will restore Cameroon’s foreign policy credibility, strengthen regional leadership, and reposition the country in a multipolar world.
Thank you for following me in this series. From me and the team, accept our profound gratitude
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77
Bakah Derick is an award-winning Cameroonian journalist and mediapreneur, serving as Vice President in charge of International Relations at the Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union and leading Hilltopvoices Communications Group Ltd to amplify community voices and governance issues. With nearly 20 years in the field, his impactful reporting spanning human rights, environmental protection, inclusive development, and sports has earned him prestigious honours such as the 2024 VIIMMA Humanitarian Reporter of the Year and more. Email: debakah2004@gmail.com Tel: +237 675 460 750