The Government of Cameroon, through the Ministry of External Relations, MINREX, with technical support from the International Organization for Migration, IOM, convened a landmark strategic consultation in Yaounde on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The gathering assembled non-state actors, including civil society, academia, media, traditional authorities, parliamentarians, and youth and women’s groups, to draft a National Strategy for the Mobilization of the Cameroonian Diaspora, NSMCD, and its accompanying action plan.
The initiative aims to establish a structured, inclusive, and gender-sensitive framework to mobilize the skills, investments, and professional networks of Cameroonians living abroad. This will support the country's socio-economic development under the National Development Strategy, SND30. An estimated 30,000 Cameroonian medical doctors practise in Europe, alongside thousands of engineers and industrialists worldwide.
Delivering the welcome remarks on behalf of the First Vice-President and interim President of the Economic and Social Council, His Excellency Emmanuel Nzeté, the Council’s Secretary General, Mr. Ngoumbe Zacharie, described the Council as the natural "home of civil society and socio-professional organizations." He noted that it was time to move beyond viewing the diaspora solely through the lens of brain drain or visa applications.
Addressing reporters following the opening ceremony, Mr. Ngoumbe underlined that the initiative aligns directly with the vision of Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya, who considers the diaspora as Cameroon's "11th region." He stated that it is a question of assembling sparse actions into a strategy and a veritable plan of action.
On behalf of MINREX, Mrs. Carine Ivaha Minga officially opened the session, saluting the exemplary partnership between Cameroon and the United Nations system, particularly the IOM. She recalled that the overarching strategic project was officially launched by the Secretary General of MINREX in March 2025, with IOM providing technical assistance.
The consultation process seeks to build mutual trust, capture diverse expertise, and channel diaspora savings into productive local projects, while aligning with ongoing national decentralization efforts. Upcoming dialogues will be held with the financial sector, development partners, and direct engagements with Cameroonian communities in the United States, Canada, and France.
IOM Chief of Mission for Cameroon, Mr. Abdel Rahmane Diop, stressed that diaspora engagement is both a national priority and an international commitment, aligned with Objective 19 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, to which Cameroon adhered in December 2018. Upon completion, MINREX will possess a comprehensive profiling database alongside an actionable, gender-sensitive strategy.
Key points
- The Government of Cameroon is drafting a National Strategy for the Mobilization of the Cameroonian Diaspora to harness their skills and investments.
- The strategy aims to establish a structured framework to support the country's socio-economic development under the National Development Strategy, SND30.
- The initiative aligns with the vision of Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya, who considers the diaspora as Cameroon's "11th region".
