.A.C-E.C.C. A. E.E S C.

CAMEROON IN THE GULF OF GUINEA Cameroon, situated in Central Africa, covers a surface area of 475 442 Km2 and is endowed with exceptional touristic sites. It is bounded on the North by Chad, on the East by the Central African Republic, on the South by Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and on the West by Nigeria. Cameroon is a country with several major towns, amongst which are YAOUNDE, the political capital of the country with about one million inhabitants. DOUALA, which is the major economic city and has more than two million inhabitants. The other main towns are GAROUA, BAFOUSSAM, MAROUA, BAMENDA etc. POPULATION Cameroon has more than 240 tribes which are found in three main ethnic groups; Bantus, Semi-Bantus and Sudanese. The number of national languages spoken in the country is more than 240. The most notable tribes are: BANTUS: Beti, Bassa, Bakundu, Maka, Douala, Pygmies…… SEMI-BANTUS: Bamileke, Gbaya, Bamoun, Tikar…….. SUDANESE: Fulbe, Mafa, Toupouri, Shoa-Arabs, Moundang, Massa, Mousgoum…. LANGUAGES French and English are the official languages, which are spoken by 70% and 30% of the population respectively. Spanish and German are equally spoken by a few city-dwellers. Cameroon is a secular state. Two major religions have followers; Christianity and Islam. Animism is also widely practised. PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Religious: Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Assumption, Christmas, End of

Fasting,

Feast of the Ram. Secular: New Year, Youth Day (11th February), Labour Day (1st May), National Day (20th May). TOURISTIC SEASON

Besides the shooting season which is practised in the northern part of the country from November to May, all other touristic activities can be undertaken throughout the year. TOURISM IN CAMEROON Cameroon is a choice destination with a lot of attractions for any visitor. The country has a lot of natural attractions and many other phenomena that are not found anywhere else in the world, making it possible to have various categories of tourism. Situated in the heart of Africa, straddling West Africa and Central Africa, and stretching from the elbow of the Gulf of Guinea on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, going through evergreen forests which gradually fade into grass land savannah until it reaches the sandy regions of Lake Chad, Cameroon has features which are found in all parts of Africa. Seaside Tourism: The 400 km long coastline of the Atlantic Ocean is very suitable for tourism, with a lot of attractions like colourful bays, rich sandy beaches, a variety of small islets, mangrove vegetation and waterfalls that plunge directly into the ocean. Fishing goes on in all the settlements along the coastline, carried out by individual and commercial fishermen. Any visitor can take a try at fishing. A wide variety of fishes can also be found in the many rivers found throughout the country. Safari and Hunting: There are seven national parks in Cameroon, with the most interesting and properly maintained one being the Waza Park in the Far North Region. These parks have a large number of animal species found in Africa ( elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinoceros, panthers, buffalos, antelopes, hippopotamus, hyenas, gorillas, cheetahs etc…). Besides the national parks wherein hunting is prohibited, there are 14 hunting zones in the northern part of the country with more than 500 km of motorable roads. Cameroon is the place of choice in West and Central Africa for safari tourism as the national parks and other animal reserves like Boubandjida in the Adamawa Region are properly preserved. Eco-Tourism: As a result of the concerns for the preservation of the environment, measures have been undertaken to classify and protect some natural sites for various purposes, including scientific, ecological and tourist activities. Some of the prominent ones are:

1.

The Korup National Park which has plant species that are more than one million years

old. 2.

Dja Reserve, which is classified among humanities heritages by UNESCO.

3.

Mount Cameroon, which is 4,070 m high and has vegetation which dates back to the

Quaternary period. It has been accepted for international mountain-climbing events. It is an ecological site with remarkable potential that is being improved by the German NGO, “GTZ”. Mount Cameroon is still an active volcano with the most recent eruption occurring in March 2000. The rainfall in this area is also very high, especially at Debuncha on the West Coast. 4.

The Site of Mayo-Rey where footprints of dinosaurs are still visible.

Cultural Tourism: The population of Cameroon is made up of more than 200 ethnic groups with different customs and traditions, some of which have survived till date, especially in the north and west of the country. A lot of diversity can be observed in the way of life, the folklore, the religion, housing and culinary habits. The oval houses of the Massa people in the north are unique in design in the world. The historical artefacts that abound in Cameroon are a testimony of the creative nature of the people, while the monuments and other vestiges of past events attest to the colonial history of the country. English and French are a remarkable indication of the bilingual culture of Cameroon. Mountaineering is a good pass time, as Mount Cameroon, Mount Manengouba offer a lot of hospitality. The Climatic centre in Dschang provides a place for a quiet holiday. Conference and Business Tourism: The major cities of Yaounde and Douala, with infrastructure of international standing (conference centres, international airports, hotels etc), are the main centres of conference and business tourism.

CLIMATE Dry and rainy seasons alternate in the country, with the dry season generally going from November to April. Temperatures range from 23 to 31°C in January to 21 to 35°C in July.

ISO code is CM Time: GMT minus 1 hour Cameroon Regions ADAMAWA REGION Regional capital : Ngaoundere Population: 681 362 inhabitants Surface area: 63 701km2 Number of Divisions: 5 Density: 10.7inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Water catchment region of Cameroon, this Region is full of crater lakes, cattle ranches, underground minerals, wild animal species and several caves.

CENTRE REGION Regional capital: Yaoundé Population: 2 272 259 inhabitants Surface area : 68 953 km2 Number of Divisions : 10 Density: 32.96 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Seat of the political capital of the country. Many interesting natural sites such as the caves of Akok-Bekoe, monuments of colonial figures such as Charles Atangana, the Chief of the Ewondos, and the forest reserve of Ottomo (Ngoumou).

EAST REGION Regional capital: Bertoua

Population: 711 651 inhabitants Surface area: 109 002 km2 Number of Divisions: 4 Density: 6.53 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: A vast and rich forest covers this region. Visitors can easily get into the camps set up for pygmies, enjoy the biodiversity in the Dja reserve and get a view of the Gbaya and Maka cultures.

FAR NORTH REGION Regional capital: Maroua Population: 2 553 389 inhabitants Surface area: 34 263 km2 Number of Divisions: 6 Density: 74.52 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Apart from the numerous wild animals which make the Far North a pleasurable destination for hunting, there is a wide variety of traditional rulers’ palaces, lunar landscape in Kapsiki, caves and lakes with a high concentration of hippopotamus, handicraft shops and horse displays. Three national parks in this Region namely; the national park of Kalamaloué at Kousseri, the national park of Waza at Waza and the national park of Mozogo at Koza.

LITTORAL REGION Regional capital: Douala Population: 1 861 463 inhabitants Surface area: 20 248 km2 Number of Divisions: 4

Density: 91.93 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: The ‘ngondo’ festival is deeply rooted here, and other seaside pastimes abound as the indigenes of this Region celebrate their intimate relation with water. The entry point into the country for many visitors and harbours a lot of historic monuments. Natural attractions such as the waterfalls of Ekom Kam, lake Ossa and large commercial plantations.

NORTH REGION Regional capital: Garoua Population: 1 145 038 inhabitants Surface area: 66 090 km2 Number of Divisions 4 Density: 17.33 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: The visitor has a wide variety of options, ranging from national parks, hunting area, horse displays, traditional palaces to the attractions of the Benue river with a dam at Lagdo and also several archaeological sites where fossil remains of dinosaurs have been found. The national parks here include: Benue, Boubandjida and Faro.

NORTH WEST REGION Regional capital: Bamenda Population: 1 702 559 inhabitants Surface area: 17 300 km2 Number of Divisions: 7 Density: 98.41 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Hilly and mountainous Region with grass field landscape, the visitor here has a wide variety of

traditional palaces, waterfalls, crater lakes, handicraft shops and other cultural artefacts which make it a regular tourist destination. WEST REGION Regional capital: Bafoussam Population: 1 843 518 inhabitants Surface area: 13 892 km2 Number of Divisions: 8 Density: 132.7 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Mountainous Region with many traditional palaces, crater lakes and colourful funeral ceremonies (between the months of November and February every year), and the ‘ngoun’- a great annual festival of the Bamoum people.

SOUTH REGION Regional Capital: Ebolowa Population: 514 336 inhabitants Surface area: 47 191 km2 Number of Divisions: 4 Density: 10.9 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Dense forests and small islets, visitors here can also enjoy the beaches along the coast and the Lobe waterfalls. There are also abundant reserves of sea food.

SOUTH WEST REGION Regional capital: Buea Population: 1 153 125 inhabitants

Surface area: 25 410 km2 Number of Divisions: 6 Density: 45.38 inhabitants/km2 Touristic Attractions: Home of the highest Mountain in the country and in West Africa, Mount Cameroon. The coastline here also has attractive beaches. Further inland, the Korup national park has a wide variety of rare animals and trees.

POLICE FORCE Pillar of Cameroon’s National and Border Security The General Delegation for National Security aka DGSN occupies a prominent position in the strategic management of the State.

Sustainable development and social peace is guaranteed by the States stability. The Cameroonian government, cognisant of the strategic position occupied by the police in this improvement has modernised the texts relating to the career and working conditions of the police forces. The National Security, responsible for guaranteeing social peace, is endowed with appropriate tools to carry out its mission. The signing on 19, 20 and 26 November 2012, of sixteen decrees by the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA, is sufficient to testify the willingness of the Police Chief of Staff, to make of this body a major springboard in the achievement of Cameroon’s economic goals by the year 2035. The organic and statutory instruments envisaged by the President of the Republic are a new impetus to security services, headed by the Delegate General for National Security, Martin MBARGA NGUELE. Moreover, these instruments improve the working conditions of police officers. In fact, in the context of the local police, 375 police units were created to meet the diverse demands of the people in cities and villages in terms of safety. In the Gulf of Guinea, and along the Atlantic Coast, in the borders and beyond, the security coverage has been strengthened, especially with the creation of frontier posts of National Security. Far from being exhaustive, the list of innovations under these instruments has also envisaged the establishment of police

hospitals in Yaounde and in other regions. The police staff, their families and the public, will therefore enjoy better health coverage. In addition, special emphasis is placed on training. For an optimal performance of the police against threats such as terrorism, human trafficking, cybercrime, maritime piracy and others, the Yaounde National Advanced Police School and the Police Training and Application Centre (PTAC) of Mutengene are being reorganised. Besides the center, others are in the pipeline. With the support of the population through collaboration with the police, the National Security can contribute effectively to the development and preservation of the stability of Cameroon, which remains a peaceful place for investment.

Cameroon’s defence forces Socio-military solutions for maritime security

Beyond internal measures aimed at enhancing security along the coast of Cameroon, the military also partakes in regional and intercontinental operations for the protection of the Gulf of Guinea.

In a bid to address problems of insecurity along the Gulf of Guinea, Cameroon’s Ministry of Defence has put in place a two phase strategy. Piracy, poverty, conflicts, under development and unequal distribution of maritime resources are the most whistled causes of insecurity along the Gulf of Guinea. Within the framework of civilo-military operations, the military engineering corps is a frontline player in the conversion of rebels and disgruntled groups into useful citizens. This is done through the construction of roads, hospitals and schools in towns and villages harbouring the coast of Cameroon. Also, the equipment of schools, provision of potable water and medication (malaria and typhoid drugs, yellow fever and tuberculosis vaccines, antiretroviral drugs, etc) in health centres are the daily preoccupation of the Cameroonian army. Top in this category is the stretch of road linking the localities of Mundemba-Isangele and Akwa in the Bakassi oil rich peninsular of the South West region of Cameroon.

Beyond these ‘soft’ strategies are ‘hard’ measures aimed at obtaining and maintaining safety and security along the coast of Cameroon which stretches from Campo (South region) to Rio Del Ray (South West region). With the setting up of well-equipped on and off shore naval bases by the Rapid Intervention Battalion aka BIR, maritime security is gradually becoming an assert in Cameroon. Through open confrontations with rebels and prevention of pirate attacks thanks to intelligence gatherings, soldiers of the BIR have reduced the frequency of armed robbery and other forms of insecurity along the coast of Cameroon. Well trained soldiers working with ultramodern equipment, locate ships found hundreds of miles in the high seas, investigate on their content and identify their occupants thereby reducing the risk of maritime piracy, illegal fishing, environmental pollution, arms trafficking and smuggling of drugs. Meantime, in ensuring the protection of the Gulf of Guinea, Cameroon’s Ministry of Defence liaises with defence forces of neighbouring countries. As a matter of fact, there exists an ongoing cooperation between Cameroon, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. These countries have put in place a common centre of command known as the Multinational Coordination Centre and it is aimed at ensuring the surveillance of maritime operations for the protection of the Gulf of Guinea’s zone D. Foreign partners are an integral part of security strides off the Coast of Cameroon. At the dawn of the year 2013, a multinational exercise code name ‘Obangame Express 2013’ brought together 16 countries from Europe, North America and Africa to increase the counter-piracy skills of partner nations in order to deter maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea. Specifically, the mission was to provide a platform on which soldiers could work together, share knowledge and fine tune their strategies in monitoring and reinforcing security in territorial waters and economic zones of the countries concerned. In a bid to get set and quell eventual attacks from the Boko Haram sect, the Ministry of Defence recently organised training between Cameroonian soldiers and the United States’ Special Operations Command Africa christened ‘Silent Warrior’. The objective was to drill soldiers on security and military-to-military relations during the fight against terrorism and violent extremist organizations. According to communicators of the Cameroon military, ‘these exercises help Cameroonian soldiers to acquire relevant experience required in fighting maritime crimes given the rise of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea’. Across the board, soldiers, scholars and ordinary citizens have argued, and rightly so, that ‘Cameroon’s political stability and geostrategic location in Central Africa make the country to be a gateway and fertile ground for tactical planners to implement their strategy of international magnitude’.