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.
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
No comments:
Post a Comment