Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Mimi Mefo Info
Published on 2024-02-13 12:41:53
The 91-year-old Cameroonian president, Paul Biya, gave a speech to the young Cameroonian nation on February 10, highlighting his achievements and making new promises. He covered a wide range of topics, including the economy. In regards to the economy, he emphasized the need for youths to focus on working for themselves because the government cannot employ everyone. He acknowledged the challenges presented by an economy inundated with foreign products, making it difficult for young people to thrive in entrepreneurship.
Biya also discussed the Three-Year Integrated Import Substitution Plan 2024-2026 and encouraged young people to engage in productive activities in response to the opportunities it offers. He recognized the need for more strides in order to adequately address the number of young job-seekers and urged the youth to take advantage of the plan to become useful to their country and provide for themselves.
The speech also addressed the issue of import substitution, with Cameroon having remained a consuming economy despite being over 60 years old since independence. The country still imports large quantities of agricultural products like rice and wheat. However, the government has allocated funds to develop these sectors to increase domestic production and reduce reliance on imports.
While Biya presented his initiatives for the youth, some opposition leaders expressed skepticism about their feasibility. Maurice Kamto, leader of the Opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement, expressed concern about the desperation, high living costs, and violence that many young people are facing. He disapproved of the policies implemented, stating that expecting young people to consume local products instead of imported ones is making a false assumption about their abilities to create attractive conditions for industrial and economic development conducive to job creation.
PCRN party member, Cabral Libii, also warned young people not to believe Biya’s claims, stating that promises made by the president are unlikely to be implemented. Similarly, rebound politician Akere Muna agreed that without systemic change, young people will continue to face a hopeless future and resort to clandestine measures to emigrate.
The government’s import substitution policy, while promising on paper, has proven challenging to implement. Despite allocating funds to boost production in various sectors, the country continues to rely heavily on imports for essential items and technology. This calls for a thorough reassessment and effective measures to make import substitution a reality rather than a myth.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
