{"id":197387,"date":"2025-05-04T10:53:38","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T08:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/west-africa\/cameroon\/united-states-u-s-ambassador-reaffirms-commitment-to-peace-and-partnership-in-the-southwest-region\/"},"modified":"2025-05-04T10:53:39","modified_gmt":"2025-05-04T08:53:39","slug":"united-states-u-s-ambassador-reaffirms-commitment-to-peace-and-partnership-in-the-southwest-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/west-africa\/cameroon\/united-states-u-s-ambassador-reaffirms-commitment-to-peace-and-partnership-in-the-southwest-region\/","title":{"rendered":"United States (U.S.) Ambassador Reaffirms Commitment to Peace and Partnership in the Southwest Region"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>
Download logo<\/a>
\"\"<\/p>\n

From April 24\u201327, Ambassador Christopher J. Lamora completed his third visit to the Southwest Region, reaffirming the U.S. Embassy\u2019s enduring commitment to peace, prosperity, and partnership with Cameroon. \u00a0The visit also highlighted the lasting friendship between the American and Cameroonian people, particularly via his visits with the Paramount Chiefs of both Limbe and Buea, and his participation in the Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Tangible Progress in Peace and Stability<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his meeting with the Governor of the Southwest Region, the Ambassador emphasized the importance of peace and stability as cornerstones of sustainable development, acknowledging the government\u2019s efforts to improve the lives of its citizens in major towns in the region. \u00a0Highlighting this theme, the Ambassador also visited the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) Center in Tiko. \u00a0There, he met with Director Bernard Ngone, who described the center\u2019s efforts to reintegrating ex-combatants through vocational training, moral education, and strong collaboration with local communities. \u00a0The Ambassador also visited Man O\u2019War Base in Limbe, home to key units of Cameroon\u2019s Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR). \u00a0In discussions with Colonel Henri Belinga, he heard about the BIR\u2019s strides in professionalizing its forces and enhancing training on the law of armed conflict and respect for internationally recognized human rights\u2014underscoring the positive effects of the longstanding U.S.\u2013Cameroon security partnership.<\/p>\n

Expanding Economic Ties: U.S. Seeks New Avenues for Cooperation<\/strong><\/p>\n

While in Limbe, the Ambassador visited the Port Authority of Limbe, where he discussed infrastructure projects with the Deputy Director of the Transitional Administration, Thomas Ndive Mulongo. \u00a0The proposed significant expansion of the Port of Limbe has the potential to make it the deepest seaport in West and Central Africa, capable of accommodating mega vessels and expanding trade opportunities. \u00a0Discussions included the potential for public-private partnerships and ways to leverage U.S. expertise in maritime risk management and port operations.<\/p>\n

In Buea, Ambassador Lamora engaged with dynamic entrepreneurs from \u201cSilicon Mountain,\u201d Cameroon\u2019s growing tech hub. \u00a0During a roundtable held at the American Corner Buea (housed at the University of Buea), he exchanged ideas with local startups and representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce, the American Council for Africa, and American Liaison in Africa. \u00a0Their discussions focused on improving the investment climate and expanding U.S.\u2013Cameroon business ties.<\/p>\n

The renowned the Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF) offered an additional opportunity to promote economic and cultural cooperation in the region. \u00a0While speaking on a panel at CAMIFF, the Ambassador emphasized the film industry\u2019s vital contribution to local economies. \u00a0He applauded CAMIFF Founder Gilbert Agbor Ebot for fostering collaborations between Cameroonian and American filmmakers, highlighting the induction of American actress Vanessa E. Williams into the CAMIFF Wall of Fame and the screening of\u00a0Superman Doesn\u2019t Steal<\/em>, an award-winning short film by American filmmaker Tamika Lamison that took home CAMIFF\u2019s award for best short film.<\/p>\n

Ambassador Supports Community-Led Development<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recognizing the vital role of traditional leaders, Ambassador Lamora met with the Paramount Chiefs of Buea and Limbe, who conferred honors upon him and shared updates on their community-driven initiatives, including waste management, workforce development, and other local priorities.\u00a0 He also visited the Limbe Wildlife Center, where he praised its conservation efforts\u2014not only for protecting Cameroon\u2019s rich biodiversity but also for supporting public health education, enhancing community livelihoods and instilling respect for the environment in Cameroon\u2019s next generation.<\/p>\n

United States Sustains Health Achievements<\/strong><\/p>\n

For his final stop in the Southwest Region, the Ambassador visited Mutengene Baptist Hospital, a key health partner supported over many years by the U.S. President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). \u00a0There, he witnessed firsthand the impact of the United States\u2019 133 million FCFA investment in HIV and TB care.<\/p>\n

Thanks to this support, the hospital\u2014which serves more than 122,000 patients annually\u2014continues to provide life-saving services to people living with HIV and now stands as the largest facility of its kind in the region. \u00a0Acknowledging the collective effort behind these achievements, the Ambassador reaffirmed the United States\u2019 long-term commitment to strengthening health security in Cameroon.<\/p>\n

This visit underscored that, as stability takes hold, the Southwest Region is unlocking new opportunities for dynamic U.S.\u2013Cameroon collaboration.<\/p>\n

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Cameroon.<\/i><\/p>\n

Source<\/a>
\n
South Africa Today Africa \u2013 West Africa Cameroon<\/a> News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Download logo From April 24\u201327, Ambassador Christopher J. Lamora completed his third visit to the Southwest Region, reaffirming the U.S. Embassy\u2019s enduring commitment to peace, prosperity, and partnership with Cameroon. \u00a0The visit also highlighted the lasting friendship between the American and Cameroonian people, particularly via his visits with the Paramount Chiefs of both Limbe and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":197388,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.africa-newsroom.com\/files\/large\/fe4cc64e75d2f7b","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[376],"tags":[258,256,6269,377,6307,257,6020,6157,8132,6324,254,12406,6484,2282,7866],"class_list":["post-197387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cameroon","tag-africa","tag-africa-news","tag-ambassador","tag-cameroon-news","tag-commitment","tag-news","tag-partnership","tag-peace","tag-reaffirms","tag-region","tag-south-africa-today","tag-southwest","tag-states","tag-u-s","tag-united"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.africa-newsroom.com\/files\/large\/fe4cc64e75d2f7b","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=197387"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197387\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":197389,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197387\/revisions\/197389"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/197388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=197387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=197387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southafricatoday.net\/africa-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=197387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}