Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697720604214.pdf (Cameroon)
REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN Peace – Work – Fatherland Paix – Travail – Patrie -------- -------- NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE ------------ ------------ OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER CABINET DU PRESIDENT ------------ ----------- 9th Legislative Period 9ème LEGISLATURE -------------- ------------- LEGISLATIVE YEAR 2019 ANNEE LEGISLATIVE 2019 ---------------- ------------- 1st Ordinary Session 1ère SESSION ORDINAIRE --------------- (March 2019) ( MARS 2019) CLOSING SPEECH BY THE RT HON.
CAVAYE YEGUIE DJIBRIL, SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Yaounde, 10 April 2019 1 - The President of the Senate; - Mr Prime Minister, Head of Government; - The President of the Constitutional Council; - The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; - The Procureur General of the Supreme Court; - Distinguished Members of Government; - Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and Representatives of International Organizations; - Honourable Members of the National Assembly and Dear Colleagues; - Distinguished Members of the Civil Society; - Ladies and Gentlemen, 2 BANADZEM, Hon.
BANADZEM Joseph Lukong, Member of the National Assembly for Bui-Centre in the North-West Region, Chief Whip of the SDF Parliamentary Group at the National Assembly, died on Saturday, 30 March 2019, as a result of illness.

Hon.

BANADZEM left the stage forever at a time when he was about finishing his third mandate in this House.

May his soul rest in peace.

That is the wish of the People’s Representatives.

Let us now rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of the departed.
- Your Excellencies, - Ladies and Gentlemen, The first ordinary session of the National Assembly for the 2019 legislative year is ending today.

In terms of balance sheet, eight (8) bills were adopted by the Elected Representatives and are now pending enactment by the President of the Republic.

As a reminder, mention can be made, among other, of the framework bill governing Social Economy in Cameroon, the bill to lay down rules governing National Orders, and the bill to institute the Petroleum Code.
I 3 would particularly like to highlight here, the new laws adopted by our Chamber with a view to setting up Regional Councils.

We have also decided definitely on the number of Councillors per Region, their proportion per category and their allowances.

Just as we now know how to prepare and present candidacies for the election of Regional Councillors.
At a time when Cameroon is gearing up to consolidate the foundations of its decentralization, it was but wise for our country to align itself with the African shared vision of decentralization.

In this connection, your Elected Representatives adopted the bill to authorize the President of the Republic to ratify the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance and Local Development adopted on 27 June 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
In any case, these new laws supplement and complete the legal arsenal necessary for the establishment of Regional Councils.

From every standpoint, this is a major step in the option to accelerate 4 the decentralization process in Cameroon.

As enshrined in the Constitution of 18 January 1996, decentralization, like the current acceleration of the process, is a strong commitment made and repeatedly reaffirmed by His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic.
In this regard, the establishment of the Regional Councils in the near future will be the concrete expression of this commitment.

Better still, it will be the crowning of the Head of State's desire to achieve the harmonious development of our Regions and to enable greater participation of the population in the management of their own affairs.

The main objective is to improve the living conditions and environment of the said population.
Furthermore, the session now ending was also marked by important extra-parliamentary activities.

I led a strong delegation of some hundred parliamentarians and Members of Government to the Adamawa Region within the framework of the 6th Edition of the Caravan for the Promotion of Agro-pastoral Activities and Entrepreneurship among Youths.
Such an action undertaken by the Elected Representatives, in 5 collaboration with the Government, was enhanced by the Very High Decision of the Head of State to exceptionally decorate the best 15 young farmers, livestock breeders and entrepreneurs in the Region.

This decision attests to the great interest that His Excellency Paul BIYA has in the Cameroonian youths in general and those of the agro-pastoral sector in particular.
One of the points on which I personally laid emphasis during this occasion was the introduction of the culture of entrepreneurship in the school curricula.

Dear Colleagues, I urge you to engage in advocacy so that such teaching can be effective in the future.

In the meantime, I am pleased to mention here the commitment taken by your humble servant before a group of students at the University of Ngaoundere - the commitment to fund a project called "Sahel Solar Pump (SSP)" to the tune of CFAF 4 million.
The SSP is a pumping system that uses solar energy to supply water.

It will be useful to livestock breeders, households and other individuals in urban and rural areas.

6 May I use this opportunity to voice my great satisfaction with the local authorities under the leadership of the Governor of Adamawa Region, Madam the Rector of the University of Ngaoundere, the youths themselves and all the active forces in the Region.
My personal congratulations and encouragement go to the Parliamentary Network “Espérance Jeunesse”, the brain behind this event.
- The President of the Senate; - The Prime Minister, Head of Government; - Honourable Members of the National Assembly and Dear Colleagues; - Your Excellencies; - Ladies and Gentlemen; As our deliberations are drawing to a close and despite the commendable efforts made by public authorities, security remains a major concern in our country, particularly in the North West and South West Regions.
From this high rostrum, may I commend the initial actions 7 undertaken by the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Committee.

Admittedly, a lot is still to be done.

The recent actions undertaken give us hope that peace will return to the conflict zones.

In this regard, I am delighted with the outcome of the audience granted by the Head of State on 18 March 2019 to the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr TIBOR Peter NAGY.
This audience, which took place after some disagreements between Washington and Yaounde on the management of the crisis in the North West and South West Regions, came to clear the air of some doubt and suspicion – an audience which reassured all and sundry of the excellent relations existing between our two countries.

Our wish is that there should be understanding, objectivity and solidarity from all our bilateral and multilateral partners.
It is no longer a secret that armed bands are committing unprecedented war crimes in Cameroon: assassinations, burning down of public 8 buildings, private property, and worst of all, hospitals, for instance the Kumba District Hospital.

What a sacrilege!!!

Forceful recruitment of children, raping of young girls, abduction of government officials, students and teachers, etc, have become commonplace.

In my knowledge, no State in the world will condone such barbarism.
Unfortunately, there has been silence on these barbaric acts veiled by NGOs and many Western media organs.

The recent Human Rights Watch report is a glaring example.

The chancelleries of great powers have even failed to condemn such atrocities.

Worst still, terrorists leaders based in the West are even enjoying the protection of their host countries from where they are raising money to fund these criminal activities.
On the contrary, the least reaction from our defence and security forces within the framework of their royal missions of ensuring the security of the Nation, persons and property, is considered and amplified by these same NGOs, media organs and chancelleries, as a serious violation of human rights.

9 I would like to recall that in recent years, the leaders of my country have methodically and convincingly built Cameroon one of its major options of which is respect, protection and promotion of Human Rights.
In this connection, the actions embarked upon are still ongoing.

No one should heap shame on our defence and security forces.

The latter, in unison with the population, carry out their duty with devotion and professionalism.

I must point out that cases of excesses are regularly sanctioned.
On a different score and concerning the institution of a dialogue as our detractors often say, I would like to also recall that President PAUL BIYA, a veritable “beggar of peace” has never stopped taking measures and initiatives which are a clear proof of his will to stretch forth his hand.

I urge our partners to support these measures and initiatives.

I am convinced that by so doing, they will contribute to put a final end to this crisis.
It seems to me that it is about time we contribute to the respect, protection and promotion of the rights of not just 10 a minority or some privileged few, but Human Rights in general.

- Your Excellencies, - Ladies and Gentlemen, To conclude, I would like to remind us that the electoral lists are still open.

I therefore urge each elected representative to make sure everybody in their constituencies is registered.
It does not only entail encouraging our compatriots to go and exercise their civic duty, but also supporting ELECAM in its goal of reaching the 10 million registered persons nationwide.

On this note, I declare closed the deliberations of the first Ordinary Session of our House for the 2019 legislative year.

Long live the National Assembly Long live Cameroon and its illustrious Leader, His Excellency PAUL BIYA, President of the Republic, Head of State.

Thank you.

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