Dschang - On 13 May 2024, as a result of the explicit consideration given to migration issues by the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon in the address by the Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya, to the youth of Cameroon, the Minister of Youth and Civic Education launched the special operation ‘Citizen and Patriotic Migration-JEM Cameroon, at the amphi Théâtre- auditorium Honorable Joseph Fondjo, of the University of Dschang in the Western Region. This reaffirmed the Government's determination to protect its citizens, but even more to improve the perception that Cameroonians here and abroad have of their own country.   

The event, which brought together a host of stakeholders, especially young students from the University of Dschang, was an opportunity to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of irregular migration through the screening of a documentary on the consequences of irregular migration and a short movie on the promotion of local opportunities for success.

In his official remarks at the launch of the initiative, the Minister of Youth and Civic Education, Mr. Mounouna Foutsou, stressed the crucial importance of continuing to raise public awareness of the risks and dangers of irregular migration, in line with the words of Cameroon's Head of State, who said in his address to Youth on the occasion of the National Youth Day celebrations: “It is, however, my duty to remind you, year after year, to beware of the mirages and dangers of emigration at all costs”. His Excellency Paul Biya also called for concerted action to improve the management of migration. 

Based on the National Development Strategy 2030 and these words of the Head of State, MINJEC, in partnership with the IOM, is organizing a special awareness-raising and training operation entitled ‘Citizen and Patriotic Migration-JEM Cameroon’. In addition to encouraging the population in general and young people in particular to practice safe, orderly, and regular migration, MINJEC hopes through this initiative to promote circular migration, which aims to encourage Cameroonians living in Cameroon and those from the diaspora to invest in the building of their nation.

The official ceremony to launch the special operation ‘Citizen and Patriotic Migration-JEM Cameroon’ was preceded by a conference on the same subject, attended by students and teaching staff of the University of Dschang. The discussions highlighted the importance of promoting inclusive policies that respect human rights and ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), migration can offer a better life for individuals, their families, their communities, and society, as long as it is done correctly. This has been set out in the new IOM-Strategic-Plan-2024-2028 through three objectives: ‘Save lives and protect migrants’; ‘Find solutions to displacement’; and ‘Facilitate regular migration channels’.

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For further information, please contact :

Pascale Essama, IOM Cameroon E-mail: pessama@iom.int Tel: +237 657103074