“Be Patriotic Internet Users Working For Cameroon’s Development”

Following is the address of the Head of State, President Paul Biya to youths on the occasion of the National Youth Day 2018.

“My dear young compatriots,

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.

My dear young compatriots,

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;
- roa...