During the New Year wishes ceremony with the diplomatic corps on 8 January 2026, President Paul Biya reaffirmed Cameroon’s resolve to international cooperation, multilateralism and global solidarity, while outlining key achievements and priorities for the future.
The Head of State highlighted Cameroon’s successful completion of its mandate as President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, a responsibility carried out with the support of the international community. In a challenging global context, Cameroon actively promoted multilateralism, dialogue and collective solutions to pressing global challenges. This commitment was illustrated by the adoption of the Pact for the Future in September 2024, including its annexes on global digital cooperation and future generations.
President Biya also underscored Cameroon’s contribution to thematic global cooperation, notably the adoption in Yaoundé of the Declaration on the Sustainable Blue Economy in July 2025. He further welcomed progress made during Cameroon’s UNGA presidency on the reform of the UN Security Council, a priority for developing countries and Africa in particular.
Looking ahead, the President warned against the resurgence of violence, terrorism and unilateralism, calling instead for dialogue, conciliation and a strengthened role for the United Nations. He reaffirmed Cameroon’s steadfastness towards maintaining peace, development and international cooperation, stressing that lasting peace can only be achieved through non-violent means.
In this spirit, President Biya announced that Cameroon will host the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in 2026, describing it as another opportunity to promote multilateralism at a time of growing global tensions. He concluded by praising the quality of partnerships between Cameroon and its international partners and reaffirmed the country’s determination to further strengthen these relations based on mutual trust and respect.
Claudette Chin
