UN envoy welcomes restored Internet service in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions

21 April 2017 – The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa was relieved to learn that Cameroon President Paul Biya instructed that full internet services be restored in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon.

“I welcome this measure, which is in line with those recently announced by the Government to address the demands of English-Speaking teachers and lawyers,” said François Louncény Fall, who also heads the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), in a press statement.

He noted that the decision, which took effect from 20 April, “will go a long way to help reduce tension and to create conditions conducive for the resolution of the crisis in the two regions.”

Mr. Fall said that he “counts on the Government of Cameroon to continue to promote appeasement and dialogue, and to take all other appropriate measures aimed at a speedy and lasting resolution of the crisis in order to strengthen unity, stability and prosperity in Cameroon.”

The Special Representative concluded by taking the opportunity “to express the wish that the Cameroonian people will maintain their spirit of patriotism and show restraint during this trying period, including by avoiding the use of the Internet to incite hatred or violence.”