This year’s commemoration was carried out under the theme: “One Resilient Common Future”.
The first day of activities effectively began on Monday, March 04, 2024, with the Flag Hoisting Ceremony which marked the official launch of activities at the courtyard of the Ministry of External Relations, under the chairmanship of the Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in charge of Cooperation with the Commonwealth, Felix MBAYU. Under the command of Captain ANNOH NJAH NUGANGHA Anselm, the Commonwealth Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Defence, the ceremony was marked by the presence of two groups of honour made up of Gendarmerie and Army personnel, accompanied by the music band of the National Gendarmerie.
A conference debate under the theme “The Year of the Youth in Cameroon: Year of Impact and Eco-Citizenship” took place on Tuesday, March 05, 2024, at the Cameroon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Commonwealth Focal Point of the Ministry of Defence gave a presentation on “Civil-Military Relations in Peacebuilding and Post-conflict situations”, aimed at demonstrating the role of the Ministry of Defence in peacebuilding in Cameroon and its involvement in development through the Army and the Nation bond.
More so, the third and fourth days which unfolded from March 06 to 07, 2024 consisted of the animation of three exhibition stands at the National Museum by the Ministry of Defence through the Department of Military Engineering, the Department of Human Resources, the Military Cooperation Division, and the Military Communication Division who demonstrated the know-how and professionalism of the Defence Forces to the numerous visitors and stakeholders present at the “Commonwealth Village”. At the end of this activity, the Ministry of Defence received a Certificate of Appreciation for its participation.
Additionally, in pursuit of activities marking the 2024 commemoration of the Common Wealth Day, on Saturday March 09, 2024, a sports fitness walk and a football match for amputees was organised. The Ministry of Defence was proficiently represented in these activities by the Department of Sports, Artistic and Cultural Activities and the Police and Armed Forces known by its french acronym FAP Handisport. It is worth noting that FAP Handisport won the match against the Amputee Football Association by a score of two goals to nil.
Last but not least, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence equally represented the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence at the courtyard of the Ministry of External Relations on the D Day, that is, on March 11, 2024, where the Minister of External Relations, His Excellency, Lejeune MBELLA MBELLA, presided over the solemn ceremony of the commemoration of Commonwealth Day which was rich in pump and color.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Defence has taken part in major Commonwealth activities such as the coronation of the King of England, King Charles III which was attended by a Cameroonian delegation that comprised eleven elements of both sexes drawn from various corps of the Cameroon Defence Forces. The delegation included ten marchers and a team press officer headed by a flag bearer.
Cameroon joined the Commonwealth in November 1995 and became the first “La Francophonie” country to be part of the Commonwealth due to its bilingual nature and is today part of its 56 member countries.
