2025 Presidential Election: A Proposal By The CAMEROON NEW VISION, CANVI

The proposal is A SOCIAL CONTRACT For Cameroon, with the goal to give Cameroonian citizens keys to understanding the October 2025 presidential election

 CANVI is a group of patriotic Cameroonians at home and in the diaspora, striving to ensure that the 2025 presidential election is issue –based, not distracted by subjective considerations.

                                                       A SOCIAL CONTRACT for Cameroon:

                                                                       A Proposal by CANVI

Cameroon is at a critical crossroads. The country is going through one of the most troubled moments in its history. Today, more than ever, it needs all the intelligence it can muster to escape the abyss it has plunged into. A few months before the October 2025 presidential election, the knives are out, the battle for the presidency has begun. The players are speaking out, they are throwing blows at each other, and sparing nothing. While many believe the Biya era is over, some say the opposite. The October presidential election can provide a solution to the worries, fears, uncertainties, and indignation. In the face of despair, hope is reborn. There is much talk of rebirth, of rebuilding, of inventing a new Cameroon. Faced with an increasingly dark future, some fine and worthy voices have an obligation—perhaps a moral one—to come out of the woodwork. “Evil grows when good men say or do nothing.”

Cameroon has no right to sink into any kind of chaos. If public debates today revolve around almost peripheral issues, the Cameroonian people want solutions, concrete solutions to the problems they face on a daily basis. And to think that there are many of them!

We, members of the civil society organization called Cameroon New Vision Group (CANVI), have formed a think tank to propose A SOCIAL CONTRACT whose goal is to give Cameroonian citizens keys to understanding the October presidential election. This group is composed of eminent journalists whose reputation is undisputed. The main objective is to try to educate our fellow citizens, by proposing a job description and a profile of the next president of the republic. It must be made clear that we are not choosing a candidate for Cameroonians. We are not giving voting instructions either. This is not the role of the press. The journalist is not an activist. Our role is to inform, educate and entertain. This time, we have chosen to educate and leave it at that. That will be a start. We are following in the footsteps of the Catholic Church of Cameroon, which began this work. This means we are not mistaken: this is the right thing to do today to help the Cameroonian people choose a leader in October.  As internationally renowned journalist Eric CHINJE says: “helping Enterprise Cameroon recruit a manager.”

In other words, if the vast majority of Cameroonians want change in 2025, the question is: how to achieve it and with whom?

Profile and job description of a president in Cameroon

1. Who should lead Cameroon at this stage of its history?

To lead a complex and diverse country like Cameroon, especially in this period of major economic, technological and socio-political challenges, the president must possess a profile combining visionary leadership, a deep understanding of the local context and an international outlook. Cameroon is bilingual (French and English), rich in natural resources, but it faces problems of governance, economic inequality, infrastructure and deep-rooted conflicts, particularly in the Anglophone and Far North regions.

In addition to being able to communicate easily in English and French, the next President of Cameroon must possess knowledge of current modern issues, including digital transformation, youth employment issues, and rural development strategies, as well as a solid understanding of pan-African dynamics, sub-regional integration (ECCAS, CEMAC, etc.), not to mention international commitments (Agenda 2063, SDGs, etc.). The next President of Cameroon must demonstrate leadership in transforming Cameroon into a peaceful, inclusive, and technological democracy. He or she must reconcile historical grievances, particularly in the North West and South West regions, and ensure equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and services across all regions.

That said:

The next President will need to possess key competencies including:

• The ability to define a long-term vision for inclusive development and national reconciliation.
• Integrity and accountability: Strong moral and historical sense of transparency and good governance.
• A deep understanding of Cameroon’s linguistic, ethnic and regional complexities, as well as a unifying spirit.
• Technological savvy, with proven knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital governance and how technology can advance national development.
• Sensitivity and commitment to equity, education and employment opportunities for youth and women.
• The ability to consolidate and protect the Cameroonian nation.
• The ability to vigorously defend Cameroon’s interests.
• The ability to promote Cameroon’s image throughout the world.

The main responsibilities of the next President will include:

1. Governance and Rule of Law

• Maintaining and reforming constitutional and legal frameworks to ensure the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and the rights of citizens.
• Leading the national dialogue to resolve the Anglophone crisis through inclusive negotiations and restorative justice.

1. Economic Transformation

• Carry out structural economic reforms to reduce dependence on extractive industries and diversify the economy into agriculture, manufacturing, services and the digital economy.
• Develop financial inclusion and support SMEs, particularly those led by young people and women.
• Promote the emergence of new types of financing for the economy (cryptocurrency, crowdfunding, Inclusive Infinitic, etc.)

• Digital and Technological Advancement
• Promote a national broadband and e-government strategy to improve public services and access to digital technology.
• Promote public-private partnerships for technological infrastructure, particularly in the areas of health, education and agriculture.

1. Education, Health and Human Capital

• Implement reforms to ensure universal basic education and affordable health care, with a focus on rural and underserved areas.
• Adapt education and training to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

1. Peacebuilding and National Unity

• Develop and implement a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission to address historical injustices.
• Encourage a civic identity that transcends ethnicity, language and religion.

1. Environmental and Climate Leadership

• Promote climate-resilient development policies, reforestation and renewable energy programs.
• Enforce regulations related to environmental degradation, particularly in extractive industries.

• Foreign Policy and Regional Leadership
• Reaffirm Cameroon’s role as a stabilizing force in Central Africa.
• Strengthen diplomatic ties that support investment, peacekeeping and sub-regional development.

Expectations for the new President of Cameroon:

➢ End or initiate a substantial de-escalation of the armed conflict in the English-speaking regions.

➢ Ensure the growth of economic inclusion and digital access.

➢ Ensure a decrease in corruption indices and strengthen public trust.

➢ Improve human development indicators (literacy, maternal health, access to clean water).

➢ Introduce constitutional reforms regarding term limits, electoral transparency and dual nationality adopted by Parliament.

Desirable personal qualities:

➢ Ability to work and act under pressure.

➢ Humility and emotional intelligence.

➢ Strategic communicator, good listener and able to adapt to all situations.

➢ Reformer rooted in African realities and mastering international concepts.

➢ Courageous

➢ Perfectly bilingual (English-French or French-English with a good command of a popular language ​​of Cameroon)

➢ Good knowledge of the culture and history of Cameroon

➢ Charismatic➢ Modern➢ Unifier➢ Patriot➢ Pan-Africanist➢ Dynamic, skillful➢ Quick-witted

On behalf of Cameroon New Vision Group (CANVI)

11 / 05 / 25