YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon — The Cameroonian government has expressed strong indignation over recent attacks on two of its senior officials in Belgium, calling on the Belgian authorities to strengthen security measures and prevent further incidents.
The Minister of External Relations, MBELLA MBELLA, summoned the Belgian Ambassador to Cameroon, Alain Leroy, on Tuesday to formally protest what it described as “odious acts of aggression” against Minister of Youth and Civic Education Mounouna Foutsou and Daniel Evina Abe’e, Cameroon’s Ambassador to Belgium. The attacks occurred on Feb. 28 and March 3 in Brussels during the closing ceremony of Youth Month.
During the meeting, Mbella Mbella denounced what he called a “double standard” in the application of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, emphasizing that such incidents undermine the longstanding ties between Cameroon and Belgium. He urged the Belgian government to ensure the security of Cameroonian dignitaries visiting, transiting, or residing in Belgium and to deploy a visible police presence around Cameroonian diplomatic buildings.
The incidents were reportedly carried out by Cameroonian diaspora groups, including the Brigade Anti-Sardinard (BAS) and the Coalition for the Rebirth of Cameroon (CODE), both of which have been vocal opponents of the government of President Paul Biya. According to Cameroonian authorities, these groups have engaged in similar protests and attacks on Cameroonian embassies and officials abroad since 2016.
Belgian Ambassador Alain Leroy conveyed his government’s regrets over the attacks and assured Cameroon that appropriate measures would be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The latest developments add to the ongoing tension between the Cameroonian government and its diaspora opposition movements, who have frequently staged protests against government policies and leadership.
Officials in Yaoundé are closely monitoring Belgium’s response to their demands for enhanced security, as diplomatic relations between the two nations face increased scrutiny in the wake of these events.
