The U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé recently extended its warm congratulations to President Paul Biya on his inauguration. A tweet, polished with the usual diplomatic varnish, promised a continued partnership to advance “shared goals such as regional peace and security and prosperity for both our peoples.”
How poetic. How profoundly disconnected from reality.
Let’s unpack this masterpiece of international theater.
Paul Biya, now 90, has held the reins of Cameroon since 1982. That’s over four decades, and definitely not a presidency, but a personal fiefdom. He is an epitome of remote governance, often conducted from the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva, where he and his entourage are reported to spend more time and state funds than in his own capital. Cameroonians are known to make a joke that their president is a permanent Swiss resident and a part-time head of state. But the reality is no joke: the country’s institutions have been systematically hollowed out, elections are widely condemned as marred by irregularities, and a devastating conflict in the Anglophone regions has claimed thousands of lives and displaced nearly a million people.
So when the U.S. offers “congratulations,” what exactly are they applauding?
- The endurance of an autocracy that has stifled opposition and extended its power through constitutional manipulation?
- The triumph of electoral theater in a system where the electoral commission is not independent?
- Or simply the strategic convenience of a compliant security partner in a volatile region?
Let’s be honest. The diplomatic tweet could have been translated with brutal clarity:
>“The United States congratulates President Paul Biya, caretaker of Cameroonian poverty, full-time Geneva resident, and a known quantity. We look forward to continuing our strong security partnership of impoverishing the people in perpetual servitude, and prioritize regional stability over democratic accountability.”
Blunt? Yes. But it cuts closer to the unspoken truth than the original.
Now, consider the contrasting case of Tanzania. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who ascended to power following the death of her predecessor, has made tangible strides. She has reversed the oppressive policies of the Magufuli era, reopening banned media outlets, engaging with dissidents, and championing economic reforms to attract foreign investment. Crucially, she has also pursued a pragmatic foreign policy, actively deepening ties with China, a move that seems to trigger allergic reactions in Western capitals. For her efforts at reform, she receives not congratulations, but lectures on debt-trap diplomacy and scrutiny over her geopolitical balancing act - such hypocrisy.
So here’s the unmistakable pattern:
- **Long-serving autocrats** who maintain a pro-Western posture and offer security cooperation get handshakes, hashtags, and muted criticism.
- **Reforming democrats** who dare to diversify their alliances and assert national sovereignty get skepticism, subtle threats, and conditional partnerships.
This is not principled diplomacy, it is selective endorsement. It is not about promoting democratic values, it’s about maintaining geopolitical leverage.
Diplomacy often demands a measure of politeness. But when that politeness becomes complicity in the erosion of democracy and the suffering of millions, it is time to rewrite the script. The people of Cameroon deserve better than congratulatory tweets for a regime that has long ceased to serve their interests. The people of Africa deserve better than transactional alliances that ignore their aspirations for genuine self-determination.
And, the world deserves leaders who are congratulated not merely for surviving an election, but for earning the consent of the governed.