Yaoundé, Cameroon – From November 12 to 17, Neilesh Shelat, Deputy Assistant to the Administrator (DAA) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, visited Cameroon to reaffirm the U.S. government’s commitment to foster peace and stability in the country and region.
During his visit, Mr. Shelat met with officials from the Ministry of External Relations, the National Coordinator of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (NDDR) program, the Vice President of the Regional Council and the Governor of the Far North, highlighting the enduring partnership between the United States and Cameroon in promoting peace, combating violent extremism, and fostering resilient communities. He engaged with a range of stakeholders, including Cameroon’s civil society, international organizations, and other bilateral and multilateral organizations, to discuss conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and other causes of violent extremism.
Mr. Shelat visited USAID-funded projects in the Far North Region of Cameroon, including community projects by the Programme d’Appui à la Résilience Communautaire au Cameroun (PARC-Cameroun) in Bogo-Centre. During his visit, Mr. Shelat participated in a ceremony organized by PARC-Cameroon to donate entrepreneurship toolkits, such as accessories and sewing machines, to 30 women who had completed tailoring and embroidery training funded by the U.S. government. He also visited the Multifunctional Youth Promotion Center of Bogo, where beneficiaries of the USAID PARC-Cameroon project undergo vocational training in sewing and embroidery, leadership, citizenship, and entrepreneurship.
Mr. Shelat speaking about his visit in the Far North region stated: “It was fantastic to witness how the PARC project has empowered youth and women in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The project teaches valuable skills and provides opportunities for socio-economic progress, which will make communities more resilient to violence and conflict.”
This visit by DAA Neilesh Shelat underscores the strong partnership between the United States and Cameroon in strengthening peace and stability in the country, and across the region of Central Africa. The U.S. government remains fully committed to supporting locally led solutions to advance peace, stability, and security in the region.
For more information on USAID’s activities in Cameroon, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/cameroon.