Study calls for stronger dialogue and better protection for Cameroonian’s abroad
Cameroon could gain more from its diaspora by building trust, improving dialogue and making it easier for citizens abroad to invest and participate in national affairs.
That is the central finding of research by Ndoh Ida Pih, who examined the role of the International Organization for Migration’s National Diaspora Engagement Strategy in diaspora reintegration and transnational security.
Pih defended the research at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC, on 29 September 2026. The study covers the period from 2016 to 2025, including the launch of the IOM-supported National Diaspora Engagement Strategy in 2025.
Her research finds that the strategy is making progress in institutional coordination, diaspora mapping and engagement. But its impact remains limited by distrust, administrative difficulties, weak grievance mechanisms and fragmented participation.
More than remittances
Cameroonians abroad already play an important role in the country’s economy and social life.
They send money to families, invest in businesses, transfer skills and support communities. The study examined remittance flows of about CFA 652 billion in 2024, highlighting the financial weight of the diaspora.
But Pih argues that diaspora capital goes beyond money.
Professional expertise, research capacity, technology, international networks and knowledge can also support national development.
The challenge is creating an environment where Cameroonians abroad feel confident enough to contribute through these different channels.
The trust gap
The research identifies trust as one of the main challenges facing diaspora engagement.
Some Cameroonians abroad face difficulties linked to taxation, administrative procedures, land and investment protection. These problems can discourage investment and participation.
Yet the study makes an important distinction: distrust of state institutions does not necessarily mean rejection of Cameroon.
Some diaspora members remain strongly attached to the country and continue to support it while remaining sceptical of the institutions through which they are expected to contribute.
Pih says this distinction should inform government policy.
When grievances cross borders
The research also looks at the security dimension of diaspora mobilisation.
Since the start of the Anglophone crisis in 2016, some diaspora-linked activities have involved hostile mobilisation, hate speech, digital activism, conflict-sensitive financial flows and confrontations involving state representatives abroad.
But the study does not present the Cameroonian diaspora as a security threat.
Instead, it examines how specific activities involving a minority of actors can become security-sensitive.
Digital platforms have added another layer to the problem. Political grievances can spread quickly across borders, while online mobilisation can intensify existing tensions.
For Pih, the response should not be based only on surveillance or crisis management.
Creating credible avenues for dialogue and grievance resolution can also help address tensions before they escalate.
A strategy with limits
The National Diaspora Engagement Strategy is primarily a socio-economic initiative.
Its objectives include diaspora mapping, institutional capacity-building, stakeholder engagement and the mobilisation of diaspora resources for national development. An inter-ministerial and multi-stakeholder task force has also been established to support the process.
Pih’s research finds that the strategy has had a real but limited and indirect impact.
It has strengthened dialogue, capacity-building and coordination between institutions.
But deeper problems remain.
These include a persistent trust deficit, weak grievance-resolution mechanisms, difficulties in accessing reliable diaspora data, administrative constraints, investment concerns and fragmented participation.
What should change?
The study recommends stronger and permanent channels for dialogue between the government and diaspora communities.
It also calls for better grievance-resolution systems, stronger coordination between institutions and greater protection for legitimate diaspora investments.
Financial transparency should also be improved, while diaspora associations should have more opportunities to participate in policy processes.
Pih also argues that legitimate remittances and investments should not be treated with suspicion simply because some financial flows may have security implications.
Instead, institutions should be able to identify unlawful or conflict-sensitive transactions while protecting legitimate transfers.
A partner, not just a source of money
The research ultimately proposes a broader understanding of diaspora policy in Cameroon.
Diaspora engagement, it argues, sits at the intersection of development, diplomacy, migration governance, identity, social cohesion and international security.
For Pih, the policy question should therefore not be only how Cameroon can mobilise its diaspora.
It should also be how the country can build a sustainable partnership with its citizens abroad.
That means creating space for dialogue, protecting legitimate investment, resolving grievances and strengthening institutional credibility.
The study concludes that diaspora reintegration cannot be reduced to remittances, investment or physical return. It is also about trust, belonging, participation and the confidence that institutions can be relied upon.
In that sense, the future of Cameroon’s diaspora policy may depend on something less measurable than money, but just as important: trust.