Anglophone Conflict in Cameroon: Dion Ngute’s “Natural Death” Remark Raises Questions Over Government’s Approach to Ending the Crisis

In September 28, 2026, Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, has renewed calls for community-based dialogue and local engagement as part of efforts to end the armed conflict in the country’s Northwest and Southwest Regions.

The Prime Minister made the remarks on Monday, September 28, 2026, in Buea during a broad-based Southwest Community Dialogue and Peace and Security meeting, bringing together administrative and municipal authorities, traditional rulers, religious leaders, political and community elites, civil society actors and economic operators.

According to reports by Mimi Mefo, Dion Ngute said the Anglophone crisis should be resolved now rather than allowed to continue for another decade. He was quoted as saying that if the crisis is not resolved, it could “die a natural death” in another 10 or 15 years, adding that the conflict is already declining.

The Prime Minister reportedly urged community leaders to engage directly with armed separatist fighters and encourage them to lay down their weapons.

“We have been getting information from among them. Some of them say they are tired,” Dion Ngute stated, according to the report.

He further said that many of the armed fighters operating in the Southwest are young people from the region or neighbouring areas, arguing that local communities and leaders know many of them and can play a role in persuading them to abandon the armed struggle.

PM Calls for Community-Based Approach to Peace

According to My Media Prime, Dion Ngute stressed that military action alone cannot secure lasting peace in every community.

He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, business executives, civil society organisations and local authorities to strengthen grassroots dialogue and reach out to young people still involved in armed groups.

The Prime Minister reportedly encouraged fighters to leave the bushes and enter Cameroon’s Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process, while calling for concrete strategies and timelines to facilitate their return to civilian life.

The meeting therefore placed community dialogue, reconciliation, disarmament and reintegration at the centre of renewed efforts to restore stability in the Southwest Region.

25 Ex-Combatants Presented to the Prime Minister

Cameroon Tribune reported that 25 former combatants from Akwaya who had responded to the Head of State’s call to lay down their arms were presented to Prime Minister Dion Ngute during the meeting.

Their presentation was described as part of broader efforts to encourage fighters still in the bushes to abandon armed confrontation and pursue reintegration into civilian life.

The community dialogue brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including administrative authorities, municipal officials, traditional and religious leaders, political elites and economic operators.

Conflict Continues to Affect Development

The Prime Minister also acknowledged the significant economic and developmental consequences of the prolonged conflict.

According to reports from the meeting, insecurity has contributed to stalled development and difficulties in attracting investment to the Southwest Region. Dion Ngute reportedly noted that some foreign partners continue to consider parts of the region a security “red zone.”

The conflict has also affected education, infrastructure and economic activity, with projects including the Kumba-Mundemba road and major power initiatives reportedly facing disruptions.

The Prime Minister said peace was essential for the region to regain its development momentum.

“Peace is not negotiable,” he reportedly told participants.

Government Announces Peace Fund

Cameroon Tribune further reported that Dion Ngute announced the creation of a peace fund intended to support community dialogue and sustainable peace initiatives.

He also called on Senior Divisional Officers and other community leaders to continue dialogue efforts in their respective localities.

The announcement comes amid renewed government efforts to promote locally driven approaches to resolving the conflict that has affected Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest Regions since 2016.

“Even If We Do Nothing…”

According to The Post Newspaper, Dion Ngute also made a striking statement during the Buea meeting, saying:

“Even if we do nothing, it (Anglophone crisis) will come to an end.”

The statement was made in the context of his broader appeal for stakeholders to engage armed separatist fighters and encourage them to lay down their weapons.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come as the conflict enters its second decade, with communities across the Northwest and Southwest continuing to face insecurity, displacement, disruption of livelihoods and damage to public infrastructure.

For many communities, the central challenge remains translating calls for peace into sustained local dialogue, protection of civilians, accountability, reconciliation and meaningful reintegration.

Renewed Focus on Grassroots Dialogue

The Buea meeting signals renewed emphasis on community-led peacebuilding as part of efforts to address the conflict.

While the government continues to maintain security operations and the DDR process, the Prime Minister’s call places greater responsibility on traditional, religious, political, civil society and community leaders to engage directly with affected populations and young people involved in armed groups.

The effectiveness of the renewed dialogue process will ultimately depend on whether it can create conditions in which communities feel safe to participate, civilians are adequately protected, former combatants can reintegrate into society, and the underlying grievances associated with the conflict can be addressed through peaceful means.

Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) will continue to monitor developments relating to peace, human rights, civilian protection, accountability and the search for a sustainable resolution to the crisis in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest Regions.