Swiss President Commits to Find Solution to Anglophone Crisis in Telephone Chat with Biya

Three years into Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis which has now become an armed conflict, government may finally decide to negotiate with separatist fighters in a Swiss-mediated dialogue.The President of the Swiss Confederation has for the first time revealed that she’s had an exchange with Cameroon’s President Paul Biya over the Anglophone crisis.Simonetta Sommaruga announced on her twitter handle moments ago that she had just gotten off the phone with the 87-year old leader.In their conversation, she said they had “an exchange of views,” discussing “health and humanitarian cooperation in Cameroon as well as on Switzerland’s commitment to finding solutions in the North West and South West.”While many groups and organisations have been pushing for a Swiss-mediated dialogue, the Cameroon government had for the past months remained silent. This was despite the absence of key separatist leaders at its November 2019 national dialogue in Yaounde that undermined the resolutions taken at the event.With Simonetta Sommaruga’s announcement today, the hopes of many have been raised as separatist leaders on their part had hinted on the possibility of accepting dialogue provided it is brokered and hosted by a neutral party.Over 3,000 lives have been lost in the war so far, with hundreds of thousands displaced in and out of the conflicting regions.With multiple human rights abuses committed by the warring parties, it is expected to be a key topic of discussion between both parties should dialogue eventually hold.Mimi Mefo Info