American assistance to Cameroon halted

Following allegations of human rights violations, the United States is halting some of its military assistance to Cameroon. The measures announced by the US State Department on February 6 include the termination of a C-130 aircraft training programme and the upgrade of a Cessna aircraft for Cameroon’s rapid intervention battalion. Also affected are the delivery of four Defender patrol boats and nine armoured vehicles. Cameroon will also no longer be eligible to join the United States’ State Partnership Program. The aid was intended to help Cameroon fight Boko Haram insurgents but was halted after authorities were accused of using the fight against Boko Haram to crack down on political opponents. Between 2012 and 2016 the US provided $220 million in military aid to Cameroon, which included delivering two Cessna 208 Caravan intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to Cameroon’s Air Force in May 2018.