Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of constitutional issues pertaining to the cultural identity of anglophone Cameroonians and their political marginalisation in the ongoing violence in anglophone Cameroon.

The Government remains deeply concerned about the crisis in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. We assess that the root causes of the conflict are varied and complex. These include constitutional issues and the different legal and education systems in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, and the need for sustained political will on all sides to resolve the crisis.

These were discussed at the Grand National Dialogue in 2019 and we continue to urge progress on the issues identified, including further inclusive dialogue to address the root causes of the crisis. In a visit to Cameroon in March, I met President Biya, Prime Minister Ngute and Foreign Minister Mbella Mbella, where I set out the UK's commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution. I also met the President of the South-West Regional Assembly, civil society, political opposition and religious leaders, to hear the experiences of the affected communities.