MP Cabral Libii has strongly criticized the handling of the incident that occurred during the broadcast of Pope Leo XIV's speech in Cameroon, pointing to a lack of coordination between CRTV (Cameroon Radio Television) and CAMTEL (Cameroon Telecommunications). The incident, which occurred on April 15, 2026, caused a signal interruption during the broadcast of the Pope's speech at the Unity Palace in Yaounde.
According to Cabral Libii, this signal disruption is less of a technical incident and more of a problem of coordination and governance. He highlighted the public contradictions between CRTV and CAMTEL, where CRTV mentioned a failure of the fiber optic network, while CAMTEL denied any responsibility, blaming internal technical choices at CRTV. "The state speaks with two voices. But which one tells the whole truth?" the MP questioned.
Cabral Libii believes that this situation reveals either "incompetence in coordination," or a "failure in the chain of responsibility," or even a refusal to take responsibility. He insisted that unpreparedness at this level of responsibility is a fault and called for structural reforms to avoid such malfunctions in the future.
The MP also took the opportunity to stress the need for Cameroon to diversify its telecommunications infrastructure, including investing in low-altitude satellite solutions such as Starlink. He advocated for a controlled opening to technological competition, allowing several operators (national and international) to contribute to critical infrastructure, under the supervision of the State. According to him, sovereignty should not rhyme with technological isolation, especially as long as Cameroon does not have its own sovereign satellite system.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to Cameroon began on April 15, 2026, with the aim of delivering a message of peace, particularly in the English-speaking regions of the country plagued by a separatist conflict. The Pope met with President Paul Biya and delivered a speech to authorities and the diplomatic corps. He also traveled to Bamenda, the epicenter of the Anglophone crisis. The broadcast incident has highlighted the challenges related to the reliability of digital infrastructure in Cameroon.
