The Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, marked the closing of the Youth Connekt Cameroon Zonal Bootcamp for the Northern Region in Maroua with a significant announcement: the funding of all presented projects. This event, more than just a simple ceremony, highlighted the importance given to the youth of the Northern Region as a driver of development and stability. The ceremony also served as an opportunity to officially install the Chambers of Icons of Youth Entrepreneurship and their ambassadors.
The Maroua stage is part of a rigorous selection process for young entrepreneurs who will represent the Grand North at the national final of the 7th edition of the Youth Connekt Cameroon Convention in December 2026. The Youth Connekt Cameroon program, a collaboration between the Cameroonian government and the United Nations System, aims to connect young people to economic opportunities, strengthen their entrepreneurial skills, and promote their socio-professional integration.
Mounouna Foutsou recalled the Head of State's commitment to youth, citing President Paul Biya's remarks regarding increased support for young people and women in academic, professional, and other fields. He also presented a quantified assessment of the program, highlighting its impact in the northern regions.
The presence of Martin Hart Hansen, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Cameroon, underscored the international recognition of the program and the strength of the partnership between the Cameroonian government and the United Nations. Governor Midjiyawa Bakari also expressed his support, highlighting the emergence of the Far North as a region producing entrepreneurs and innovators.
The establishment of the Chambers of Icons of Youth Entrepreneurship represents an innovative approach to valuing local successes and encouraging the transmission of experiences between peers. The young people selected in Maroua will participate in a national Bootcamp in preparation for the December 2026 final.
Youth Connekt Cameroon is positioned as a strategic response to the challenges of insecurity, poverty, and youth unemployment in the Northern Region. By offering training, funding, and visibility, the program helps reduce the vulnerability of young people to armed groups and exodus. Entrepreneurship thus becomes a strategy of collective resilience, supported by the Cameroonian State and the United Nations.
Minister Mounouna Foutsou instructed that all presented projects be monitored and financed within the framework of the Special Plan for the Promotion of Youth Employment. For young people from the Far North, North, and Adamawa regions, the challenge is to rise to the national stage, promote their projects, and benefit from support that matches their ambitions.
