Why the government of Cameroon does not adequately support the parties

Introduction

Migrants are increasingly recognized for their valuable contributions and participation in international development by their host and their home countries (Singh 2012). In Cameroon’s case and its Diaspora, discussions on thediaspora and hometown associations’ (HTA) potential to influence socio-economical development and improved their countries’ standards are particularly important. The Cameroonian Diaspora has vast resources and possibilities and will lead to Cameroon’s growth if this tool can be used correctly (Awang 2013). Diaspora may be defined as a community of individuals who have migrated with their descendants but keep constant communication with their country. Hometown associations(HTAs) can be broadly defined as voluntary organizations whose members share a common origin. Most HTA projects are geared toward improving economic, social, and political opportunities and development efforts.Before the government in Cameroon, the problem is not so much whether the Diaspora will benefit from its country of origin, but what kind of policies and programs would foster these ties (Singh 2012).

Diasporas and HTAs are recognized as critical drivers in development efforts as they provide opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations between host and home nations. For Cameroonians, theDiaspora’s potential has gained growing international recognition, both in political and academic circles and among diaspora members. Identifying them as a valuable resource, several countries of origin have attempted to formulate policies for national development projects by their Diaspora and HTA communities (Awang 2013). Polices for structuring a home country-diaspora relationship range from securing better welfare conditions for their Diaspora to promoting investment that will lead to development (ibid). Evidence suggests that such engagement may be a catalyst to technology transfer, investment, and homeland countries (Ratha et al., 2011).

According to the census of 2010, in the United States, there were 16,894 Americans of Cameroonian origin. According to the 2007-2011 American Community Survey,33,181 Cameroonian-born people are living in the United States. Regions with significant populations are found in Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago, Maryland, Houston, Atlanta. The Cameroon diaspora and HTAs represents a considerable population in its size, spread, and depth.According to the 2018 Migration Policy Institute (MPI) data survey, 78,000 Cameroonian migrants now reside in the U.S., a significant increase between 2011-2018 (appendix 2, table 1). Between 2014-2018 about 2,900 Cameroonians have made Atlanta their residence of choice (appendix 3, table 2). There is a scarcity of data on Cameroonians by profession in the Atlanta area. Still, they are part of 35% African immigrants with higher levels of educational attainment than the U.S.  Their degree earned arecommonly focused in  Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) (New American Economy 2018). Despite the talent pool of academics and professionals, HTAs, and people of Cameroonian origin living in Atlanta who have a growing desire to transfer knowledge and human capital back to Cameroon, the Cameroonian government faces difficultyin defining the role of the Diaspora and encouraging and nurturing its support in development efforts.

Several factors contribute to the challenge of defining the relationship between home countries and their Diaspora. In some instances, policymakers see them as an intrusion in the state (Brender 2011). Governments see them in other situations as leading contributors to social, political, and economic growth. Consequently, some States (for example, India, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic) vigorously court their Diaspora, while others (for example, Cuba, Cameroon) disregard them or see them as rivals (Brinkerhoff 2012).

In an attempt to establish groundworks for an improved relationship between the government and the Diaspora, the Minister of External Relations (MER) in 2017, organized the first-ever Cameroonian Forum of the Diaspora (CFD) on the theme “Cameroon and its Diaspora: Working together for National Development” (Cameroon Business Today 2017). In this meeting, the government explored ways to pivot the Cameroon Diasporas’ diverse capacity from a domestic brain-drain towards a national economic advantage.Even though the key aim was to create a financial relationship with their mother country and the Cameroonian Diasporas,the government also wanted to encourage them to become more involved members of the nation-building process than ever before.

While efforts have been made to improve diaspora and home country relationships for Cameroonians, challenges remain. In this study, I askwhy Cameroon’s government does not adequately support the participation ofDiaspora and HTAs in local community development? In addressing this question, this study will first explore the diaspora definition in the Cameroonian context and investigate the common ground between the CameroonianDiaspora, HTAs, and the governmentin their efforts towards development. I will examineeach group’s potential benefits and highlight aspects in which a national government responds productively or counterproductive to their Diaspora. Second, I will explainthe methodology, area, and population of study in Greater Atlanta and review the Cameroonian Diaspora’s participation in development. In synthesizing the existing literature, I will analyze the Cameroonian government’s diaspora engagement policy and discuss implementation problems in strengthening the relationship. Finally, I will provide a new framework for relations between the government of Cameroon and its Diaspora.

We must know who the Diaspora is first. Who is a Cameroon Diaspora (ibid)? Originally applied to Jews living outside of Israel’s in the biblical days, Diaspora today typically applies to various sections of the population living outside their ancestral homes. Although CFD did not describe the ‘diaspora’ of Cameroon, the African Union defines ‘African-born people who live outside the continent, regardless of their citizenship and citizenship, ready to contribute to the continent’s growth and build-up of the Afrikan Union(Ratha et al., 2011).’ This is a realistic and all-round concept that can also somewhat be extended to the Diaspora in Cameroon.

Methodology

This capstone draws on data collected during one year of fieldwork with the Cameroonian Diaspora membersin the greater Atlanta from 2017-2018. During the year, I employed participant observation by attending events, and surveys were open-ended questions to get individual experiences/feedback and semi-structured ethnographic interviews. I further completed a meta-analysis of existing literature and case studieson the role of the Atlanta based Cameroon diaspora and Hometown Associations (HTAs) in fostering development in Cameroon.

My interest in exploring the role of the Cameroonian Diaspora and HTAs in development comes from my personal migration experience.I have lived and worked in the study area for more than 27 years before launching this research study in 2017. When I arrived inGeorgia as an international student,  I was a business administration major at Georgia Military College Milledgeville in October of 1989. I relocated to the Atlanta area in December 1989, completed my associate degree at Atlanta Metropolitan College in 2008, and my bachelor’s from Strayer University in 2010.

Throughout this research, I lived and participated in communal activities such as alumni and HTAs meetings, weddings, birth and death ceremonies, graduations, and fund raisers for the Cameroonian Diaspora members.  During my time in Atlanta, I have joined and taken leadership roles in several groups such as Atlanta Veterans Football Club, where I am the Secretary-General, Batibo Alumni Association (BATAAS)USA as current President since 2017, Manyu Elements and Cultural Association GA. As a member and leader in these groups, I frequently participate in monthly meetings and group ceremonies. In these meetings, I gathered background information on CameroonianDiaspora, the various Cameroonian HTAs in Atlanta, and the role of HTAs ininternational development projects in Cameroon. As a participant and Vice President of BATAAS USA (July 2017-2019), I supervised the completion borehole water project on Presbyterian Secondary School Batibo campus to improve students’ and staff’s water quality and hygiene.

Sampling strategy

Between May and June 2017, I began this capstone with a literature review onDiaspora’s role and HTAs contributions to their homeland’s development.The CameroonianDiaspora and its various organizations in Atlanta, GA, were my field in the study to create and analyze select data sources. Using purposive sampling, I selected a group of ex-students alumni leaders. An adequate purposive sample must have clear criteria and rationale for inclusion (Awah 2017).Purposive sampling, as one of the most popular sampling methods, guided me in selecting former student leaders because they are representatives of their various former learning institutions back home (Jawale, 2012 p. 187).Sample size estimation aims to choose enough subjects to keep the chance of errors at an acceptably low level(Sihoe2015).

Further, a cluster sampling strategy was used to identify and select subgroups from Atlanta to understand better Cameroon diaspora’s roles, HTAs in development collaboration with the government of Cameroon. Cluster sampling was cheaper and quicker. Clusters of units within the population are more cost-effective than randomly chosen units distributed across the study area (Jawale, 2012 p. 188).Because the community of Cameroonian in Atlanta consists of both French Speaking Cameroon (FSC) and English-Speaking Cameroon (EFC), they were my target group of preference, even though there are other African diaspora groups in Atlanta vicinity. The FSC and ESC both have various HTAs groups whose list covers a wide range of similar development plans for the homeland.

Surveys

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) 2005, the role of diasporas in the development, poverty reduction, improved living standards, reconstruction, and growth of countries of origin is always in the minds of most immigrants (IOM 2005).  During May 2018 – January 2019, this research handed questions to select participants who belonged to the CAMCOGA group and two ex-student alumni during monthly meetings here in Atlanta, Ga. Each survey was to be completed within 5-10mins. Questions were adapted from Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Platform for Partnerships (PfP) project Developing a Handbook on Engaging Diaspora in Development: Activitiesin Host and Home Countries(IOM 2005).The survey was to find out how each group planned, delivered, and monitored project execution back in the homeland. Also, covered issues related to government attempts to attract the Diaspora.The participants each gave their verbal consent before they were handed the questions.

Semi-structured Interviews

Data were primarily gathered through semi-structured interviews because I needed people to explain their lives in their way. Semi-structured interviews are perceived to be more deliberate in monitoring the lines of questions and concentrating on the fields of importance to the study than unstructured interviews (Østreng2010). The methods of data collection here were by phone or in-person lasting approximately 20 minutes each. About 35 individuals were interviewed selected randomly with no group in mind. To gain detailed knowledge about theDiaspora’s specific social needs, I attended the CAMCOGA group meeting in February 2019 – March 2019. During these monthly meetings, held every second Sunday of each month, semi-structured interviews were conducted with volunteered members from CAMCOGA in their meeting venue. To make an interview guide (Appendix 7), I followed Bryman’s (2008:442) suggestion and asked myself the question, “what do I need to know to answer each of the research questions I am interested in?” The three first interviews were a mixture between semi-structured and un-structuring interviews and were helpful in terms of organizing the topic guide.

Limitations

Previous studies have shown that diasporas and HTAs are difficult populations to access and often reluctant to participate in research (Cohen 2008). Given the informal structure of many Cameroon diaspora communities, there is a lack of consistent official data from the study area records (ibid).  Though this research included surveys and interviews, the sampling strategy’s limits resulted in an unrepresentative sample of the Cameroon Diaspora or HTAs. Further, the sample size is impacted by nonresponse by some segments of the target population.Some respondents also chose not to answer specific questions because they were uncomfortable or did not want to answer the question or have no knowledge of the subject, or accidentally omitted survey answers.

These analyses are further limited by common challenges of collecting ethnographic data.

Participants may have selective memories and may get events wrong (telescoping). They may attribute festive events and outcomes to their actions and adverse events and results to external forces and exaggerate the significance of activities and events. These issues can produce a systematic bias in the research (Bauhoff, 2011). Lack of available data is another limitation when a significant amount of information is missing by not getting back survey answers from participants.

Study Area

Atlanta is in the northwestern part of Georgia, which lies southeast of the Chattahoochee River in the Appalachian Mountain’s foothills, about 555 km (345 mi) northwest of Jacksonville, 760 km (470 mi) northeast of New Orleans.Atlanta has continuously lured millennials with lower living costs and good employment opportunities(Lee et al.,.2019). Another potential draw for millennials is the fact that half of the population is single. Strong neighborhood associations and easy commutes make it theright place for families as well. Also, most Cameroonians who have been living in Atlanta attracted friends and family from other states to move here to share their cultural heritage and fun times over the weekends (ibid). This study was conducted with a targeted population of Cameroonians who live around nine out of 16 counties (fig. 1). Atlanta is also home to many other African diaspora communities such as Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans, Liberians, Senegalese, and Ethiopians(Takougang2003).

Atlanta was founded in 1837 as the end of the Western & Atlantic railroad line (it was first named Marthasville in honor of the former governor’s daughter, nicknamed Terminus for its rail location, and then changed soon after to Atlanta, the feminine of Atlantic — as in the railroad). Today the fast-growing city remains a transportation hub, not just for the country but also for the world: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest in daily passenger flights (Cruickshank1981). Atlanta hasbeen referred to as a black mecca since the 1970s to which African Americans, particularly professionals, are drawn to live due to factors like superior economic opportunities for blacks, black political power in a city, leading black educational institutions in a city, the city’s leading role in black arts, music, as well as harmonious black-white race relations in a town(Lee et al.,.2019).

Immigrants leave their home of origin for many reasons, including political, social, and economical, or to further their academic studies or professional pursuits.Many seek “greener pastures” and to embrace new cultures and while securing financial sustainability. Many Cameroonians have moved to the United States dates back in the 1960s in search of education (Awang 2013) and the 1980s for socio-political and economic freedom (Enoh 2011). I moved to Atlanta in September of 1989. At this time, Atlanta had very few Cameroonians; I could take roll and know precisely who was absent in any of our gatherings. Today, Cameroonians’ population living in Atlanta has increased with new families, individuals, and second-generation Cameroon Americans.

Fig. 1 map of Atlanta (study area in dark lines)

source: knowatlanta.com

Atlanta is Georgia’s capital and most populous city and the economic and cultural hub of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It also ranks 10th economically in the nation with a GDP of $276 billion. Atlanta’s population represents the residents of the city proper. However, the urban population is 4.5 million, and the Atlanta metropolitan area is home to 5.6 million, making it the 9th largest in the United States. The Combined Statistical Area is even larger at 6.2 million (World Population Review, 2020).

Atlanta has attracted a diverse group of diasporas, Cameroonians inclusive for the city meets all the criteria that immigrants look for as they live their homeland.  Despite the lack of data onthe number of Cameroonians living in Atlanta, Georgia, the early 1990s had more ESC than FSC.  During the 90s after my arrival, there were just two HTAs, Manyu Elements Cultural Association (MECA GA), Bakossi Cultural and Development Association (BACDA GA), and two alumni. Like every modern-day Diaspora, the Cameroonians in Atlanta have found themselves in their various hometown groups, ex-student associations or Alumni, and other social groups who have not only found a new home but anticipateshelping their multiple places of origin.