In his address to the youth on February 10, 2026, President Paul Biya emphasized the levers he is using to facilitate the integration of young people into the job market.
From the beginning of his speech on the eve of the celebration of the 60th edition of Youth Day, President Paul Biya mentioned that he is aware of the issues that concern young Cameroonians. And one of these issues concerns professional integration, which the Head of State says he has included among the main priorities of this term. And he does not hide the first actions he has begun and intends to continue to carry out in this regard.
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These include the implementation of the Special Plan for the Promotion of Youth Employment, the allocation of 50 billion CFA francs to promote youth entrepreneurship; tax exemptions granted to companies that recruit young people; an increase in the subsidy from the National Employment Fund; and facilities for the integration of young people in the execution of labor-intensive work financed by the State.
To this, the Head of State adds the deployment of significant resources to improve the education system, ensuring the link between training and employment. He also encourages the entrepreneurial spirit among young people, which is already visible through many initiatives undertaken by young Cameroonians. The statesman advises those who encounter difficulties and obstacles in achieving their projects not to be discouraged, but to continue to persevere to achieve success.
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In the same vein, and aligning with his commitment to make young people his priority during this seven-year term, Paul Biya also intends to ensure that many young people are entrusted with responsibilities at a high level. This will be the case, in particular, during the renewal of the leaders of state-owned companies, during the formation of the new government, as well as during the legislative and municipal elections, the calendar of which should undergo a slight adjustment due to “impetuous constraints.” All these measures should, however, be accompanied by a high sense of responsibility from the youth, in whose hands lies the future of Cameroon, as well as from parents and mentors.
However, this speech, like previous ones, essentially consists of previously heard remarks and commitments made in the past. Youth employment has always been a major concern of President Paul Biya in his statements. But, despite the announcements and the actions that sometimes follow, the problem remains. The difficulties that young people continue to face push those who carry dreams to go and realize them abroad.
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