Cameroon marked the 54th anniversary of National Day with vibrant parades and civilian displays rolling out from the capital to every region.
In Yaoundé, President Paul Biya presided over the colourful ceremony featuring hundreds of marching civilians and troops, with an audience of national and international guests.
A notable moment was the participation of a contingent from the Chadian Armed Forces.
Army spokesman Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo said the visiting units reflected strong bilateral ties and joint efforts against terrorism, noting that Chad and Cameroon cooperate on multiple fronts.
It also featured march-past by political parties such as the Social Democratic Front (SDF), Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR), Union of the People of Cameroon (UPC), Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU), National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP) and the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) among others.
Parades took place across all 10 regions, including the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest, areas hit by separatist action and lockdowns in recent years. Despite security challenges, organizers pressed ahead with the nationwide festivities.
May 20 holds special significance in Cameroon’s history: it commemorates the 1972 referendum that transformed the country from a federal system into a unitary state. The celebrations included schoolchildren marching and a series of military and civilian displays, underscoring a day of national pride and unity.
