Cameroon’s National Assembly and Senate have joined forces to establish the Parliamentary Network for Human Mobilities and National Unity during a Constitutive General Assembly on Monday, June 22, 2026.
Held at the Solomon Tandeng Muna Committee Room within the Paul Biya Glass House in Yaounde, the event brought together legislators and representatives from the International Organization for Migration – IOM. The newly formed network aims to proactively address the country’s pressing challenges regarding internal migration, refugee reception, and national integration, in strict alignment with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.
Chaired by Honourable Vincent De Paul Emah Etoundi, the session focused on formally structuring the organization, adopting its core statutes, and approving major resolutions. A balanced, 20-member governing Bureau was elected to lead the network, comprising an equal split of 10 Senators and 10 Members of Parliament. Honourable Zondol Herssesse was elected as the head of the new leadership team, supported by Senator Pierre Flambeau Ngayap, who will serve as the network’s Deputy Chair.
During the deliberations, technical advisors from the IOM provided expert recommendations to refine the organization’s statutes before their final adoption. Participants and stakeholders heavily emphasized the urgent need to accelerate administrative and land reforms across Cameroon.
These legislative updates are viewed as critical interventions needed to defuse long-standing intercommunity tensions over resources and space, ultimately fostering peaceful coexistence among native and displaced populations.
In his inaugural closing remarks, Honourable Zondol Herssesse pledged to lead the initiative with unwavering commitment, calling for robust intersectoral collaboration and sustained financial investment. He stressed that empowering mobile and vulnerable populations is not just a humanitarian duty, but a structural necessity for strengthening national cohesion and driving inclusive, long-term development.
The creation of this network underscores a major legislative shift toward securing the socio-economic reintegration and protection of displaced persons nationwide.
