At symposium in Yaounde: Experts brainstorming to better manage war victims.

This is the main focus of the first-ever symposium on war victims which is underway at the Yaounde Conference Centre. 

The three-day gathering, organised by the Ministry of Defence, MINDEF, through the Secretariat of State in charge of Ex-Servicemen and War Victims, SED/CACVG, is holding under the patronage of the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Paul Biya.

The symposium is under general supervision of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo.

It is holding under the theme: “War Victim Support: The SED/CACVG’s Response to Key Challenges”.

The Secretary of State to the Minister of Defence in charge of Ex-Servicemen and War Victims, Koumpa Issa, presided the opening ceremony on behalf of Minister Joseph Beti Assomo.

Participants at the symposium include representatives of national and international NGOs, human rights organisations, war victims, researchers, academics, ex-servicemen, defence and security forces among others. 

In his opening address, Koumpa Issa said the symposium aligns with decisive steps taken by the Head of State since 2011 for the entire nation to show gratitude and solidarity with those who suffer the horrors of armed conflicts. 

He said deliberations at the symposium will assess the progress made regarding care for war victims and comprehensively address the educational, psychological, and psychiatric dimensions of care for war victims.  

Koumpa Issa said significant progress has been made in the management of ex-servicemen and war victims.

He cited the creation and modernisation of dedicated facilities including the recently constructed, equipped, and inaugurated Military Complex for the Disabled, implementation of professional reconversion programmes aimed at preparing Ex-Servicemen and War Victims for successful socio-economic reintegration.

Aside the strides made, he said gaps still exist, partly due to the lack of precise definition of the concept of war victims. On this score, he said the symposium will enable experts to reflect in depth and proffer solutions on the issue of managing war victims in the country. 

Aside clearly defining the concept of war victims, Koumpa Issa said the symposium will provide concrete answers to questions on how holistic care can be tailored to meet the varied needs of war victims, ensure better institutional coordination and the mobilisation of the necessary resources as well as sustainably establish national and international solidarity in a context of recurring security crises at global and regional levels. 

He said the symposium will also serve as a platform for solidarity, strategic reflection and a call for collective action to enable the government to find a range of solutions to the numerous and varied concerns of war victims.

“Our expertise and practices must therefore be brought together to provide the most appropriate support to victims and, hopefully, to meet their diverse needs…we must leave no stone unturned. Our deliberations must comprehensively address the educational, psychological, and psychiatric dimensions of care,” he stated. 

Koumpa Issa said the success of the symposium will not only restore dignity and smiles to war victims but will also foster enthusiasm, motivation, and a renewed interest in the noble calling of military service among younger generations. 

He said it will also help identify best practices based on national and international experiences, propose concrete recommendations to sustainably improve the care for war victims. 

The symposium, he said, will also clarify the conceptual framework of war victims, standardized and clarify the legal framework, establish an appropriate framework for supervising and monitoring war victims, and show greater care for internally displaced persons.

Zoom on inaugural conference

Renowned varsity don, Prof Atangana Amougou Jean Louis, gave the inaugural conference on the symposium.

His presentation was focused on the theme: "Between humanitarian emergency and sustainable policy: Towards a coherent and inclusive approach to the management of war victims in Cameroon".

He outlined the series of challenges that war victims face, including medical, psychological and financial difficulties. Prof Atangana underscored the urgent need for more intensive care units. This, he insisted, will help address the growing mental health crisis linked to conflicts. 

Context, focus of reflections 

The symposium is coming within a global security context marked by the rise of extremist movements, terrorism which have become universal threat, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries.

The increasing conflicts and the commitments of forces in various internal and external theatres of operation have had consequences. 

Aside material destruction and loss of life that the conflicts unfortunately entail, there has also been a considerable emotional and social burden for the victims of war and their families.

For three days, the Yaounde symposium will feature seven sessions from different experts. 

Presentations and roundtables will touch on rights of war victims, sexual and psychological violence in conflict, compensation and transitional justice issues, progress made in the support of war victims, operationalizing care for war victims, pharmacy and traditional medicine, institutional synergy and the roles of media NGOs among others. The opening ceremony also featured visit to exhibition stands 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3561 of Thursday September 11, 2025