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Philémon Yang

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Philémon Yang
Yang in 2010
President of the 79th UN General Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 September 2024
Preceded byDennis Francis
8th Prime Minister of Cameroon
In office
30 June 2009 – 4 January 2019
PresidentPaul Biya
Preceded byEphraïm Inoni
Succeeded byJoseph Ngute
Personal details
Born (1947-06-14) 14 June 1947 (age 77)
Jikejem, Oku, British Cameroon
(now Cameroon)
Political partyCPDM
Alma materUniversity of Yaoundé

Philémon Yunji Yang (born 14 June 1947[1][2]) is a Cameroonian politician who served as Prime Minister of Cameroon from 2009 to 2019,[3] having previous held various ministerial and diplomatic roles particularly in Canada where he served as the ambassador of Cameroon to Canada for over 20 years. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Cameroonian history, having served 9 years, 9 months and 3 days. In June 2024 he was elected to serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly for its seventy-ninth session, beginning his term on 10 September 2024.[4]

Early life and education

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Yang was born in Jikejem-Oku, in the Oku subivision of the Bui division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon.[1][2] He studied law at the University of Yaoundé.

Career

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Early appointments

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Yang served as a prosecutor at the Buea court of appeal[1][2][5] before being appointed to the government in 1975 as Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration. In 1979 he became Minister of Mines and Energy,[1][2] remaining in that position until he was dismissed from the government in 1984.[6]

Ambassador and High Commissioner in Canada

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Yang served as Ambassador to Canada from 1984 to 1995[7] − and as High Commissioner in Canada from 1995 to 2004, after Cameroon joined the Commonwealth of Nations.[2] He also served as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Canada for about 10 years.[5] His time in Ottawa was dedicated to securing foreign aid for his country, despite Canadian concerns about human rights abuses and corruption. Along with other representatives of African countries, he was pleased by Canada's commitment to debt relief in 2000. He headed Cameroon's delegation in negotiations on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety from 1998 to 2000, and after the Protocol was adopted he chaired the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol.[8]

Return to domestic politics

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In 2004 Yang was appointed Assistant Secretary-General of the Presidency of Cameroon.[2][9] In 2008 he became chair of the board of directors of the Cameroon Airlines Corporation.[10]

Prime Minister of Cameroon

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Philémon Yang shaking hands with President Paul Biya in 2012.

On 30 June 2009 President Paul Biya appointed Yang as Prime Minister of Cameroon, replacing Ephraïm Inoni.[11] Yang's appointment marked the largest government shake-up since his predecessor was appointed in 2004. Biya stated on state radio that three ministers from the previous government had switched places, six new names were added while six portfolios were cut entirely. The opposition said that it did not expect a great deal of change due in part to the continuance of a large government. It had been hoping for 30 ministerial positions to be cut, but there remained over 60 ministers. The reshuffle was believed to have been spurred by public anger over rising food prices and discontent with high levels of government corruption. Adding to this, the move was seen as an attempt by Biya to shore up support for the next presidential election in 2011.[12] In addition to Yang, new ministers were appointed for defence, posts and telecommunications, communication, education, promotion of women, water and energy, and sports.[13]

Yang stepped down as Prime Minister on 4 January 2019.

President of the United Nations General Assembly

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On 6 June 2024 Yang was elected to serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly for its seventy-ninth session, succeeding Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago on 10 September 2024.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Profile at Cameroonian government website Archived 2009-07-05 at the Wayback Machine (in French).
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Fiche sur les nouveaux minitres [sic] (2)", Cameroon Tribune, December 10, 2004 (in French).
  3. ^ List of members of the Secretariat-General of the Presidency, Presidency website (in French).
  4. ^ a b UN News, "Philemon Yang of Cameroon elected President of upcoming General Assembly session", 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b Christina Leadlay, "Diplomatic Circles" Archived 2012-02-08 at the Wayback Machine, Embassy (Canada), January 12, 2005.
  6. ^ List of governments of Cameroon Archived 2009-07-05 at the Wayback Machine (in French).
  7. ^ Diplomatic, Consular, & Other Representatives in Canada, March 2003, page 5.
  8. ^ Philémon Y. Yang, "Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: Opportunities and Challenges", in Looking Ahead: International Law in the 21st Century (2002), Canadian Council on International Law, page 211, note 1.
  9. ^ Nicolas Amayena, "Présidence: les nouveaux ministres en poste" Archived 2009-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, Cameroon Tribune, December 22, 2004 (in French).
  10. ^ Honoré Foimoukom, "Universités d’Etat: Biya limoge Njeuma et Kontchou" Archived 2015-09-25 at the Wayback Machine, Le Messager, 30 December 2008 (in French).
  11. ^ Jean-Bruno Tagne, "Breaking News: Paul Biya modifie son Gouvernement !", Cameroon-info.net, 30 June 2009 (in French).
  12. ^ Tansa Musa, "Cameroon's president sacks PM in reshuffle", Reuters, 30 June 2009.
  13. ^ "Cameroon president names new prime minister in government reshuffle", Xinhua, 1 July 2009.
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by President of the United Nations General Assembly
2024–2025 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Cameroon
2009–2019 		Succeeded by


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