Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982); election
last held 11 October 1992; results - President Paul BIYA reelected
with about 40% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud; SDF
candidate John FRU NDI got 36% of the vote; UNDP candidate Bello Bouba
MAIGARI got 19% of the vote
head of government: Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April
1992)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 1 March
1992 (next scheduled for March 1997); results - (180 seats) CPDM 88,
UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement
(CPDM), Paul BIYA, president, is government-controlled and was
formerly the only party, but opposition parties were legalized in 1990
major opposition parties: National Union for Democracy and Progress
(UNDP); Social Democratic Front (SDF); Cameroonian Democratic Union
(UDC); Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC); Movement for the
Defense of the Republic (MDR)
Other political or pressure groups: Alliance for Change (FAC),
Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM)
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19,
G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 through 8794
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet W. ISOM embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde telephone: [237] 23-40-14 FAX: [237] 23-07-53 consulate(s): none (Douala closed September 1993)
Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia