By Hans Ngala
Russia organized its first ever International Security Forum May 26 to 29 in Moscow.
Cameroon’s ambassador to the Russian Federation, Mahamat Paba Sale attended the event – showing proximity to a country where many Cameroonian citizens have continued to lose their lives without any condemnation or calls for intervention from Yaounde.
CNA has been reporting on Cameroonians dying in Ukraine on behalf of Russia, as neither Moscow nor Yaounde show signs of willingness to intervene for the safety of ordinary Cameroonians.
This position by both countries is driven by their diplomatic ties and interests: Moscow is willing to sacrifice foreigners in the war in order to lessen the likelihood of its own citizens dying first. Most of the foreign fighters in Russia’s army from Africa are lured by promises of better pay and opportunities in Russia while Yaounde has security interests guaranteed by Moscow.
In the middle of all this, Cameroonians fleeing poverty under Biya’s 43-year moribund regime, find themselves sacrificing their very lives even with little or no military experience.
“It’s a complex situation, as Cameroon has signed military and cooperation agreements with Russia and looks up to it for some advantages, especially if a matter concerning her goes to the UN Security Council” argues Gwain Colbert, a Cameroonian journalist and political analyst.
Gwain adds that “Cameroon has not been known in the past to pay particular attention to what happens to its citizens abroad, especially in dangerous situations. We’ve heard from other countries concerning the situation of their citizens in South Africa and the Middle East, and very little from Cameroon authorities”.
With regards to Cameroonian soldiers defecting to join the Russian army, he says: “Obviously, the government of Cameroon wouldn’t support the idea of its soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine and vice versa. This is simply because they are in short supply even at the homefront”.
It is unclear whether the issue of the recruitment of fighters from Cameroon into the Russian army and their subsequent deaths was raised at the Forum by Ambassador Paba Sale, given that these are phenomena with security ramifications for ordinary Cameroonians.
Cameroonians have died in the Russia-Ukraine War on Russia’s side, more than any other African nationality. A February 2026 report by a consortium of international journalists found that nearly 1,000 Cameroonian men had died on the frontlines in Ukraine. However, in a statement dated 6 April 2026 Cameroon’s Ministry of External Relations only acknowledged 16 deaths. While there are no recent statistics, it is likely that those numbers have possibly spiked by July 2026.
Regarding the International Security Forum last May, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “More than 180 delegations from foreign states and international organizations have been invited to participate in the forum. Secretaries of security councils, national security advisors to heads of state, directors of law enforcement agencies and special services, and general secretaries of international organizations are expected to attend”.
While Russia is being isolated by the West, it has found loyal alliances mainly with Global South countries – including Cameroon.
According to TV BRICS, “Participants – heads of security councils and senior representatives from Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam – discussed the formation of a multipolar world, strengthening trust between states, and developing common rules for emerging technologies”.
Whether the forum produced any concrete commitments on international security, one question remains unanswered for many Cameroonians: whose security is being protected? As diplomatic ties between Yaounde and Moscow continue to deepen, families back home in Cameroon are still mourning sons who left in search of opportunity but wound up dead – with none of their families ever seeing their bodies to even pay last respects.
For critics, the true test of Cameroon’s foreign policy is not participation in high-level security gatherings, but its willingness to protect the lives of its own citizens abroad. Until stronger action is taken, the growing death toll risks overshadowing the diplomatic symbolism of such forums.
