Édouard Akame Mfoumou

Edouard Akame Mfoumou (born 14 August 1945) is a Cameroonian politician and former senior government official who has held multiple high-level posts, including Minister of Defence, Minister of Economy and Finance, Secretary-General of the Presidency, and later Chairman of the Board of the national airline company.

Early Life and Education Born in the South region of Cameroon, Akame Mfoumou completed his primary education at the Mission Catholique of Nkol-Ekong. Known affectionately as "Le Vieux," He attended the Catholic mission school of Nkol-Ekong from 1952 to 1958, where he earned his primary education certificate. He continued secondary studies at the Petit Seminar of Bonépoupa and later at Libermann high school in Douala, completing his baccalaureate in philosophy in 1965.

Administrative career After graduating from ENAM, Akame Mfoumou joined the Ministry of Territorial Administration in 1972 as Head of the Administrative Organization Service.

Secretary-General of the Presidency (1989–1990) On 13 April 1989, by presidential decree, Akame Mfoumou was appointed Secretary-General of the Presidency. In this role he coordinated interministerial policy and served as a key adviser during the transition toward political liberalization in the early 1990s.

Minister of Defence (1990–1996) Akame Mfoumou became Minister of Defence on 7 September 1990, at a time marked by political pluralism, security tensions, and restructuring of the armed forces. His tenure included administrative reforms, reinforcement of military infrastructure, and modernization projects initiated under President Paul Biya. His period in office was marked by structural adjustment reforms, negotiations with the IMF and World Bank, and preparation for Cameroon’s entry into the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC/PPTE) Initiative.

In 2000, Cameroon reached the HIPC “decision point”, unlocking major debt-relief measures. Under his leadership, the country also completed its sixth IMF program before he stepped down from his governmental role in 2001.

Post-Ministerial Activities

Camair-Co (from 2013) On 11 September 2013, Akame Mfoumou was appointed Chairman of the Board of Camair-Co by presidential decree. Shortly after, the board initiated leadership changes within the company, including the dismissal of the Director-General.