Cameroon and Turkey sign historic military and financial pact in Ankara

Following a direct directive from President Paul Biya, head of state and supreme commander of the Cameroonian armed forces, the minister delegate at the presidency in charge of defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, has taken a decisive step to boost Cameroon’s military capabilities.

Cameroon and Turkey have officially sealed a landmark military and financial cooperation agreement in Ankara. The pact was signed by Cameroon’s defence minister, Joseph Beti Assomo, and his Turkish counterpart, Yaşar Güler, marking a major strategic shift in bilateral ties between the two nations.

Turkish deputy minister Musa Heybet also took part in the discussions. According to the official communiqué, the texts aim to strengthen financial and military collaboration mechanisms, and to deepen the principles of cooperation between Ankara and Yaoundé in areas of mutual interest.

Beyond the signing ceremony, Minister Beti Assomo conducted an official visit to the Milli Savunma Üniversitesi (MSÜ), Turkey’s National Defence University, a premier institution for training military elites. Talks focused on three strategic axes: developing bilateral military cooperation, training Cameroonian armed forces personnel, and deepening strategic relations between the two countries.

This visit builds on an already established partnership. Turkey has been training Cameroonian military personnel at MSÜ institutions for several years. During Turkish Minister Yaşar Güler’s visit to Yaoundé in May 2025, Joseph Beti Assomo publicly thanked Ankara for providing free training to Cameroonian cadets and non-commissioned officers at Turkish military academies.

The agreement signed on 3 June 2026 therefore consolidates and elevates this cooperation to a higher financial and operational level. Cameroon is diversifying and strengthening its strategic alliances. After France, the United States, and Israel, Turkey is now emerging as a key military partner for Yaoundé, with an approach grounded in training, financing, and operational cooperation, comments Shance Lion.