Cameroon has suspended a senior diplomat after he made unauthorized comments criticizing the United States–backed Israeli attack on Iran during a televised interview.
Simon Pierre Omgba Mbida, head of the Protocol and Consular Office of the Ministry of External Relations in Douala, was suspended on Monday, March 9 following a decision by the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella.
During the media appearance a day earlier, Omgba Mbida—one of the sons of Cameroon’s first Prime Minister, André Marie Mbida—described the Israeli-American attack on Iran as illegitimate. He accused the United States of violating international law and bypassing international institutions to defend its interests.
Authorities in the capital Yaounde said the remarks were incompatible with the duty of reserve and discretion expected of diplomatic agents.
As head of the Protocol and Consular Office of the Ministry of External Relations in Douala—the country’s economic capital and most populous city—Omgba Mbida had been responsible for receiving Cameroon’s distinguished guests since January 2023, according to information on his LinkedIn profile. These included heads of state and government, ministers, ambassadors, consuls, and other high-ranking officials visiting the city.
He also oversaw a range of consular services, including the legalization of documents, tax exemptions for eligible individuals and organizations, administrative authorizations, and initiatives aimed at facilitating foreign investment and business activities in Cameroon.
Following his suspension, Minister Mbella Mbella appointed Madame Dangezana Essimi, a diplomat and head of the Cameroon E-Visa office at Douala International Airport, as interim head of the Protocol and Consular Office. She will hold the position concurrently with her current duties.
During her installation on Tuesday, March 10, the Governor of the Littoral Region, Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua, urged Essimi to demonstrate “reserve and discretion” in the execution of her responsibilities.
