10 Countries acquire forest management skills in Buea

The experts will learn more about Cameroon's forests and propose better management solutions.

Cameroon’s Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Philip Ngole Ngwese, has reiterated the Country’s resolve to sustainably manage its forests. He was addressing participants from 10 countries across the continents at a five-day ninth International Conference on Forest Management (MEGAFLORESTAIS) that opened in Buea, South West Regional capital on Monday, May 5, 2014.

From 9 May, 5 to 9, 2014, forest experts from Canada, Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, USA, and Cameroon will seek to know and propose solutions for management, conservation and human rights issues surrounding forests in Cameroon and the world.

Though the conference stresses on its confidentiality, Andy White, Coordinator of Rights and Resources Initiative based in Washington, who is participating at the Buea conference, explained to the press that their work in 15 countries has had a remarkable impact on forest management in the world, especially concerning involvement of women in forest management, building proper legislation for forests use and ensuring that forests are sustained at the same time that it offers subsistence to people.

At the opening, Minister Philip Ngole Ngwese gave statistics as to the nature of Cameroon’s forest, its importance and its acceptable degradation rate of 0.18 percent yearly. The Minister highlighted some economic, governance and regulatory difficulties so far faced in forest management in Cameroon. He cited some facts on Cameroon forests to include 12 million classified forests, which forests contribute 4.9 percent to the country’s Public Investment Budget and generates some 150,000 employments.

By Nkeze Mbonwoh