More than 8bn F to be allocated for environmental protection

16.64 million US dollars or a little more than 8 billion francs could be received by Cameroon from the funds for Global Environment Facility (GEF, created within the World Bank), on the occasion of the 6th cycle of this mechanism which extends from July 2014 to June 2018. This envelope will be used to finance projects that Cameroon will have with priority for the period concerned, which will focus on biodiversity, climate change and land degradation.

This information and many others were made public Monday in Douala, on the occasion of the launch of the 6th operational phase of GEF, specifically, a national consultation to identify priorities for Cameroon. The work, opened by the Minister of the environment, Nature Protection and the sustainable development, Hele Pierre, will run until November 21.

Experts from agencies of the United Nations represented in Cameroon, various administrations, members of civil society, etc. took part in this Exchange which Minepded considered both "enlightening and guarantor of good environmental governance. '' It is aimed according to him, to reflect on the best ways to ensure a healthy environment in Cameroon."

Despite all the efforts already made, risks remain high. And after Jean-Marc Sinnassamy, representative of the Secretariat of the GEF, the poor example remain exposed. "there is need to tackle the root causes of environmental degradation," he recommended. The projects to be funded "must deal effectively with the environmental deterioration factors," noted Naoufel Telahigue of the international fund for agricultural development (IFAD).

Created in 1991, the GEF has already allocated in Cameroon some 30 billion F, Fund which helped in the funding of more than 50 projects in various areas. "But it must be said that despite this remarkable support from GEF to protect the environment, the challenges faced remain a concern as it is true that the environment remains a dynamic reality and our daily behaviors, at various levels, are not yet of the most exemplary", underlined the Minister.