Activists condemn partnership accord without forest conversion

Samuel Nguiffo, Executive Secretary of the Centre for Environment and Development, CED, has revealed that the Voluntary Partnership Accord, VPACameroon signed with the European Union, EU, in 2010, was prepared without taking into account forest conversion.

He made the statement in Yaounde on April 17, during the launch of the participatory evaluation impact of VPA which is the core of the European Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade, FLEGT and National Forest Conversion Observatory projects. Ratified in 2011, the VPA is lagging behind in implementation in the line with the execution calendar, thus the need to evaluate the socio-economic and environmental effects as provided in the implementation programme, Nguiffo stated.

The priority plan adopted in 2012 by the joint follow-up committee intended to carry out evaluation in 2013, and it is within this context that the projects are situated. Going by Nguiffo, the two projects would, for the next 18 months, strive to measure the legality of wood from forest concession and try to understand if wood from forest conversion can be analysed.

“The VPA was not prepared with conversion in mind, so, it would be an opportunity to look at the implication and to ameliorate VPA on the legality of wood from conversion with the goal to ameliorate governance and efficiency of legal wood produced in Cameroon. The projects in the Centre, South, East, Southwest and Littoral Regions would also explore new threats to the forest, how they manifest, the consequences, and ameliorate planning to ensure that the impact on the forest is minimised.

According to Bathelomez Tchepnang, Director of the Centre D’Appui et d’Animation pour le Development, CAJAD, a methodology base would be put in place to measure the impact which, if positive, can be capitalised on and if negative, look for means to correct the wrongs and put in place a traceability system.

The starting point, he said, is to have baseline data with which to measure the objective of the VPA to ameliorate the standard of living of the population at the base where exploitation is taking place. “We are going to elaborate a grid of evaluation for field work after which we shall write a report”, he said.

The projects financed by the EU to the tune of FCFA 77 million would evaluate the VPA since the signing of the accord, in terms of benefits, the things to ameliorate, adjustments to be made and make propositions and discuss negative points with Government. “Expected to take effect from 2013, and in 2014 nothing has happened, we are disappointed by the fact that VPA has not been implemented. Lots of factors come to play and within the Government, civil society and EU already adjusting to look for solutions for it to take off”, Tchepnang said.

The head of EU Delegation in Cameroon, Clemens Schroeter, said the European Union and Cameroon signed the accord, to ensure that only legal wood can be exported to Europe. To accompany Cameroon in the implementation of the accord, there are many initiatives supported by the EU in accord with the Government, he said. There is a system of tractability; a complex system to sanitise enterprises that wood is legal and monitored in a transparent manner.

To Schroeter, the accord between the EU and Government has to be accompanied by measures of the civil society to ensure benefit for the population. As such, he emphasised the importance of the observatory on concessions and transformation of land as pertinent and useful.

World Bank To Finance University Centres Of Excellence

Nineteen centres of excellence at universities located in seven West and Central African towns will be benefitting from the World Bank. The World Bank board approved 150 million dollars (about FCFA75 billion) in financing the project which aims to strengthen science and technology instruction across the continent. Cameroon, which has seven universities, will receive FCFA 4 billion (8 million dollars).

Nigeria will receive 70 million dollars, Ghana 24 million, Senegal 16 million, Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo 8million dollars each and six other project beneficiaries, financing will be provided by the International Development Association, IDA. According to a press release by the World Bank, the selected centres will receive financing to support instruction specialised in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as agriculture and health.

“I am delighted to support the creation of these centres of excellence, because they will bring us one step closer to the establishment of superior institutions of international calibre on the continent. In my opinion, there’s no better way to bolster the economy of African countries, create jobs and support research than by training young graduates in the fields that are needed, such as chemical engineering, agronomy and the fight against infectious diseases,” stated Makhtar Diop, Vice-President of the World Bank for the African region.

The centres of excellence project aims to mitigate lacks in scientific and technical instruction on the continent and the consequences that they can have on the job market due to a lack of skilled labour. “The proportion of researchers in the active population in Africa remains extremely low. The centres of excellence will help young people to fulfil their aspirations without having to leave. This will also help companies to find the profiles needed without having to recruit foreign nationals,” highlighted the World Bank in its press release.

By Leocadia Bongben