Chinese investments in Cameroon drop

A recent report by WWF holds that there has been a drop in their activities in the past six years.

A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF Cameroon has revealed that the volume of Chinese investments in Cameroon stood at 100 per cent in 2009, 79 percent in 2010, 94 percent in 2011, 65 percent in 2012 and 42 percent in 2013.

Chinese assistance and investments in the country in six years was 2.8 billion US Dollars and 2.1 billion US Dollars respectively. Investments are concentrated in infrastructure projects such as transport (ports, roads,) telecommunication, sport (stadia), and social (hospitals, and provision of potable water).

The report castigates the traditional approach which consists of placing the blame on Chinese operators without understanding their mindset or clearly identifying their prime interest.

Speaking at the launch of the report in Douala recently, Martin Tsounkeu, a consultant, urged the government to boost mitigation measures.

WWF National Director, Dr. Hanson Njiforti, informed the Ministry of External Relations’ Head of Service for Relations with the Far East Countries, Daïrou Bouba, who presided over the ceremony, the Regional Delegate of Economy, Planning and Regional Development and Ella Blaise, that the report’s recommendations will be forwarded to the government.

With vast infrastructural projects going on throughout the country, there is need to understand their impacts. WWF Cameroon Country Programme Office therefore commissioned a study on the trends of Chinese investments in Cameroon.

The study aimed at defining an approach that advises the Cameroon government, Chinese companies in the country and local communities on how best to integrate environmental and social aspects during project inception and implementation phases.

Titled “Chinese Investments in Cameroon: Examining the Trends, Challenges and Perspectives on the Environment and Communities,” the 80-page report by an international consultant on financing for development and emerging economies specialist, Martin Tsounkeu, and WWF Business and Industries Coordinator, Durrel N. Halleson, states that Chinese investments in the country are concentrated in infrastructure development projects, with some located in fragile ecological areas.