Minister of Economy, Alamine Ausmane Mey
The government and its development partners have committed to mobilising 2.5 billion US dollars, equivalent to approximately 1,391 billion FCFA, to strengthen sustainable forest management across the Congo and Lake Chad basins. The pledge was made in Yaounde on 20 February during the launch of the Cameroon Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), marking a new phase in financing the country’s green transition strategy.
Authorities stated that the funds are expected to be mobilised by 2035 and will underpin reforms designed to balance environmental protection with economic transformation. The envelope forms part of a strategic partnership between Cameroon and CAFI aimed at repositioning the value chains for agriculture, forestry, and mining to compete on international markets while safeguarding food security and reducing deforestation.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, said the initiative aligns with commitments made on the margins of the Hamburg Conference in October 2024.
“We signed letters of intent, particularly with CAFI, to mobilise partners around a package of 2.5 billion dollars to support Cameroon’s development process while protecting the environment, integrating new technologies and raising awareness among beneficiary populations so that our development is inclusive and sustainable,” he stated.
60m $ pilot phase launches long-term forest investment strategy
Implementation of CAFI will unfold in three phases: a start-up phase from 2025 to 2028, followed by an engagement phase and a scale-up phase. The initial stage includes four pilot projects valued at 60 million US dollars, equivalent to over 30 billion FCFA. These schemes focus on multi-level coordination, agro-ecological transition, integrated land management and territorial planning. Funding partners include the German Cooperation Mission (GIZ), the German Development Bank (KfW), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The Multilevel and Inter-sectoral Coordination Support Project, financed by GIZ and UNDP with 9.6 billion FCFA, will run for 36 months. The PAIDATA project, aimed at promoting sustainable intensification of agriculture, will be backed by IFAD. The Integrated Land Management Project in Grand Mbam, funded by KfW with 11.1 billion FCFA, is scheduled for execution between 2026 and 2029. Meanwhile, the Territorial Planning Capacity Building Project (PRCAT), financed with 4 billion FCFA by GIZ, is already under implementation and will conclude in 2028.
Minister Ousmane Mey said the first 60 million US dollars phase would lay the foundation for a long-term system to transform natural resources into higher-value-added agricultural, mining, and livestock products.
“These resources will serve multi-level coordination, agro-ecological transition for sustainable agriculture, including coffee and cocoa, integrated landscape management in Grand Mbam and territorial planning that takes into account constraints related to land, people and agricultural resources,” he said. He added that the objective is to place Cameroon at the centre of Congo Basin Forest preservation while ensuring coherent wealth creation.
UN System backs initiative.
The United Nations System in Cameroon has pledged technical backing for the programme. Resident Coordinator Issa Sanogo said the four projects are strategically significant both environmentally and economically.
“This project is strategically important because it is about deforestation, and it is targeting one of the biggest carbon sinks in the world, which is the Congo Basin. It is also strategically important from an economic point of view because it is meant to leverage the green economy and involve local communities,” he stated.
Dr Sanogo added that the approach contributes directly to Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 15, which focus on climate action and life on land and credited UNDP with helping place Cameroon on a development trajectory that promotes collective resilience. A model, he said, that other CEMAC member states could emulate.
He described the launch as “a major achievement when it comes to preserving forests globally, given that the Congo Basin is one of the major ones that we are all striving to protect.” Authorities indicated that decentralised councils, civil society, the private sector and academia are expected to play a role in ensuring that environmental preservation and economic growth advance simultaneously under the CAFI framework.