Cameroon : Indicators

Nowadays, forest management activities are overlapping with big development projects (roads construction, Lom Pangar and Menve’le hydroelectric power plants, plans of a deep seaport in Kribi...), agricultural extension and other natural resources exploitations (iron, oil, gold, diamond...). Usually, decisions about these activities are not transparent. For instance, allocation processes of land for mining or agricultural extension are not transparent. Local populations are most of the time informed when the deal is already concluded between the State and the beneficiary. This is the case of the extension of HEVECAM in the Kribi region and the creation of 80,000 ha palm oil plantation in Ndian division where populations are not officially informed. But for roads constructions, local communities are most of the time consulted and compensations are given to those affected by the project (Yaounde-Nsoa national road). Concerning large infrastructure projects the information about their planning is often publicly known, but not the detailed plans. All those projects are normally subjected to the preparation of an environmental impact assessment, prior to the beginning of their activities, except for mining operations, where the EIA is due after the exploration phase, before the beginning of exploitation.

Is there a Strategic Environmental Assessment to identify and resolve conflicting land uses between forests, mining, large-scale agriculture and infrastructure development? Does the National Forest Policy document seek to address this? Do any policy documents from the other sectors?  Read the report...

Is there a strategic process to assess priorities between development options?

The Government has failed to elaborate Strategic Environmental Assessment of development options. Since this issue has reached its critical level, solutions are been sought by different stakeholders. REPAR (Network of Members of Parliament) is addressing concerns of overlapping logging and mining activities in forest concessions of the East region. Read more...

Are there clear, documented, and understood steps for making decisions over the use or conversion of forest lands for other purposes such as mining, large-scale agriculture or infrastructure development?  Read the report...

Is it clear who decides if / when to make decisions between development options?

In Cameroon, mining, land and forests are dealt with by three different ministries and institutions (presidency of the republic); each one making his own decision on resources without consulting each other. As a consequence, agricultural land, mining zones and forests overlap creating conflicts amongst stakeholders. There is a need to bring decision makers around the same table to harmonize policies. This is far to happen as each ministry wants to dominate, especially the ministry of mines which is gaining importance with the ongoing exploitation of mining resources (iron of Mbalam and Mamelles, exploitation of cobalt and diamond by Korea Inc...). Read more...

At the time an area of forest is identified for allocation to any sort of non-forest purpose, are stakeholders consulted, for example on any conditions or mitigation commitments?  Read the report...

Is there a stakeholder consultation process on decisions between different development options?

Each ministerial administration designs its development options, and organizes (or not) its consultative process. Often there is no consultation for non-forest uses of the forest, prior to the decision. Consultation often happens only as part of the EIA. Read more...

Is the final decision to allocate any forest to non-forest use made in way which allows citizens to assure themselves that the correct process has been followed? – is the process documented and published?  Read the report...

Is the final decision-making process on different development options transparent?

There is no documented and published process for dedicating forests for non-forest use or converting forests to other uses, so the process is insufficiently transparent. Some information is available on large infrastructure projects’ locations, even if consultation is not optimal. Concessions for creating agricultural lands are granted without any consultation. Likewise, there is no documented procedure for converting forests for mining. Read more...

Once the final decision has been made, are local people informed of where mining, large-scale agriculture or infrastructure development in forests will be / is occurring, so that they are aware operations should be happening in their area, and to give them the opportunity to know if operations are legally in that location?  Read the report...

Is information on implementation of non-forest use / conversion given to the public?

Generally, populations are not officially informed on permits, plans and locations but through report in TV, newspapers and radios. But when activities are already taking place, they have no opportunity to exert any control as they have no access to exploitation sites (Chad Cameroon pipeline, various mining sites). Read more...