Cameroon : Indicators

There are two categories of titles in Cameroon: those that are allocated through an auction process (logging concessions and stumpage sales) and those that are granted by way of a mutual agreement.

Regarding the former title category, areas to be opened to logging operations are demarcated, a call for tender is published, technical and financial tenders are reviewed, and forests are granted to the highest bidder. A follow-up is also carried out by the independent monitor who reports on the allocation process.

Regarding the latter title category, Timber Recovery Authorisations linked to development projects (road building, plantations) are granted either by the Minister of Forestry or by a regional commission. However, this category is strongly associated with illegal felling and on-going advocacy activities are being organised to ban such titles. The pressure exercised by the independent monitor has led the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife (MINFOF) to write a letter to the Prime Minister’s office in which it pledges that from now on the allocation of small titles will be subjected to a tender process and carried out by an inter-ministerial commission.

The inter-ministerial commission’s final decision is posted on the notice board of the MINFOF’s central office. However, the contracts, concession agreements or permits signed between MINFOF and beneficiaries are not published.

Permits are not systematically made available upon request to official sources and, consequently, the details of these permits are not accessible. Pressure from the independent monitor has also led to a process aimed at improving permit accessibility. The implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union for Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade will allow for commercial logging operations to be regulated.