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The premises of the C2D Dedicated Technical Support Secretariat in Yaoundé hosted on Thursday 19 September 2019 some twenty journalists who came to participate in the first edition of the "C2D Breakfasts", an information, training and communication event dedicated to the press.

For this first edition, whose theme was "3rd C2D, challenges and specificities", the Deputy Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), Mr Nicolas Willemin and the Coordinator of STADE C2D, Mr Berthe Jeanine TSAFACK, spoke to the local and international press about the role of AFD and the specificities of the 3rd C2D, through two PowerPoint presentations and informal exchanges.

 

In the end, the journalists were able to identify some specificities of the 3rd and last C2D. First, it is the longest (started in 2016, ending in 2024) and the highest (611,396,817, 89 €uros, 401 billion CFA francs). On the other hand, it is based on certain principles, in particular the principles of maturity and sustainability as well as preferential attention given to populations, and in particular young people, in vulnerable regions of Cameroon, in order to maximize the impact of the Programmes in these regions.

It should be recalled that the "C2D Breakfasts" are part of the C2D steering bodies' desire to build a new relationship with the press. The commitment was made on February 1, 2019 by Mr. Richard EVINA OBAM, President of the Bilateral Technical Committee (BTC) of the C2D during a meeting with the media in Yaoundé. For the President, "the organization of the "C2D Breakfasts" combined with other actions (Open Days, publication of the Newsletter, posting of a Facebook page and website, creation of a Twitter account, organization of press trips) is a clear indication of the decision of the C2D steering bodies to strengthen communication on the Programme and in particular for the media and journalists. »

 

Specifically, the objective of the "C2D Breakfasts" is to inform and train journalists, the main information relays, to better understand the realities, challenges and issues of this innovative cooperation programme between France and Cameroon. As the two countries have signed a third and final C2D (on 30 June 2016), it is important and even crucial that the media can be kept regularly informed of the Programme's progress in order to contribute to better information and ownership by the beneficiary populations".

 

As a reminder, the C2D, which has been active in Cameroon since 2006, is investing alongside the Cameroonian Government in order to reduce poverty, ensure better education and health for Cameroonians, improve infrastructure and contribute to its development. The third and final contract, while continuing in this direction, already operates the mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of its many achievements throughout the country.

 

An agreement to this effect was signed on 26 July at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Territorial Development, between the State of Cameroon and France and in the presence of many members of the Cameroonian Government.

The project to support the development of the national museum is part of the third Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D), and its implementation, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture, led by Mr Pierre Ismael Bidoung Kpwatt, will enable the promotion, enhancement and conservation of Cameroon's cultural heritage. In line with the friendship and fruitful cooperation between the two countries, the project will also benefit from the partnership established with the French Ministry of Culture. In this context, the latter will mobilize the best experts from museum and heritage institutions, such as the Musée du Quai Branly, the Institut National du Patrimoine and the Réunion des Musées Nationaux; which once again "marks the reality, the link that today does not exist between nations other than France and Cameroon", underlined His Excellency Gilles Thilbaut, Ambassador of France to Cameroon, co-signatory of the Convention on the French side with the Director of AFD, Benoit Lebeurre. For the Minister of Economy, Planning and Spatial Planning, Mr. Alamine Ousmane MEY, signatory on the Cameroonian side, "the art and culture sector has immense potential and abounds in significant development opportunities. Beyond that, it is about the rehabilitation and protection of our national museum, a building that has a symbolic dimension because it was the presidential palace of Cameroon. »

Funded to the tune of Six hundred and fifty-six million CFA francs or 1 million euros, this project is the second financed by the C2D in the field of culture. It will enable the Cameroonian National Museum, which houses a rich collection, to guarantee the integrity and enhancement of these collections and to meet museum standards.

As if to mark this event and say goodbye to His Excellency Gilles Thibault, Ambassador of France to Cameroon at the end of his stay in Cameroon, many members of the Cameroonian Government, including the Minister of Finance, Mr. Louis Paul Motaze, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Célestine Ketcha Courtes, the Minister of Water and Energy, Mr. Gaston Eloundou Essomba, attended the ceremony.

At the end of the second allocation agreement of the C2D-funded project, the results recorded so far show a convincing implementation.

Created in June 2007, the C2D-PSFE has already benefited from two assignment agreements. After a positive evaluation of the impact of the first agreement, a second agreement was signed in June 2012. Entitled "Management and monitoring of Cameroon's forests", its directive is to strengthen the FESP's actions in favour of the sustainable management of production forests, the wood processing sector and the implementation of a REDD+ strategy for an increased contribution of the sector to development and poverty alleviation. After seven years of implementation of the PSFE2, the synthesis of achievements in its various components is more than satisfactory.

The first of the components: management of production forests Domaine Forestier Permanent (DFP) allowed a definition of second generation forest management. Forest inventories could be improved through the provision to the central and decentralized services of the Ministry of Forests and Fauna (MINFOF) of forest and computer equipment; rolling stock and the publication of operating inventory guidelines with geo-referenced stems. The capacity of the actors involved in the various phases of the DFP's production forest management has been strengthened through subsidies to 04 forest training institutions, 16 forest communes, 11 NGOs and Associations, 06 consulting firms, 06 forestry companies....

The second: creation of an Operational Unit for the Management of Forest and Fauna Statistics (UOGSFF) has improved knowledge of the timber and other products sector. The capacity of actors involved in the processing of forest products has been strengthened through the training of more than 500 wood craftsmen. The reforested areas are now increasing through the subsidy of 268 ha of reforestation by 6 communes in dry and wet savannah areas or the availability of a reference database for the UOGSFF.

The third component, permanent monitoring by satellite imagery of the cover in connection with the REDD+ mechanism, has led to the creation of the Operational Unit for Forest Cover Monitoring, the establishment of the Operational Unit for Capacity Building in Forest Management, the creation of Geomatics laboratories at the University of Yaoundé 1, Dschang and CRESA among others.

In the end, this project has made it possible to participate in the well-being of the populations in various strata, such as the Administrations in charge of Wildlife Forests and the Environment, Forest Training Institutions as well as training schools in woodworking, design offices, economic operators in the sub-sector, Decentralised Territorial Communities...

 

 

                                                                                

The mid-term review of phase 3 of the National Participatory Development Programme (PNDP) showed a brilliant overall assessment.

Seeing a development programme arrive in the final phase demonstrates the general satisfaction of the stakeholders (Government, technical and financial partners, and of course the beneficiaries). Since 2004, the PNDP, which works to improve the living conditions of the population at the grassroots level, has been supporting the 360 municipalities in Cameroon. Thanks to its tool for monitoring and planning at the communal level, which is no longer presented, the Communal Development Plan (PCD), more than 6,000 microprojects have been financed in fields as varied as education, hydraulics, health, market equipment, agriculture, livestock, natural resource management, etc.

 

Co-financed projects throughout the country report results (not updated) that show that 314,700 people have access to water through the creation or rehabilitation of more than 467 water points; 250,000 people have access to electricity through the electrification of more than 50 localities. 166,000 students are studying under better conditions thanks to the construction of more than 274 classrooms; 95,000 people have access to health facilities thanks to the construction and equipment of 32 integrated health centres; 125,000 people have been opened up and distributed in 100 villages thanks to the development of 160 km of rural tracks and 80 crossing structures (bridges, culverts, culverts).

Other specific operations such as the Medicinal Plant Management Project have trained more than 900 people in techniques for inventorying and sustainable management of medicinal plants. The Sustainable Land Management and Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Systems (SLMP) Project has implemented nearly 293 microprojects to reverse land degradation in 20 communes in the northern, Adamaoua, central and western regions.  The High Intensity Manpower Project (HIMO) is being implemented in the Far North and is helping to settle thousands of young people by giving them the means for socio-economic development and integration; etc.

In view of this non-exhaustive deployment of the PNDP's achievements thanks to the support of the State and donors such as the C2D, it must be recognized that "the PNDP is a real laboratory, which generates principles that are gradually taking root in public, local and national policies" as Marie Madeleine NGA, National Coordinator of the Programme, proudly says.