businessincameroon.com

Cameroonian employers have not developed a specific strategy to take advantage of carbon financing or initiatives offered by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It seems that green friendly business is not a priority for the main corporate group in Cameroon.

The 21^st century has seen the emergence of green business. However, it would be a mistake for Cameroonian employers to be limited by the implementation of a committee focused solely on environmental aspects and regulatory impact assessments. The committee’s strategy is important but the real economic opportunities for members are consistently found elsewhere.

Some traders in the sub-region are determined to take the lead in this new green era. They recognize that in our changing world, business leaders can no longer be satisfied with traditional management methods.

Some members of GICAM (Groupement Inter-Patronal du Cameroun) are already involved in green business. They consider it necessary to promote awareness and be a part ambitious business development. After speaking with Mr. Martin Abega, the Executive Secretary of GICAM he revealed that the momentum behind the movement is attributed to the government:

Les Afriques: How do employers intend to promote the green business in Cameroon?

Martin Abega: in issue #45 of the GICAM Bulletin, released in December 2009, we published a dossier on "Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection in Cameroon". We did not stop our good work there. As you've noticed on our website (www.legicam.org), we represent five commissions (Economic & Enterprise, Social, Legal and Fiscal Relations and External Communications & Media: Editor's note). We have also created an Environment committee. It will bring together all the GICAM companies operating in the environmental field and will ask they support and defend the environmental position of GICAM. The Environment committee will also support the efforts of other companies in the group. Furthermore, we plan to organize a dinner this year to facilitate a discussion on the environment.

LA: As a part of your environmental policy, what are your expectations from the State?

MA: We regret the absence of an effective environmental strategy from the Government of Cameroon. Their attitude reflects general environmental audits whose results are not satisfactory. That is why we will soon launch a major national debate on this issue of environmental audits, which should lead to an increased understanding from participants. We deplore the lack of encouragement and facilitation of environmental initiatives by public authorities. The State could, for example, implement a tax shelter for best business practices.

Editor's note: There are already standards in Cameroon that can be better used for new environmental niches. In the 2000s, industrial sanctions, sometimes publicized, were imposed by authorities for the discharge of wastes and other toxic fluids in nature. This gave rise to the opportunity for several companies to take advantage of business in the waste industry, one of the most active fields of green business in Cameroon. More recently, the National Action Plan against accidental oil spills offered opportunities for the creation of new activities, including compliance of sites and the management of any pollution. Some industries such as SNH and COTCO (Exxon Mobil group) have a real need for greater expertise and technology.

LA : Climate change negotiations were held last month in Copenhagen, how do you explain the lack of involvement of employers' group such as GICAM in these forums?

MA : The main reason is the lack of an environmental commission that could address the issue of climate change. We also lack the expertise to encourage GICAM. We need time to create an environmental mindset in Cameroon. This is something we will work on this year.

Cameroonian companies, pioneers in the green business are looking for supportCameroonian companies involved in the green business are faced with constraints. Brewery companies in Cameroon like Guinness Cameroon SA (led by Director General, André Siaka, former chairman of GICAM), reacted strongly to the shock of being sanctioned by authorities after setting directions and environmental waste recovery strategies.

Others have rightly seized the opportunities offered by these regulatory obligations to prosper. Such is the case of Bocom who continue to recycle waste with great ambitions for the recycling business in Cameroon.

The emergence of a new market has contributed to the development of Biotropical which manufactures and exports products from organic farming. There is such unmet demand in the West for such products making the need for ambitious industrial policy of cultural and biological transformation essential.

The lack of infrastructure, energy shortages, a strong demand for mobile telephony and natural energy sources like the sun, have created the right conditions for utilizing alternative energy. For example, the mobile operator MTN, feeds some of its relay antennas using solar energy.

Somdiaa, an agro-food company uses sugar cane residue to produce energy for its own consumption. Its stock, along with molasses, allows for industrial ecology and eco-development activities, for the production of renewable energy, bio-fuels and other bio-products for construction and furniture and feed for livestock. The state and the private sector would benefit from the interest in the industrial ecosystems and from the circular economy as seen in China. In DSCE, fuel production based on sugar cane is a priority for the state.

Development of the African expertise

The SABC group has heavily invested in the improvement of this process. Such initiatives are consistent with the CDM. Apart from individual initiatives, some companies are engaged in operations to pool the collective actions of green business. This is the case for SFID (Forestry and Industrial Society of the State Doumé, a subsidiary of the Rougier group), Group Alpi Cameroon and the National Investment Company of Cameroon (SNI) who are all involved in the Carbon Finance for Agriculture, Silviculture, Conservation and Action against Deforestation (CASCADE) project. CASCADE (www.cascade-africa.org) is a program supported by UNEP and the World Bank which began in 2007 and is set to end this year. It aims at developing African expertise in this carbon credits generation, particularly in agriculture, forestry and bio energy. They hope to create new opportunities for the participation of Africa in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the market for voluntary compensation, thereby avoiding the greenhouse effect created by carbon emissions. Cameroon is one of the 7 target countries.

Hopes for 2010

Possessing one of the most developed industrial networks in the sub-region, Cameroonian companies should be the leaders in green business and the Clean Development Mechanism. However it is clear that except for HYSACAM, whose organic waste recovery project is under the validation process, the country of Tameless Lions haven't so far, registered any CDM projects. In early 2010 a statement made in the newspaper Bosangui, by Dr. Joseph Armathe Amougou, representative of the Framework Convention of the United Nations on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and in charge of the Mechanism for Clean Development, said unequivocally that, "Studies have shown that the CDM and its counterparts may exceed the impact of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. There is potential to create wealth and jobs while taking into account the huge environmental impact. Hopefully this leads to increased ambitions. These are our wishes for the New Year and are addressed to thePalace of Etoudi and to GICAM."

Out of 10 ongoing projects in Cameroon, listed below are the projects that companies have already undertaken :

Source : www.cascade-africa.org + Thierry Téné

At the 4th Eco Etape meeting in Paris, organized by the hexagon representation of UNIDO, the Cameroonian delegation was one of the largest at the gathering for Europe-Africa-Latin America on the environment, clean technologies, renewable energies and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). These companies have innovative projects and important needs in the field of green growth. Listed below are the Cameroon green business projects presented at the meeting:

Source : ONUDI Paris + Thierry Téné