(Business in Cameroon) - On 9 March 2017 took place in Yaoundé the official launch of the European Union (EU) programme “LandCam: Securing rights on lands and resources and improving the management of wooded areas in Cameroon”.

According to Eulogio Montijano, Project Manager for the EU delegation, LandCam “is meant to support the efforts of the government to improve the management of the lands and natural resources, through the promotion of a more efficient land governance. In particular, the project will contribute to reinforcing the dialogue on the ongoing reform of land, forestry, mining and environmental laws”. Said programme will be implemented by three Cameroonian civil society organisations. These are the International Institute for the Environment and Development (IIED), the Environment and Development Centre (CED), the Anti-Hunger Network (Relufa). The EU is providing “LandCam” with funding of 3.6 million Euros (approximately FCfa 2.4 billion).

In detail, indicated Samuel Nguiffo, CED Coordinator, “the role of CED will include research, promotion, community mediation, development of skills and technical consultancy. In addition to supporting the civil society in its proposals for legal reforms, it will manage a small subsidy fund”. Relufa, for its part, will coordinate competency and broadcasting work with journalists, and facilitate testing approaches to ensure land and resources rights. IIED will be in charge of coordination and overall management of the project. It will also provide technical support, give account of lessons learned and share them, and supervise evaluations.

S.A