(Business in Cameroon) - The Ministry in charge of Mining and Technological Development (Minmidt) advises that it will launch online in July 2017, “Flexicadastre”, a computerised version of the mining registry.

Based on the presentation of Georges Luc Olinga Moantsoga, Deputy Director of the Mining Registry, “Flexicadastre” is “the expression of the commitment of the government to promote and encourage investments in the sector, so as to further contribute to the economic and social development”. Ultimately, this IT system should work to guarantee a good management of mining data and ensure that awarding procedures are transparent and reliable.

Yet, Mr.Olinga Moantsoga notes that Cameroon is considered as a geological scandal area due to the great diversity of its mining potential. There have however been many technical and administrative weaknesses in mining its many deposits. These shortcomings include overlaps between various permits (logging, mining, agro-industrial … etc.), mining permits encroaching on each other, extremely long waiting periods for investors, the mining permit registry not being updated, a lack of mining registry map, etc.

“Flexicadastre” was created with the support of a South African consultancy firm, Spatial Dimension. This firm set up this application in over ten countries worldwide. Including in Côte d’ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Peru, etc.

S.A