cameroon fourth national report - Impact monitoring of Forest ...

INTRODUCTION
Cameroon’s Fourth National Report on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
is required in fulfilment of the objectives of Article 26 of the CBD and in conformity with
Decision VIII/14 of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the CBD. Cameroon has regularly
fulfilled the reporting obligations through its timely submissions of the First, Second and
Third National Reports and effort has been made to submit the Fourth National Report on
schedule. From the nature of the report format, the report will embody implementation
processes from the ratification through the adoption of national policies and legislation to the
213 decisions of the Eighth Conference of Parties to the CBD.
Cameroon Government is conscious of the nation’s rich biological wealth and is
making every endeavour to keep up with all processes and directives on the implementation
of the CBD, which involves the judicious management and sustainable use of the country’s
biological resources. To meet the biological resources requirement of Cameroon’s growing
population, care is taken to maintain the country’s relationship with the CBD organs – the
Secretariat, the COP, the SBSTTA, and all relevant panels. This is why the government of
Cameroon has endeavoured to participate in all COP meetings (those of the related organs)
and sign all the treaties and protocols related to biodiversity at sub-regional and global levels.
Achievement towards the implementation of the CBD has been carefully considered
in the three chapters using the guidelines for the report as provided by the secretariat of the
CBD. The progress made towards achieving the 2010 Biodiversity target at the National level
is encouraging. Many national policies, legal and institutional reforms have been made in
accordance with the objectives of CBD. Considerable effort has been made over the years to
involve and coordinate the biodiversity institutions and other stakeholders. Goods and
services have been shifting from extending biodiversity land-based activities to intensive land
use activities. The focus has been converting forest, agricultural, livestock and fishery
resources into finished products which should be marketed within and out of Africa. The level
of implementation of the CBD has been summarised in section 2.5.1.
Cameroon’s foreign policy includes the establishment of strong cooperation ties with
other member countries in the CEMAC sub-region, other African countries, friendly countries
and international organisations. As a peace loving country, this has contributed to ensure
peace and stability among the rural masses who live and work with biodiversity. They also
contribute to the valorisation of indigenous knowledge and do organise acceptable systems of
access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing. Traditional administration is used to
complement government’s policy and the improvement of the rural economy. International
cooperation and signing of the Cartagena Protocol to the CBD makes Cameroon benefit from
funding to adopt National biodiversity control measures notably biosafety norms and use of
advances in modern biotechnology. Currently, the country is evaluating the synergies and
capacities for implementing the three Rio conventions related to the environment CBD,
UNFCCC, UNCCD.
While admitting that the CBD implementation has not been without problems, the
challenges arising from any difficulties linked to communication, education, public
awareness, funding are gradually being overcome.
This report provides an opportunity for reporting on CBD’s implementation activities in
Cameroon as they are seen in the field. Efforts have been made to ensure that information on
all forms of Cameroon’s biodiversity is real and current. Contributors to this 4 th National
Report have been carefully selected and represent stakeholders from the main areas of
Cameroon’s biodiversity. They are convinced that the information they have supplied is a true
reflection of what actually obtains and the information can be taken as authentic and could be
used for planning and management.
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