The Rainforests of Cameroon - PROFOR

x Forewordof illegal activity. Opportunists can still deprive our nation and our forestcommunities of income and resources.Yet reform has progressed steadily. Support from the donor community,including the World Bank, has strengthened the hand of reformersin government and in civil society. These partnerships have been—andcontinue to be—integral to progress. We have started in earnest toconserve biodiversity, implement forest management plans, and createcommunity/local council forests. A transparent system for awarding loggingconcessions is in place, providing incentives to manage concessionsresponsibly and to curb illegal logging. Under a new taxation system,Cameroon obtains more revenue from forest resources; some of thosefinancial resources are returned to local communities for development.We are improving the traceability of forest products and limiting opportunitiesfor corruption.This book may not always be flattering to the Government of Cameroon.I do not necessarily endorse all of the statements and conclusions.But I recognize that progress requires serious analysis and information,multiple voices, and some disagreement. I am proud to introduce thisdocument because, all in all, it gives a fair account of our struggles andachievements, and it suggests solutions that build on past accomplishments.It shows that the keys to progress exist, are in our hands, and willbe used to succeed.Ephraïm InoniPrime Minister of CameroonDelivered by The World Bank e-library to:The World BankIP : 192.86.100.34Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:06:18(c) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank