The Rainforests of Cameroon - PROFOR

Objectives and Content of the Reforms 57Box 3.7 —continuedDecentralizing and refocusing government institutions. Through theFESP, MINEP and MINFOF are strengthening their oversight and regulatory functionsat the center and in the field while relinquishing such functions as directproduction, marketing, or other work that can be handled more effectively bythe private sector, local communities, or NGOs. This shift began as the FESP wasbeing prepared, when the National Office of Forest Development (ONADEF)became the National Forest Development Support Agency (ANAFOR). Planswere developed to recruit and train new staff to support ANAFOR’s new functions.More than 500 forest workers whose jobs were no longer relevant wereterminated.Fostering greater transparency and disclosure. The interrelated goalssupported by the FESP require information to be gathered and shared readilyand widely. The FESP supports information sharing in a number of ways. Itdefines regulations that meaningfully guide environmental monitoring and impactassessments.It stresses the creation and dissemination of knowledge to inform the localuse of resources (examples include multiple resource inventories and cartographicmaterials). Through its strong environmental awareness component,the FESP also helps people to value and use these knowledge resources.Independent observers foster public confidence in and improve the publicimage of forest policy. Observers work with the government to control commerciallogging, detect illegal logging, and ensure that the public auction of forestconcessions proceeds correctly. The program supports the issuance of publicreports detailing infractions and explaining how penalties were determined.better aligned with policy objectives, it remains challenging to ensure thatchannels are developed and used to carry out policies on the ground.Expanding Accountability beyond the Ministry of ForestsDuring the late 1980s Delivered and by 1990s, The World the Bank Forest e-library Administration to:(whichThe World Bankwas part of the Ministry of Agriculture IP : 192.86.100.34 until MINEF was established in1992) had come to control Mon, all 09 forest-related Nov 2009 17:06:18 information. It was largelyperceived as a gatekeeper on behalf of its own interests and the interestsof higher authorities and their clients. It soon became clear that this(c) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank