Cameroon Attains EITI Compliance Status

By Godlove BAINKONG, Cameroon tribune, 17-10-2013

EITI Board of Directors made the declaration yesterday October 17 in Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire.

The Board of Directors of the Extractive Industries for Transparency Initiative has declared Cameroon a “compliant country.” The announcement was made on Thursday October 17, 2013 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, during the 25th session of the board.

 According to a press release from the Minister of Finance, Alamine Ousmane Mey, Chairperson of EITI Cameroon, the EITI Board of Directors also commended the government of Cameroon and the multiparty group for their sustained efforts within the framework of the implementation of EITI, efforts which have led to the publication of conciliation reports of appreciable quality for the years 2010 and 2011.

“The board encouraged the parties involved to maintain the course on the reinforcement of the sensitisation and the communication, as well as the regular improvement of the quality of the conciliation reports, so as to maintain the respect of principles, criteria and requirements of the EITI,” the Minister said.

On behalf of the government, Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey, Chairperson of the EITI Committee, “thanked the Board of Directors of EITI for this decision which greatly rewards the tireless efforts of Cameroon for the implementation of EITI, honours our country and its illustrious Head, H.E.M. Paul BIYA, President of the Republic and Head of State, whose clairvoyance brought Cameroon to adhere to EITI in 2005 and to redouble its efforts after the

1st validation for the success of today, reaffirmed government’s commitment to continue the implementation of the Initiative, particularly in view of respecting the EITI Norm, in accordance with transitional provisions prescribed by the Board of Directors.”

Congratulating all the parties involved in the implementation of EITI in Cameroon, namely the public and par public entities as well as concerned mining enterprises, the civil society, not forgetting development partners and particularly the World Bank whose constant support has always been a valuable asset, the Minister urged the different stakeholders to continue tirelessly with their efforts towards the respect of the principles, criteria and requirements of the EITI, in compliance with EITI norm, in order to durably preserve the status of “compliant country” and to make Cameroon one of the privileged destinations for foreign direct investments in the mining sector, with a view to the emergence in 2035, dear to the President of the Republic, H.E.M Paul BIYA, Head of State.”