Cameroon

Activities and Achievements

Fields of Intervention

Output A:

  1. Support in the elaboration of a visualization of the ABS procedure
  2. Development of an online-IT-system for ABS and research permit applications
  3. Trainings for lawyers and civil society representatives in the negotiation of ABS contracts

Output B:

  1. Stocktaking regarding existing mechanisms for channeling benefits into conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
  2. Facilitation of the elaboration of a strategy for setting up suitable mechanisms for channeling benefits into conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

Output C:

  1. Implementation of three partnerships with European private sector companies and Cameroonian providers
  2. Facilitation of the administrative ABS procedures linked to the respective partnerships
  3. Identification and preparation of local communities for the ABS negotiations
  4. Ensuring quality standards in the respective value chains

Upon request of the regional GIZ COMIFAC project, the ABS Initiative is supporting activities such as:

  1. Elaboration of a regional COMIFAC ABS strategy
  2. Preparation of ABS negotiators from the COMIFAC member states for the international ABS negotiations
  3. Facilitation of pilot ABS cases in form of administrative procedures, negotiations, setting up value chains, etc.
  4. Support in the elaboration of regulatory texts
  5. Facilitation of the lobbying for the adoption of ABS regulatory texts
  6. Support in the elaboration of Biocultural Community Protocols
  7. Support in visualizing existing ABS procedures

Major achievements (as of January 2020)

  • Stocktakings regarding the existing legal frameworks for ABS, permitting landscape, ABS manuals and the existing mechanisms for channeling benefits into conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
  • Three commercial partnerships between Cameroonian actors and European industry on 4 different species, aiming at the cosmetic and  flavor & fragrance sector are established
  • Field trials for quality assurance in one value chain have been initiated
  • A regional COMIFAC ABS strategy was adopted in 2010 and has served several countries as basis for the elaboration of their respective ABS regulatory frameworks
  • Two initial ABS agreements in Cameroon were negotiated and signed in 2014 and 2016 respectively
  • The elaboration of a Biocultural Community Protocol was initiated in 2019
  • A visualization of the foreseen ABS procedure in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) developed in 2020
  • The process of the elaboration of an ABS regulatory framework in Central African Republic (CAR) was initiated in 2020

Video: A Partnership for Access and Benefit-Sharing