The 26th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow has been an opportunity to recall that most countries around the world, including Cameroon, are witnessing the dire repercussions of climate change. As well, it has been recalled that greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase and have more than doubled since 1990. In view of this situation, the government of Cameroon has devoted one of the overall objectives of SND30[1] to the fight against climate change, namely "Strengthening the climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and environmental management to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth and social development”. 

In order to achieve this objective, Cameroon intends to make more efforts to mobilize resources from bilateral and multilateral funding. This is in close line with the resource mobilization strategy of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Cameroon, which aims to strengthen FAO's partnerships with donors and to establish relationships with various financial partners, thus guaranteeing support for its commitments in the country.

Within this framework, a multi sectoral mission from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) units of FAO Headquarters  in Rome, accompanied by the officer in charge of Forestry for central Africa has been deployed to Yaounde from  the 21st to 25th February 2022. The aim of this mission was to meet high-level political and technical authorities as well as partners in order to identify Cameroon's priorities on resilience to climate change and highlight FAO’s areas of support to the government efforts in mobilizing climate finance resources.

Led by the FAO Cameroon Representative, Dr. Athman Mravili, the mission members was able to meet the Minister of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, Mr. Hélé Pierre. This first meeting was an entry point for the mission, as this ministerial department is responsible for elaborating and implementing the government environmental and nature protection policies. During discussions, FAO delegation has taken the opportunity to present its strategies in order to position itself as a strategic partner for the government.

Subsequently, the mission carried out several other meetings to identify specific priorities with key stakeholders involved in climate change and environmental agenda. They met the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, senior officials of the National Climate Change organization (ONACC), GCF and GEF project partners, development partners and research institutions such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Following these various meetings and discussions, the mission came up with an outline paper comprising   Cameroon’s priorities towards resilience to climate change and FAO’s areas of support to the government’s resource mobilization effort in terms of tapping into climate finance resources and fostering the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (CDN).

On the mobilization of climate finance resources, apart from supporting public policies, the mission members have indicated the development of projects to be submitted to the GCF and GEF. GCF wise, the project falls within the framework of Readiness[2] and based on good collaboration with existing initiatives. In the same line, discussions to be pursue with the Adaptation Fund focal point in order to support the country in resource mobilization and an idea of a unifying project with aspects on climate change, agriculture, land restoration, biodiversity.

Concerning the Nationally Determined Contribution, FAO committed to discuss with ministerial technical focal points for support in the development of joint projects/programs and contribute to the development and implementation of the NDC roadmap as a member of the group in charge of climate change and energy.