By Doh James Sonkey
The Minister of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, Hele Pierre has promised that ‘‘Cameroon will continue to play its part within the framework of the United Nations Council to facilitate a transition to global environmental governance more conscious of social walks and more vulnerable including our States.”
Minister Hele Pierre was speaking last December 2, 2024 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, as he led a Cameroonian delegation to the 16th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention on the fight against Desertification and Drought, COP16 taking place in Saudi Arabia.
Cameroon’s Environment Minister revealed at the occasion that, ‘‘12 million hectares of land is presently degraded and government is bent at attaining our objective of restoring the land by 2030.’’
The world’s biggest gathering in favour of lands is taking place in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13, 2024 on the slogan ‘‘our land, our future.’’ The 16th conference is bringing together 196 countries and the European Union. They are expected to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention and to decide to take a step forward.
Minister Hele Pierre took the floor last December 3, 2024 during the Ministerial meeting on financing the fight against desertification.
In a press declaration, Minister Hele Pierre said: ‘‘Faced with these challenges linked to financial deficit and weak investment in the domain of degraded land restoration and the fight against desertification, Cameroon thinks that as a world, a number of measures can be put in place. A legal instrument forcing countries to do so is necessary. It is urgent to increase international financing for the sustainable management of our lands, their restoration and their resilience to drought. It is also necessary to put in place innovative funding mechanisms, sensitisation and advocacy through sensitisation campaigns of the public and decision makers on the importance of sustainable management of land so as to mobilise financial support for projects on such lands.’’
Minister Hele Pierre reiterating Cameroon’s commitment to fighting desertification