By DOH JAMES SONKEY
The European Union has launched its first budget support programme in the rural development sector. The programme was officially launched last November 9, 2017 during a signing ceremony of the first sector reform contract financing agreement, relating to the implementation of the National Indicative Programme of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) for Cameroon.
The government was represented at the occasion by the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Louis Paul Motaze in his capacity of EDF National Authorising Officer while the European Union was represented by its new Head of Delegation in Yaounde, Ambassador Hans-Peter Schadek.
Minister Louis Paul Motaze in his speech expressed gratitude to the EU for supporting Cameroon in its development strives. He explained that “under the implementation of the National Indicative Programme of the 11th EDF particularly in its two main sectors of concentration including rural development and governance, the preferred budget support option agreed with the European party has led to the joint formulation of a Sector Reform Contract that will cover the 2017-2019 budget cycle for an amount of 96 Euros, or about FCFA 63 billion.”
The Economic Minister reassured that despite challenges, the government is determined to conduct with efficiency and professionalism the implementation of the sector reform contract whose success constitutes a guarantee for a second contract relating to the operationalisation of the National Investment Programme of the 11th EDF.
On his part, the EU Head of Delegation, H.E Hans-Peter Schadek hinted that the grant of FCFA 63 billion to Cameroon comes from the contributions of the EU 28 member countries. The EU Ambassador underlined that the signing agreement marks the beginning of a new form of support offered Cameroon by the European Union.
He expressed the wish that the grant helps to boost the agricultural sector in Cameroon by overcoming challenges such as difficult access to factors of production and the enclave nature of a good number of production zones. The diplomat specified that their support in other agricultural sectors such as desert banana will not be affected by this support.
H.E Hans-Peter Schadek told reporters that “the present contract aims at rationalizing the system of distribution of main agro pastoral goods and services, the amelioration of maintenance of access rural roads and the amelioration of financial governance of the sector. For this to succeed, we recommend that the private sector be given more important role in the distribution of seedlings and fertilizer and in rendering veterinary services. Within the framework of decentralization, local councils ought to play key role especially in rural road maintenance and finally, the implementation of reforms ought to go together with the effective mobilization of resources.”
Briefing reporters, the National Coordinator of EDF National Authorizing Support Unit, Aliou Abdoullahi said “with the budget support financing, we look at what can be funded by the EU in the state programmes earmarked in the state budget and when that is done, the European Union gives out money in the form of grants to the government.”