By Doh James Sonkey
The government of Cameroon led by the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey and the European Union led by its Ambassador, Head of Delegation to Cameroon, Hans-Peter Schadek have sealed three deals within the framework of the 11th European Development Fund worth FCFA 13,119,140 000.
The conventions were signed last November 13, 2018 at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development in Yaounde during a solemn ceremony also attended by the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Zacharie Perevet, the Minister of Small and Medium Size Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, the Minister of Decentralization and Local Development, George Elanga Obam etc
The first convention was signed between the European Union and the German Development Bank, KFW and by this convention, the EU puts at the disposal of KFW, funds for the financing of the programme for economic and social development of secondary towns exposed to factors of instability known by its French acronym as PRODESV and on its part the German Development Bank puts the money at the disposal of the execution agency of the project which is the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM headed by its Director General, Camille Philippe Akoa for the implementation of the projects components in fifteen councils.
The second convention for the funding of the project was signed between the Minister of Economy, Alamine Ousmane Mey and the representative of KFW, Thorsten Waibel while the 3rd convention was a separated one signed between the Ministry of Economy, FEICOM and KFW.
Financed by the European Union, the programme for economic and social development of secondary towns exposed to factors of instability covers 15 councils in the Adamawa, North, Far North, East and South regions.
It is aimed at reinforcing the capacity of secondary towns to enable them face crisis and promote inclusive socioeconomic development.
PRODESV which is elaborated by the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance with support from KFW will be implemented over six years through the realization of 30 projects in each of the selected 15 councils from 5 regions which are host towns to refugees, internally displaced persons and other migrants.
Talking to reporters at the end of the ceremony, the EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Cameroon, Hans-Peter Schadek said they are well pleased to have been supporting local development in Cameroon for close to 15 years now.