For nearly 15 years, the Sangha Tri-national Trust fund – FTNS (a foreign association under English law) has positioned itself as a major player in conservation in Central Africa, and in Cameroon in particular. This is justified by the fact that it provides annual grants of around 2-3 million euros to the three parks of the Sangha Tri-national World Heritage Site.
Aware of this important ongoing contribution to the development of Cameroon and the Central Afican sub-region in general, the Republic of Cameroon through the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX) decided to sign an establishment arrangement with FTNS in order to facilitate the implementation of the trust fund’s activities. This was materialised through a signing ceremony that took place on August 24 2021 at the MINREX headquarters in Yaoundé, under the leadership of the Minister of External Relations, H.E. Lejeune Mbella Mbella.
Thanks to this arrangement, FTNS will benefit from certain tax and customs facilities in the exercise of its functions, among others. According to the Chairman of FTNS Board of Directors, Mr. Raymond Mbitikon, “this support from the Cameroonian government is an important asset for a better efficiency of FTNS’ operations in Cameroon.
Through this action, the Cameroonian State recognizes that “the objectives pursued by FTNS in Cameroon are in line with the national priorities of the Cameroonian Government in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development; and consequently commits itself “to regulate and fix…the conditions and modalities relating to the establishment and operation of FTNS in the Republic of Cameroon and to define the facilities and advantages necessary for the execution of its missions.”
The ceremony was massively attended by heads of diplomatic and ministerial departments, notably the representative of the Federal Republic of Germany and the ambassadors of the TNS countries.
A joint committee composed of representatives of the Ministry of External Relations, the Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, the Ministry of Finance and FTNS will be created to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the arrangement. It will meet every two years, and as needed upon invitation by the parties.
In 2020, the Lobéké National Park (Cameroon segment of the TNS), benefited from nearly 476 million FCFA in grants from the FTNS. These funds have facilitated the implementation of conservation, eco-development, transboundary cooperation and basic infrastructure development activities in the park.