Djoumessi convinces parliament on bill to ratify Water Charter

Economy, Planning and Regional Development Minister, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi last week faced Foreign Affairs Committees of both the Lower and Upper Houses of Cameroon Parliament in order to justify why Parliamentarians should adopt bill authorizing the President of the Republic to ratify Water Charter of Lake Chad Basin adopted at N’Djamena on April 30, 2012.

Economy, Planning and Regional Dev’t Minister, Nganou Djoumessi Emmanuel Convincing both Members of the National Assembly and of the Senate, the Minister said the Charter adopted during the 14th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Commission set up since 1964 by Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Chad, to valorize Lake Chad Basin through the judicious exploitation of surface and beneath for domestic, industrial and agricultural development.

He added that Heads of State and Government laid particular emphasis on the preservation of the flora and fauna of this basin.

In heated debates with Members of Parliament, Minister Nganou Djoumessi, argued that if the bill is not adopted, Cameroon may not play its vital role alongside other member states in tackling the human and climatic challenges faced by Lake Chad for the past 50 years coupled with rising insecurity along the Basin.

“Because Lake Chad which from the beginning covered a surface area of 25000km² is fast drying out as proven by study jointly carried out by African and European experts at the request of the French Development Agency, Lake Chad Basin Commission decided to tackle this situation by elaborating this Charter.

After the Fort-Lamy Convention, this charter became the first important judicial instrument to be collectively initiated by high political authorities as a document bringing the parties around the Lake Chad Basin for its preservation.” Minister Nganou Djoumessi explained.

The Minister further explained that “In fact, the South section of the Lake which contains the highest quantity of water and consequently the most humid zones is found in greater dimension in Cameroon territory. Thus, the stakes of Cameroon to ratify this judicial instrument in order to permit our country provide protection thereby preserving our interest. Apart from this protection aspect, the Basin offers Cameroon economic and social openings to be exploited under the guidance of this Charter.”

According to other explanations given by the Minister, some 158 million Euros will be injected into the National Action Plan elaborated by Cameroon within the framework of the implementation of the 2013-2017 Investment Plan adopted during the roundtable of International Donor countries in Italy last April 5, 2014 that will mobilize some 900 Euros. He said that while waiting for the mobilization of funds by the Lake Chad Basin Commission from development partners, Cameroon intends to develop initiatives aimed at the effective implementation of this Charter.

MINEPAT boss told members of the Foreign Affairs Committees of both Houses that within the framework of the putting in place of the 11th European Funds for Development, he has proposed to the European Union that funding be oriented towards interventions in the domains of sustainable management of natural resources, protection of the environment and the fight against desertification along the Cameroonian portion of the Lake Chad Basin.