The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, and the government of Japan signed a partnership agreement to provide funding to support stabilization efforts in the Lake Chad Basin Area on Wednesday 9 February, 2022 in Yaounde. 

The partnership agreement worth  260 million yen, approximately 1.3 billion FCFA, will finance a UNDP project to provide support in targeted localities of the Far North Region of the Country, focusing on the immediate stabilization in areas cleared of Boko Haram control. The project intends to provide:

• security infrastructures
• essential infrastructures and basic services and
• Livelihood activities and infrastructures

The partnership agreement is signed by the UNDP Resident Representative, Dr. Jean Luc Stalon and the Japanese Ambassador to Cameroon, Mr. TAKAOKA Nozomu. The Far North Region of Cameroon has been affected since 2014 by the consequences of the insurgency by terrorists that impacts the lives of local populations and in particular youth and women. This crisis, influenced by the conflict dynamics in the Lake Chad Basin, has further exacerbated the vulnerability of these populations in a Region where development indicators were already alarming. 

Since 2019 UNDP has established regional stabilization activities and interventions in affected areas such as: Amchide, Limani, Mayo Moskota, Mosogo, Blangoua and Waza within the Regional Stabilization Facility for the Lake Chad Basin, Cameroon National Window Framework (RSF). The RSF is already being supported by a coalition of partners namely: the EU, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, and Netherlands. This new convention with Japan will help amplify our stabilization efforts.

According to the UNDP Resident Representative, Dr Jean Luc Stalon, “Stabilization is the unique instrument to fight against terrorism.  The military solution alone has shown its limit. It’s imperative to ensure support to affected populations through access to basic services, revitalization of local economies, public security and law and order aiming at strengthening the social contract.”

“I hope that with the extensive experience and capacity of UNDP, together with the active participation of the Government of Cameroon, this project will be smoothly implemented and the living conditions of people living in the Far North region will be improved, thus contributing to peace and stability in the Far North region.” said Mr. TAKAOKA Nozomu, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Cameroon.

This project is expected to consolidate peace and improve the return to normalcy in 3 divisions of the Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari of the Far North Region.