By IPS Correspondents
COTONOU, Sep 14 2007 (IPS)

Some cause for optimism, but several reasons for concern…That&#39s the message from Amadou Wassouni as regards efforts to address desertification in Cameroon.

Currently director of the environment ministry&#39s department for conserving natural resources, he previously served as point man for the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in this Central African nation. Each country that signs up to the UNCCD is required to name such a representative – also referred to as a "focal point" – to liaise with the convention secretariat, amongst other duties.

In this interview with IPS correspondent Michée Boko, Wassouni gives a sense of where desertification had taken hold most severely in Cameroon, and how he believes the fight against the scourge can be improved.

IPS: What is the state of desertification in Cameroon?

Amadou Wassouni (AW): The phenomenon has alarming proportions in the north of the country, which forms part of the Sahel region of Africa. (The Sahel is a semi-desert area that stretches across Africa, between the Sahara and the tropics.)

IPS: What are the most successful initiatives in the fight against desertification in Cameroon?

IPS: And what are the most significant failures?

AW: The main failures relate to organisation of the fight against desertification, and to the follow-up of activities. At these two levels, the gaps are enormous!

IPS: Do you think the Cameroonian government is doing what is necessary to succeed in its fight against desertification?

AW: You can see that the affected communities are very involved in the fight against desertification, but the involvement of the government is still mixed. This slows the efforts of communities considerably, and as a result greatly reduces the positive impact of these various initiatives.

IPS: Is Cameroon devoting sufficient resources to this fight?

AW: Cameroon could succeed in its fight against desertification if it devoted a budgetary allocation to the fight against desertification. But this would compromise other initiatives, given that government does not have extensive resources. The resources of the government will need to be enhanced by consistent external funding to obtain satisfactory results.

IPS: Who are the main partners of Cameroon in this fight?

AW: The current principal partners of Cameroon in the fight against desertification are the United Nations Development Programme, the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Global Mechanism (of the UNCCD), the Global Environment Facility, national and international NGOs (non-governmental organisations), community organisations and local collectives.

IPS: How would you like to see this fight conducted in the future?

AW: Our wish is that institutions like yours that are interested in the fight against desertification would take part in the lobbying by African countries for a bigger mobilisation of funds for the fight against desertification, and especially for a fairer distribution of these funds between affected African countries.

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