The first trimester Multi Partner Committee meeting took place on the 23 May, 2023 in Yaounde, under the co-chair of the Secretary General at the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Jean Tchoffo and the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations systems in Cameroon, Matthias Z. Naab.

The committee that brought together representatives of the Ministerial sectors, United Nation Agencies, multilateral and bilateral partners, had as main objectives: examining the action plan of the Framework for Accelerating the Implementation of the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs) in Cameroon including strengthening sectoral coordination mechanisms; Finding possible solutions to improve the implementation of available resources and Seeing into the operationalization of the “SDG one platform” for financing very small and medium-sized enterprises (TPME) in the agricultural and agro-industrial sector.

The Secretary General at the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development Jean Tchoffo, while co-chairing the meeting, took the opportunity of this session being held in the aftermath of the 4th review of the Economic and Financial Programme (PEF) with the IMF, to reassure the technical and financial partners that Cameroon’s macroeconomic framework remains stable even if efforts need to be made to improve fiscal management. Presenting the country’s macroeconomic situation, SG MINEPAT stressed that the economy is resilient with economic growth of 3.5% in 2022 and a projection of 4% in 2023. “Overall, the Economic and Financial Programme is running well and we look forward to a successful outcome of the July Board”, he said.

The UN Resident coordinator Matthias Z Naab, underscored that their main objective is to accompany the Cameroonian government in the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2030. He expressed the worry that the effects of the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate challenge factors, have greatly impeded the moves towards achieving the SDGs by 2030. In a bid to find solutions, the committee amongst others was able to identify some of the accelerators that will help mobilize resources that will help to move the SDG agenda forward. One of them is to see how to set up an SDG platform fund which is targeting the agro-industrial sector and most importantly the small and medium sized enterprises which are engines that can actually accelerate the agricultural and informal sector. That Cameroon SDG platform fund, also referred to as a basket fund, will have contributions from both private and public sources of funding. The UN Resident coordinator added that the mechanism is still being developed, as it is under study by the government of Cameroon, supported by the UNDP which is hoped to be finalized in the coming weeks.

During the meeting, the UN Resident coordination announced that it was his last CMP session. He will be leaving Cameroon next month. “If there is any wish I have, it’s for us in the CMP to reinforce our coordination, especially at the sectoral level”, he said. As a farewell present that the committee is going to give him, Matthias Z. Naab suggest that they operationalize the sectoral platforms. SG MINEPAT praised the work done by the Resident Coordinator during his stay in Cameroon and wished him success in his new function.