By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), Alamine Ousmane Mey, and the outgoing Head of the European Union Delegation to Cameroon, Jean-Marc Châtaignier, have reviewed projects and programs developed in the country.
This is the substance of the audience Minister Ousmane Mey granted Ambassador Jean-Marc Châtaignier on August 10 in Yaoundé. During an hour-long discussion, both figures reviewed three years of cooperation and examined prospects for strengthening this strategic partnership between Cameroon and the European Union.
“It was a farewell meeting, but it was also a review of all the projects and programmes we have developed,” Ambassador Châtaignier said.
According to Ambassador Châtaignier, particular focus during the discussions was placed on European Union interventions in the fields of economic and social development, infrastructure, governance, social inclusion, and urban development, in line with national development priorities.
Ambassador Jean-Marc Châtaignier also highlighted several achievements and key projects that marked cooperation during his term, including the bridge over the Logone River, the Nachtigal power plant, and upcoming projects such as the Yaoundé bypass, the bridge project over the Ntem River with Equatorial Guinea, and the future Kikot dam and hydroelectric power plant.
“These infrastructures,” he said, “are important tools for strengthening mobility, improving access to energy, developing trade, and supporting regional integration.” He also commended efforts to mobilize and implement the first funding in Cameroon under the NDICI–Global Europe programme, the European Union’s main instrument for financing external action.
Beyond infrastructure, the European diplomat noted that Cameroon–European Union cooperation places significant emphasis on initiatives supporting youth and women, as well as private-sector development. He particularly praised these initiatives for young entrepreneurs, which, according to him, represent “a source of hope and optimism.”
He also took the opportunity to commend the quality of the dialogue with Cameroonian authorities and the strength of the partnership between the two parties. He reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to continuing this momentum with the MINEPAT teams and to contributing to building “a strong, benchmark partnership in the region with Cameroon.”
The continuity of this cooperation will be ensured by Veronika Boskovic Pohar of Slovenia, who has been appointed to succeed him as Head of the European Union Delegation to Cameroon.
Within the framework of the 2021–2027 financial programming period, the European Union allocated €239 million to Cameroon, equivalent to approximately 156.784 billion FCFA. An additional 30.741 billion FCFA is allocated, primarily from the remaining funds of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) and other European budgetary instruments.
