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Country Risk Profiles

About Cameroon

Outline of forest resources in Cameroon Cameroon is an important biodiversity reserve hosting many endemic species of flora and fauna (Doumenge, C. et al., 2015). Cameroon's forests cover a significant portion of the Congo Basin. Their surface area amounts to about 20 million hectares, or 42% of the national territory (FAO, 2020). They consist of dense rainforests in which logging is practiced, and mangroves that are little or not exploited (FRMI, 2018). Dense forests can be divided into two main groups: (1) the Biafran forests, lowland coastal forests along the Gulf of Guinea and (2) the Guinean-Congolian forests in the south and southeast of the country (ETTF, 2016). Cameroon has one of the highest rates of forest cover degradation in the Congo Basin, and its forest cover decreased by about 1% per year between 1990 and 2015 (FAO, 2015). The very high agricultural pressure contributes largely to deforestation. This is compounded by fuelwood collection, mining and illegal logging (ETTF, 2016). Organisation of the forest estate The forest policy, codified by law n°94/01 of 20 January 1994, divides the national forest estate into two distinct domains:The permanent forest domain, which is made up of land destined to remain forest land permanently and which is therefore incorporated into the private domain of the State or Cameroonian Communes. This includes, on the one hand, the various protected areas (national parks, wildlife reserves, areas of hunting interest, etc.) and, on the other hand, forest reserves (integral ecological reserves, production forests, protection forests, botanical gardens, plantation forests, etc.). Industrial exploitation takes place mainly in production forests, which cover 7 million hectares, or 15% of the country's surface area (WRI, MINFOF, 2018). These are mostly divided into Forest Management Units ( Unités forestières d’aménagement , UFAs) and managed by private economic operatorsThe non-permanent forest domain consists of the rest of the country's forest areas. These lands may be used for non-forestry purposes (agriculture, grazing, development projects, etc.). Timber harvesting can come from various types of permits and authorisations. Community forests and privately planted forests are also part of the non-permanent forest domain. The number of community forests has increased significantly since the 2000s. They reached an area of 2.1 million hectares in 2018 (WRI, MINFOF, 2018). The government also promotes the development of private plantations. However, this sector remains limited, with low annual production and a plantation area of around 17,000 hectares for the whole country (FAO, 2020). Timber industry According to estimates, the forestry sector contributes between 3% and 5% of Cameroon's GDP (e.g. see CIFOR, 2013). Cameroon's forest industry produces between 2 and 3 million cubic meter of logs annually (ETTF, 2016, FAO/CIFOR, 2015). About a third of this production is exported directly as logs (CED, 2019), and the vast majority of the wood undergoes primary processing before export (mainly into sawn timber and to a lesser extent veneer and plywood) (ETTF, 2016). Today, Cameroon’s legal timber production has reached approximately 3 million m3. As a result, Cameroon has become the leading exporter of timber products in Africa.The timber trade involves a small number of species: the main species exported are Ayous, Sapelli, Tali, Okan and Azobé (ETTF, 2016, CED, 2019). The Asian market is the main recipient of timber exports, with China and then Vietnam accounting for around 54% of volumes, ahead of the European trio of Belgium, Italy and France (around 22%) (ETTF, 2016). Institutional framework The Forestry Code in force in Cameroon dates back to 1994 (Law n°94/01 of 20 January 1994). It concentrates implementation and control actions under one Ministry: the Ministry of Forests and Fauna (MINFOF). Although Cameroon has taken significant steps to improve forest policy and governance in the country to slow the high rate of deforestation, illegal logging remains a major concern in the country and is frequently documented at different stages of the timber supply chains. The corruption perception index (Transparency International) remains very low (25/100 in 2020), and transparency in the forestry sector remains a challenge, although Cameroonian laws have attempted to strengthen public access to information (FAO, 2015). Civil society is also heavily involved in detecting cases of illegality through Independent Monitoring (IM) actions, notably under the External Independent Monitoring Standard System (SNOIE). Finally, for several years, Cameroon has been developing a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union. This was signed in May 2010. The country implemented the VPA negotiations through an innovative platform bringing together all stakeholders, including ministerial authorities, timber sector unions, NGOs and community-based organisations, members of the national assembly and international organisations. However, the effective implementation of the legality verification system is not yet operational.The legality risks related to timber are wide-ranging and appear across all categories of law. If you are sourcing timber from Cameroon you should take care to ensure the extensive risks identified are not present in your supply chains, or have been sufficiently mitigated. VIEW MORE

Outline of forest resources in Cameroon 

Cameroon is an important biodiversity reserve hosting many endemic species of flora and fauna (Doumenge, C. et al., 2015). Cameroon's forests cover a significant portion of the Congo Basin. Their surface area amounts to about 20 million hectares, or 42% of the national territory (FAO, 2020). They consist of dense rainforests in which logging is practiced, and mangroves that are little or not exploited (FRMI, 2018). Dense forests can be divided into two main groups: (1) the Biafran forests, lowland coastal forests along the Gulf of Guinea and (2) the Guinean-Congolian forests in the south and southeast of the country (ETTF, 2016). 

Cameroon has one of the highest rates of forest cover degradation in the Congo Basin, and its forest cover decreased by about 1% per year between 1990 and 2015 (FAO, 2015). The very high agricultural pressure contributes largely to deforestation. This is compounded by fuelwood collection, mining and illegal logging (ETTF, 2016). 

Organisation of the forest estate 

The forest policy, codified by law n°94/01 of 20 January 1994, divides the national forest estate into two distinct domains:

  • The permanent forest domain, which is made up of land destined to remain forest land permanently and which is therefore incorporated into the private domain of the State or Cameroonian Communes. This includes, on the one hand, the various protected areas (national parks, wildlife reserves, areas of hunting interest, etc.) and, on the other hand, forest reserves (integral ecological reserves, production forests, protection forests, botanical gardens, plantation forests, etc.). Industrial exploitation takes place mainly in production forests, which cover 7 million hectares, or 15% of the country's surface area (WRI, MINFOF, 2018). These are mostly divided into Forest Management Units ( Unités forestières d’aménagement , UFAs) and managed by private economic operators
  • The non-permanent forest domain consists of the rest of the country's forest areas. These lands may be used for non-forestry purposes (agriculture, grazing, development projects, etc.). 

Timber harvesting can come from various types of permits and authorisations. Community forests and privately planted forests are also part of the non-permanent forest domain. The number of community forests has increased significantly since the 2000s. They reached an area of 2.1 million hectares in 2018 (WRI, MINFOF, 2018). The government also promotes the development of private plantations. However, this sector remains limited, with low annual production and a plantation area of around 17,000 hectares for the whole country (FAO, 2020). 

Timber industry 

According to estimates, the forestry sector contributes between 3% and 5% of Cameroon's GDP (e.g. see CIFOR, 2013). Cameroon's forest industry produces between 2 and 3 million cubic meter of logs annually (ETTF, 2016, FAO/CIFOR, 2015). About a third of this production is exported directly as logs (CED, 2019), and the vast majority of the wood undergoes primary processing before export (mainly into sawn timber and to a lesser extent veneer and plywood) (ETTF, 2016). Today, Cameroon’s legal timber production has reached approximately 3 million m3. As a result, Cameroon has become the leading exporter of timber products in Africa.

The timber trade involves a small number of species: the main species exported are Ayous, Sapelli, Tali, Okan and Azobé (ETTF, 2016, CED, 2019). The Asian market is the main recipient of timber exports, with China and then Vietnam accounting for around 54% of volumes, ahead of the European trio of Belgium, Italy and France (around 22%) (ETTF, 2016). 

Institutional framework 

The Forestry Code in force in Cameroon dates back to 1994 (Law n°94/01 of 20 January 1994). It concentrates implementation and control actions under one Ministry: the Ministry of Forests and Fauna (MINFOF). Although Cameroon has taken significant steps to improve forest policy and governance in the country to slow the high rate of deforestation, illegal logging remains a major concern in the country and is frequently documented at different stages of the timber supply chains. 

The corruption perception index (Transparency International) remains very low (25/100 in 2020), and transparency in the forestry sector remains a challenge, although Cameroonian laws have attempted to strengthen public access to information (FAO, 2015). Civil society is also heavily involved in detecting cases of illegality through Independent Monitoring (IM) actions, notably under the External Independent Monitoring Standard System (SNOIE). Finally, for several years, Cameroon has been developing a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union. This was signed in May 2010. The country implemented the VPA negotiations through an innovative platform bringing together all stakeholders, including ministerial authorities, timber sector unions, NGOs and community-based organisations, members of the national assembly and international organisations. However, the effective implementation of the legality verification system is not yet operational.

The legality risks related to timber are wide-ranging and appear across all categories of law. If you are sourcing timber from Cameroon you should take care to ensure the extensive risks identified are not present in your supply chains, or have been sufficiently mitigated.  VIEW LESS

Description of source types

There are several timber source types in Cameroon. Knowing the “source type” that timber originates from is useful, because different source types can be subject to different applicable legislation and have attributes that affect the risk of non-compliance with the legislation. 

Source Type
Description
State (production) Forests (UFA)
Forests that fall within the State’s private property by way of a classification procedure. They are usually constituted as UFAs. Management of these forests may be allocated to the private sector through operating agreements (concession regime) for renewable 15-year periods. Logging activities can only be conducted with an annual operating permit. UFA concessions are the primary source of timber production in Cameroon.
Council forests
Council forests are forests incorporated into the private property of councils (local authorities) through a classification procedure. Timber in these forests can be harvested under various different types of permits.
Community Forests
Management of community forests is allocated by the state to a local community for a duration of 25 years through a management agreement. Timber in these forests can be harvested under various different types of permits.
Private forests
Private forests are those planted on a plot of land belonging to a person under private law.
National forests (all other forest areas)
Natural trees in all other areas (other than forests classified in the permanent domain, community forests and private forests) belong to the State, the exploitation of which the state may therefore assign to other parties. They are not managed forest areas. However, local communities with user rights have a right of pre-emption, by which they may request that the area concerned be allocated as a community forest instead. Private landowners also have a right of pre-emption over natural trees located on their land. If there are no rights of pre-emption, the state may allocate logging titles over the forest resources, notably sales of standing timber (vente de coupe permits in French) for 3-year periods. Other types of permits and licences may be issued within the national forest domain.

CPI score

27, updated 2024

Armed Conflicts

According to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program there were 4374 conflict related deaths from 2016-2021.

Voluntary Partnership Agreement

Implementing

Certifications

FSC certified area: 0.341 Mha, updated April 1, 2023

Bans & Restrictions

Log export ban: on more than 20 species of raw logs.

Risk Species

Name CITES I CITES II CITES III IUCN Redlist Special attention
No records found

Cameroon

Tree cover loss

Tree cover loss”. Accessed on 01/01/2023 from www.globalforestwatch.org. The graph shows year-by-year tree cover loss, defined as stand level replacement of vegetation greater than 5 meters in the country. Note that “tree cover loss” is not the same as “deforestation” – tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. The data from 2011 onward were produced with an updated methodology that may capture additional loss. Comparisons between the original 2001-2010 data and future years should be performed with caution.

Overview of mitigation options organised by source type

Source Type
Number of risks
Document verification
Stakeholder Consultation
Field Verification
Scientific Testing
State (production) Forests (UFA)
64
112
23
21
0
Council forests
53
87
24
21
0
Community Forests
59
103
24
22
0
Private forests
50
84
18
21
0
National forests (all other forest areas)
52
84
24
22
0
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