EU deplores Cameroon’s unimpressive governance record

Diplomats of EU countries in Cameroon are dissatisfied with the government’s effort at adopting good governance reforms, reports the herald news paper.

Meeting at the second session of the Cameroon-EU dialogue which took place in Yaounde, ambassadors of EU countries led by the French ambassador, Georges Serre, said in no uncertain terms that they were disappointed with government’s reluctance at undertaking necessary political reforms.

They noted especially that the Yaounde authorities were very much in the business of claiming advances in democracy and at the same time not actually effecting the reforms.
The diplomats questioned representatives of the government who included Henri Eyebe Ayissi of MINREX, Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Forestry and Wildlife minister, Biyiti bi Essam, Communication minister, Serges Etoundi Ngoa, minister of SMEs what exactly the government had done in the area of good governance reforms since 2006.

The diplomats noted that Cameroon had failed in every respect in the good governance guidelines that it accepted from the EU. The government, the diplomats noted, took the commitment and earned some financial benefit from that, but since reneged on that commitment.
In 2006, the government and the EU agreed to put in place a good governance programme.

But the government failed to implement the reforms.

The government used the opportunity to formally inform the diplomats that it had put in place a special security disposition to protect diplomats.
The government further asked the EU for its financial support for reforms in the judicial system.
At the first session of the dialogue in July 2008, the EU diplomats indicted the government for failing on its own promise to appoint members of ELECAM. This time around they made it clear that the EU would not be able to give Cameroon financial support for the putting in place of ELECAM.

It was also given to understand that the overall EU package for Cameroon might suffer as a result of the government’s reluctance to press forward with reforms.
Cameroon has about 27 EU diplomatic representations including; France, Britain, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium among others.