Social affairs minister readies Cameroon for World Summit on Social Dev't.

This was during the official launch of preparations for Cameroon's participation at the global events. 

Minister Irene Nguene presided over the event in the presence of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Cameroon, Issa Sanogo, as well as other partners.

The aim of the meeting was to present the main resolutions, resulting from the work of the 63rd session, prepare a national report on social development, and finalise the dossier for the participation of the Cameroonian delegation. 

The Second World Summit for Social Development will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 4 to 6 and will be preceded by the 64th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, scheduled for early February 2026.

The Second World Summit for Social Development aims to address gaps, reaffirm commitments to social development, and provide renewed momentum for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

This summit, convened by the UN General Assembly, will be a high-level event, potentially involving Heads of State or Government, to address social development challenges and reaffirm commitments made in the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action.

The topics covered by the Summit include the eradication of poverty, the expansion of productive employment and reduction of unemployment, and the promotion of social integration at an international and national level.

The minister used the Yaounde gathering to underscored the importance of the meeting, explaining that it shall be an occasion to document the progress that has been made in the fight against poverty, unemployment, and social inclusion in the world. 

She revealed that in Cameroon, the different pillars of social development, like poverty and unemployment, are the focus of follow-up and are a priority for authorities.

"We need to prepare Cameroon's contribution to the discussion in Qatar in November. I therefore urge the technical departments of the Ministry of Social Affairs to enrich the preliminary reports presented at the opening of this session to ensure the successful participation of the Cameroonian delegation in Qatar," the minister stated.

The government official added that: “The sectoral administrations concerned are called upon to contribute, each as far as it is concerned, the relevant topical information to feed the documentation being prepared. At the Ministry, we have opted for a participatory approach. Everyone is called upon to make a contribution in order to obtain a consensual document that takes account of all aspects of sustainable development”.

Cameroon’s social dev’t situation

During the official launch of preparations for Cameroon's participation at the World Summit on Social Development and the 64th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, there were three key presentations.

In the first presentation, experts from the World Bank presented a detailed report on the evaluation of poverty in the country. 

According to them, the rate of poverty was still high despite measures put in place by the government. They also said poverty in some areas has increased, especially in rural areas.

They added that the North West was the second poorest Region after the Far North.  According to the experts from the World Bank, the aid from the state was insufficient, as very few people are touched by the government's efforts.

There were also detailed presentations on the progress made towards decent work and sustainable development in Cameroon by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the major achievement of public policies to combat social exclusion of vulnerable groups and communities by the Technical Adviser number 2 at MINAS.

Speaking earlier, the Resident Coordinator of the UN Systems in Cameroon lauded the government for being proactive ahead of the global events. 

Sanogo explained that social development requires collective efforts and that it was crucial to reinforce collaboration for a more holistic approach.

The UN Resident Coordinator was elated with the progress that has been made so far and urged all and sundry to redouble efforts. 

Sango said the summit is an opportunity to share the progress made in Cameroon but also inspire themselves from the successes that have been recorded by others. He also said the UN System remains committed to support Cameroon.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3448 of Wednesday May 14, 2025