At launch of human dev't reports: Gov't, UN say crucial changes required for sustained growth.

The officials made the recommendation in Yaounde Wednesday. This was at the launch of different recently assembled reports on human development in Cameroon, the Sahara and the world. 

The event to launch the three separate documents was jointly presided over by the Minister Ousmane Mey and the representative of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cameroon, Nadine Perrault. 

The Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Paul Tasong, and the Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, in Cameroon, Martin Hart-Hansen, attended the event. 

The first of the three reports assembled by experts from Cameroon and beyond, focuses on Cameroon. 

The piece is titled: “National Report on Human Development 2022: What human capital for the structural transformation of the Cameroonian economy?”.

The piece handles three main issues. It takes stock of human capital in Cameroon, identifies the type of human capital that the nation requires to promote sustainable development and the structural transformation of its economy and defines measures and actions that need to be taken to ensure the country builds the required and desired profile of human capital. 

The report produced by MINEPAT with support from the UNDP, touches on the need for significant efforts to be made in developing the human capital in the areas of education with emphasis on prioritising technical education, sciences and engineering.

The piece also talks of the necessity for the more improved development of human capital through the promotion of more productive workforce in line with the Sustainable Development Goals on education, health and other sectors.

The second and third reports are the Sahel Human Development Report 2023 and the Global Human Development Report 2023-2024.

The report on Sahara focuses on Sustainable energy for economic and climate security in the region while the piece on human development globally is anchored on reimagining cooperation in a polarized world. 

Major structural changes needed 

Minister Ousmane Mey and officials of the United Nations System described the reports as crucial pieces that give way for deep reflection among Cameroonians, Africans and the rest of the world.

Minister Ousmane Mey said Cameroon has always worked in collaboration with partners and made necessary changes at all levels in a bid to attain its targeted growth as a nation. 

Despite the plausible efforts, he said the 2022 report highlights the need for more actions to be taken by the country and other nations in the world. 

He insisted that the continuous change in global dynamics requires human capital empowerment that is capable of matching up with the changes.

“…human development is linked to the structural transformation of our economy. This work today, contains themes of great importance for the future of our society and the economic development in our country and our subregion and beyond. The report goes in line to consolidate efforts made by the government in its different areas of intervention in a bid to executive its projects and maximize the impacts of its activities,” he said.

On the Sahel, he said the piece highlights the need for more efforts to be made in boosting the renewable energy sector for the growth of countries in the region.

“The Sahel is faced with climatic and security challenges. Energy transition is an absolute priority to guarantee economic and climatic security through the promotion of inclusive development. In effect, there is a need for the development of solutions for sustainable energy while considering potentials to ensure the resilience of our economies,” the minister emphasised.

“Nations in the Sahel therefore need to play a major role in the development of green and sustainable economies by capitalizing on their natural resources and by investing in new innovative and inclusive technologies,” he added, insisting on the necessity for political, economic and financial mobilization among internal and external actors.

UN always available

The representative of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Nadine Perrault, made comments similar to those of the the member of government. 

She emphasised on the need for Cameroon to shift its educational focus towards embracing a more human capital-development orientation system by among others prioritising sciences and technologies. 

“There needs to be shift in some of the areas that can improve what Cameroon is already doing. The first is looking at the educational system that corresponds to the issue that the world is facing,” the UN official said.

She said the UN will continue supporting Cameroon with the target of helping the nation to attain its various development goals including those outlined in the 2020-2030 National Development Strategy plan, SND30, and those of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

“The recommendations from the reports are an invitation for the UN, the government and civil society and all other actors to see how we can accelerate and also be coordinated in the way that we are helping Cameroon to reach not only the SND30 but also the SDGs,” the UN official said. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3361 of Thursday February 6, 2025