Enforcing structural, economic reforms: Int'l financial partners hail gov't's commitment, resilience.

Cameroon’s delegation to the meetings was led by the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey; and that of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze; alongside the Ambassador of Cameroon to the USA, H.E. Henri Etoundi Essomba.

During the meetings, the government was lauded for its resilience and commitment to enforcing more structural reforms amid global economic shocks.

The delegation engaged in high-level talks with experts from IMF and World Bank, focusing on reinforcing economic governance, improving public fiscal management, and accelerating private sector growth.

Talks also focused on mobilising investments, attracting private capital and implementing reforms to accelerate the country’s energy transformation.

World Bank President, Ajay Banga, speaking at the African caucus, emphasised on collaboration between the public and private sectors to achieve large-scale results.

Other issues that were discussed during the meetings included debt sustainability and fiscal discipline. On these, IMF experts advised on more aggressive tax reforms and transparent budgeting. 

Christine Dieterich, Adviser of Africa Department at IMF, stated: “It was a useful stock-taking of the developments in Cameroon and the government's ambitions to further increase investments and work on structural reforms".

Infrastructure development was also a point of focus, as Cameroon's partners called for a speedy completion of major projects such as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, the urbanisation initiatives in some major cities and the restructuring of the National Oil Refining Company, SONARA.

World Bank to assist Cameroon boost education policy

Meanwhile, the World Bank pledged to assist the government to enhance its education policy so that graduates are impacted with modern skills, ready for the evolving job market. 

In the agricultural sector, a programme dubbed AgriConnect is underway. It is a World Bank Group and IMF initiative to boost food security and create more jobs. 

Cheick Kanté, World Bank Group Country Director for Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea, stressed on Cameroon as a cornerstone in the sub region, especially with regard to regional connectivity, noting the transport network and energy sector. 

Cameroon’s bold, ambitious energy strives at centre stage

During the meetings, Cameroon’s bold and ambitious energy strives were at centre stage. The international partners also praised the country’s drive toward universal access and regional leadership in the sector. 

Guided by Mission 300, and its blueprint national energy compact, Cameroon is positioning itself not just as an undisputable power producer, but as a driver of inclusive growth across Central Africa.

In almost all the discussions, Cameroon's high ambitions in the energy sector were applauded and its enormous potentials in the sector acknowledged. This comes on the heels of the endorsement of Cameroon's Energy Compact in September 2025, in New York, by the World Bank and African Development Bank. 

Cheick Kanté reiterated Cameroon's position as one of the main pillars in the realisation of Mission 300; an initiative of the World Bank Group and African Development Bank, aimed at connecting 300 million people with electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. 

“With Cameroon’s development partners, there is no doubt that Cameroon has the potential to become a regional hub, exporting surplus energy to neighbouring countries while reducing emissions, in the days ahead,” Kanté said.

Meanwhile, World Bank Vice President, Ousmane Diagana, commended Cameroon’s Energy Compact as “ambitious, scalable, and transformative.”

With Cameroon’s Energy Compact, aligned to Mission 300, eight million people in the country are expected to be connected to electricity by 2030. 

Cameroon's delegation, while thanking its partners for their unwavering support in assisting government realise its economic goals, reassured them of the country's commitment to implement the resolutions arrived at. 

It should be noted that Cameroon’s energy compact blends large-scale hydropower projects like Nachtigal with expanding solar grids and rural electrification programmes. 

For about eight million Cameroonians, especially in rural areas, this means more than just light—it means access to healthcare, internet, education, and job creation and other economic opportunities. The government has committed over 12 billion US Dollars in public and private investment, signaling a new era of infrastructure-led development.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3602 of Wednesday October 22, 2025