At global initiative to transform the water sector: Energy ministry commits to development dynamics.

This was during the 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank in Washington, held recently. The global Water Forward initiative was officially launched on the sidelines of the water security meeting in Washington.

Supported by a coalition of international stakeholders, this initiative aims to strengthen the security of water supply by promoting better coordination between public policies, financing, and partnerships. 

During discussions with public officials, investors, and technical partners from every continent, the Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, and the Minister of the Economy, Planning, and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, stated that energy and gas in particular should be made the lifeblood of industry.

The officials disclosed that the ambition is to transform water and energy systems into drivers of economic growth, job creation, and resilience.

Discussing on natural gas, both ministers revealed that the country possesses significant resources, but their exploitation remains limited. 

Minister Essomba said currently, two fields are active, with production estimated at approximately 1.5 million tons in 2025. This level remains modest, compared to proven reserves, which are valued at over six trillion cubic feet.

The authorities acknowledged this gap as a starting point, following the message recently delivered in Paris during the Invest in Africa ​​Forum. The country, they said, is adopting a new stance: it is no longer just about discussing potential, but about translating it into concrete projects.

Cameroon was among the fourteen countries committed to developing their National Water Compact, a strategic instrument designed to structure reforms, improve sector governance, and mobilise public and private funding.

For the country, Minister Eloundou Essomba said this approach is part of a drive to strengthen access to drinking water, accelerate investments in water infrastructure, and align national policies with international standards. The initiative is also to pave the way for strengthened partnerships with donors and the private sector.

The ministry disclosed that beyond its social dimension, water is now emerging as a determining factor for economic development. Securing it helps stimulate agricultural productivity, support industrialisation, and improve the living conditions of populations.

Through the Water Forward initiative, the ministry said international stakeholders intend to drive a renewed governance of water, based on coordination, investment, and innovation, in order to make this resource a true engine of sustainable prosperity.

MINEE on its Facebook page said Cameroon is among the leading countries driving this new momentum of water, a resource essential to life, and also constitutes a major pillar of the global economy. 

It disclosed that water supports nearly 1.7 billion jobs in sectors as varied as agriculture, industry, energy, and services, yet in many regions of the globe, insufficient access to clean water continues to hold back economic growth, limit productivity, and hinder development prospects.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3768 of Wednesday April 22, 2026