CAMEROON Law and Practice Contributed by: Aurélie Chazai, Paul Ariel Kombou, Vanina Fonga and Dylan Dave Tchouankeu, Chazai Wamba
waste management, protection of natural habitats, and regular inspections and monitoring. Jurisdiction and Local Involvement The environmental licensing process is centralised at the national level. Decentralised local authorities pro - vide consultative support and assist in local monitor - ing, but do not issue licences themselves. Strength and Efficiency of Environmental Authorities Cameroon’s legal framework provides a robust foun - dation, and MINEPDED possesses recognised techni - cal competence. However, operational efficiency can be constrained by institutional and logistical limita - tions, particularly regarding ongoing monitoring and on-site enforcement. Despite these challenges, the system establishes clear obligations and procedures designed to ensure that mining projects operate in an environmentally responsible manner. 2.2 Impact of Environmentally Protected Areas on Mining Cameroon hosts a variety of recognised protected areas, administered primarily by the Ministry of For - estry and Wildlife in collaboration with MINEPDED. These areas serve critical functions: • preserving biodiversity; • ensuring sustainable ecosystem management; and • safeguarding endangered species, • in accordance with the country’s environmental and forestry laws. The Mining Code explicitly integrates the protection of environmentally sensitive and protected areas. Indeed, mining operations are prohibited within 500 metres of the boundaries of a protected area. 2.3 Impact of Community Relations on Mining Projects In Cameroon, relations between mining operators and local communities are legally regulated under the “local content” provisions of the Mining Code, which form an integral part of all mining projects. The principle is established in Article 121, which requires that any mining project include a local con -
tent component to ensure economic, social, cultural, industrial and technological benefits for Cameroon. Article 122 further specifies that local content should cover: • human resource development; • support for local businesses and industries; and • detailed arrangements included in the mining con - vention or terms of reference. Local content must also include mandatory provisions for: • employment and training of Cameroonian nation - als; • mechanisms for transfer of skills and technology; • social protection measures and workplace stand - ards; and • social development initiatives for host communities and, where relevant, indigenous populations near mining sites. To support these objectives, the Mining Code requires companies to contribute to a special fund for local capacity development (Article 123), ensuring financial resources are dedicated to community and economic development. The Mining Code also establishes measures to strengthen socio-economic benefits for surrounding communities, as explained below. • Employment priorities (Article 124) – at least 95 % of non-skilled jobs must be reserved for Cameroo - nians. • Local procurement requirements (Article 125) – pri - ority for Cameroonian companies in subcontract - ing. • Skills and technology transfer (Article 126) – mining operators must implement structured programmes to transfer expertise to local employees and busi - nesses. 2.4 Prior and Informed Consultation on Mining Projects Under the Mining Code, there is no explicit legal obli - gation to conduct prior and informed consultation with
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