Cameroon and the French Development Agency (AFD) have signed financing agreements worth more than CFA115 billion (€175.5 million) to support five priority development projects, marking a new phase of cooperation between the two sides, Cameroon’s government said.
The agreements were exchanged on January 21 at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development in Yaoundé and target sectors identified by Cameroonian authorities as critical to economic and social development. These include urban resilience, economic inclusion, food security, education and decentralised local governance.
The largest share of the funding is allocated to flood control efforts in Cameroon’s two main cities, Douala and Yaoundé, which regularly suffer from severe flooding during the rainy season. The Flood Control Programme for Douala and Yaoundé, known by its French acronym PLIDY, is backed by a €150 million sovereign loan, equivalent to about CFA98 billion.
The project aims to reduce the long-term vulnerability of urban populations and infrastructure by addressing structural causes of flooding. According to the authorities, the programme adopts an integrated approach that combines drainage works, flood protection infrastructure and improved urban planning, while also taking environmental and social considerations into account. A monitoring and evaluation mechanism will accompany the project’s implementation.
Beyond urban infrastructure, the cooperation package includes support for women’s entrepreneurship in Cameroon’s northern regions, where poverty levels are higher and security challenges persist. The SEPTENTRIONEST project, financed by a €5 million grant (CFA3.2 billion) from the French government, targets the North, Far North, Adamawa and East regions.
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Building on a pilot phase launched in 2023, the initiative seeks to strengthen the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs in fragile areas, with a focus on job creation, income generation and improved resilience of local economies.
In the agricultural sector, AFD is providing an additional €5 million grant (CFA3.2 billion) for the second phase of the Food Security Support Project (SECAL). This funding comes on top of €16 million already mobilised since 2023 under the Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D), a mechanism that converts debt repayments into development investments.
The project aims to strengthen rural enterprises by improving access to agropastoral advisory services, training and financing across several production basins. Authorities said its geographic scope has been expanded to include the Fako division in Cameroon’s South-West region, which has been affected by ongoing conflict.
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Education is also among the priority sectors receiving support. The agreements include €11 million (CFA7.2 billion) in sector budget support for education, financed through C2D resources. This fourth funding cycle is intended to consolidate reforms launched in 2017 to improve the quality and management of the education system.
Planned measures include the adoption of construction standards for classrooms, stronger involvement of municipalities in school projects and steps to improve teacher retention, according to the official statement.
The fifth project focuses on decentralisation and local governance. The REDECA programme will receive €4.5 million, or about CFA3 billion, to support the cities of Bafoussam, Bertoua and Garoua. The project is designed to strengthen local public services, promote citizen participation and modernise territorial management systems.
AFD said REDECA complements other initiatives it supports in Cameroon, including programmes targeting regional capitals, civil registry reforms in the West region and the third phase of the Public Finance Reform Support Programme (PAGFI 3).
The agency said the five projects reflect a coherent, long-term approach to decentralisation and development and reaffirm its commitment to supporting inclusive and sustainable growth in Cameroon.
