VZCZCXYZ0041
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYD #0061/01 0171614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171614Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7159
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 1236
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA PRIORITY 0435
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0868
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE PRIORITY 1402
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1470
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 1370
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1714
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/C 
STATE PASS MCC 
ACCRA FOR USAID 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA ACTION OFFICERS 
EUCOM FOR J5-A AFRICAN DIVISION AND POLAD YATES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV ETRD ECON KMCA CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: AMBASSADOR AND FINANCE MINISTER DISCUSS 
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT 
 
REF: A. YAOUNDE 30 
 
     ¶B. YAOUNDE 34 
 
¶1.  (U)  Summary:  On January 17, the Ambassador and Finance 
Minister Abah Abah discussed Cameroon's revised, updated 
action plan to qualify for the Millennium Challenge Account 
(MCA) and the ongoing anti-corruption and good governance 
efforts of the government of Cameroon (GRC).  The Minister 
said he was determined about accelerating the pace of reform 
in 2007, and noted that the GRC would also make an effort to 
provide current and accurate information to agencies 
contributing to the MCA indicators.  The Ambassador cautioned 
that although the GRC had created an excellent action plan 
for 2007, covering everything from judicial reform to 
elections, it would be actions -- not promises -- that would 
count in the end.  End summary. 
 
-------- 
The Plan 
-------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  The Ambassador and the Minister of Economy and 
Finance, Polycarpe Abah Abah, discussed Cameroon's 2007 MCA 
action plan on January 17.  According to the revised, updated 
GRC action plan, the government plans to implement an 
independent elections commission (the necessary legislation 
was adopted in December 2006), implement Article 66 of the 
Cameroonian constitution which concerns declaration of assets 
by public officials (the necessary legislation was adopted in 
2006), implement CONAC (the anti-corruption commission 
President Biya announced in 2006), issue broadcast licenses, 
continue to implement the revolutionary new criminal 
procedure code (Reftel A), create an office to promote small 
and medium sized businesses, and update available information 
pertaining to health, education, and the environment. 
 
------------------ 
The Pace of Reform 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (U) Of the "big ticket" items on the GRC's MCA action 
plan, only the new criminal procedure code has been adopted. 
The Ambassador emphasized that while the GRC has developed an 
excellent plan, covering a wide range of reforms long 
advocated by civil society and the international community, 
it would be actions, not promises, that matter.  He told Abah 
Abah that during his conversations with Millennium Challenge 
Corporation (MCC) leadership in October 2006, he was told 
that MCA qualification is worth Cameroon's time and effort, 
but it is a competitive and evolving process.  Cameroon needs 
to move more quickly and keep up with the pack, the 
Ambassador said. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Abah Abah acknowledged that Cameroon's biggest 
problems are corruption and poverty, and said the government 
was committed to good governance, the anti-corruption 
initiative, and poverty reduction.  Economic growth and 
poverty reduction formed the basis of President Biya's 2007 
address to the nation (Reftel B).  The Minister shared that 
Cameroon plans to implement an agency to foster small and 
medium sized enterprises, and has taken steps to simplify and 
expedite the time, and reduce the cost, to start a business. 
He noted that he was optimistic the GRC would complete the 
action plan's anticipated reforms in 2007, and would also 
provide up-to-date and accurate information for health and 
education to entities managing the MCA indicators. 
 
------------------ 
Investment Climate 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  (U)  The Ambassador told Abah Abah that an improved 
investment climate was the key to encouraging increased 
American investment.  He pointed out that he and other 
ambassadors from Europe and Asia had raised this issue with 
the managing director of the International Monetary Fund 
(IMF) when he visited Cameroon January 9-10 (septel), npoting 
bluntly that while the GRC gets high marks for achieving 
 
budgetary stability, it is still in the starting blocks on 
creating a welcoming investment climate.  Given President 
Biya's New Year's speech, the Ambassador noted that he hoped 
2007 would be a year of action on economic reform in 
Cameroon.  The Ambassador pointed out that while we apreciate 
the GRC's ad hoc efforts to help out investors, no system is 
in place to welcome them. 
 
¶6.  (U)  In conclusion, the Ambassador pointed out that the 
success of the government's action plan would lie in 
inter-ministerial cooperation; most of the "big ticket" items 
required action by several ministries.  In order for the GRC 
to be competitive for the MCA, qualification would need to be 
a government effort, not an initiative resting within any one 
ministry.  He stressed to Abah Abah the imp(ortant roles of 
the President and Prime Minister in providing overall 
leadership, and suggested that another visit to Washington by 
the Prime Minister would be in order once the "big ticket 
items" have actually been implemented. 
MARQUARDT