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OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #0896/01 2950654
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 220654Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0387
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 YAOUNDE 000896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C, DRL, AF/EPS -GMALLORY 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USTR FOR CONSTANCE HAMILTON, COMMERCE FOR KEVIN 
BOYD, TREASURY FOR ANTHONY IERONIMO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ECON PGOV PHUM CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON:  AGOA ELIGIBILITY REVIEW 
 
REF: STATE 97769 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  Cameroon, with a 2008 nominal GDP of about $23.7 
billion, is the largest economy in the six-nation Central African 
Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC).  It is enjoying its 
fourteenth consecutive year of GDP growth, currently projected at 
2.4 percent for 2009.  It has a population of about 18 million, and 
an estimated GDP/capita of $1,095.  Cameroon has enjoyed relative 
political stability compared to other countries in the region, but 
socio-economic frustrations ignited social unrest in 31 
municipalities during February, 2008, raising concerns about 
long-term stability.  Political power, however, remains concentrated 
in the presidency.  Cameroon's diversified economy includes oil and 
gas, timber, aluminum, and agriculture. 
 
¶2.  (U) Cameroon meets most elements of an open, liberal investment 
climate, though corruption and enforcement of regulations remain 
problematic.  Cameroon achieved the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries 
(HIPC) Initiative completion point in May 2006.  The government 
continues to reduce its ownership of economic assets through 
privatization programs and is taking some steps to address legal, 
judicial, and governance problems.  In August 2007, the World Trade 
Organization reviewed Cameroon's trade policy and judged that its 
short-term economic outlook remained favorable although the country 
still finds it difficult to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). 
 In 2008, U.S. imports from Cameroon totaled $614 million, of which 
$70 million were imported under AGOA.  Minister of Commerce Luc 
Magloire Mbarga Atangana led a delegation to the 2009 AGOA Forum in 
Kenya.  End Summary. 
 
¶3.  (U) Comments on Eligibility Requirements 
 
¶I. Market-based Economy 
 
¶A. Major Strengths Identified 
 
-- The GRC has undertaken reforms aimed at liberalizing the 
financial sector, strengthening fiscal management, and establishing 
stronger regulatory agencies, specifically for telecommunications. 
The banking sector has been restructured, and all banks are solvent 
and supervised by an independent banking authority, the Central 
African Banking Commission (COBAC). 
 
-- The investment code has been made identical for foreign and 
domestic investors.  The Cameroon Tax Authority has implemented a 
new policy to use the transaction value as the base of the 
calculation of tariff values on U.S. imported goods.  Importers of 
U.S. goods find the measure to be fair and a significant improvement 
from the "LARGUS" value, which applies the price of similar 
merchandise in the European market. 
 
-- Cameroon's investment code provides fundamental guarantees to 
investors, including property ownership, ability to repatriate 
capital and income, compensation in case of expropriation, freedom 
of movement within Cameroon, and free egress for personnel. 
 
-- A Bilateral Investment Treaty between Cameroon and the United 
States was ratified and entered into force in 1989. 
 
-- Cameroon's external debt burden remains relatively low due to 
debt service relief by the U.S. in 2000, achievement of the Heavily 
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative completion point in May 
2006, and the Paris Club reduction of debt from $3.5 billion to $27 
million in 2006.  The total package of debt relief reduced 
Cameroon's future debt service payments by about $4.9 billion in 
nominal terms.  However, in July, 2009, Cameroon took on a highly 
concessional loan of $144 million as part of the IMF's Exogenous 
Shock Facility. 
 
-- In recent years Cameroon has adopted a number of sectoral codes 
with substantial advantages for investors.  They include the 
Forestry Code, the Mining Code, the Gas Code and the Petroleum 
Code. 
 
-- Cameroon has a copyright law that incorporates many of the 
provisions of the Internet Copyright Treaty and the World 
Intellectual Property Organization Performances and Programs Treaty. 
 Cameroon is the host for the headquarters of the 14-nation West 
African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI by its French 
acronym) and Cameroon is a signatory to the World Trade 
Organization's TRIPs agreement.  In July, 2009, a Cameroonian 
distributor of ABRO motor oil won a trademark infringement suit 
filed in the OAPI in Yaounde against Chinese counterfeiters. 
 
-- Despite some improvements in customs clearance procedures, port 
users report increasing delays in the port.  The U.S. Customs 
Service has provided technical assistance to Cameroon needed to 
improve port operations. 
 
 
YAOUNDE 00000896  002 OF 005 
 
 
-- In 2006, Cameroon adopted simplified bureaucratic and legal 
procedures regarding the creation of new small to medium sized 
companies in Cameroon. 
 
-- At least two banks operating in Cameroon, Afriland First Bank and 
ECOBANK, have a master guarantee agreement with the U.S. Export 
Import Bank to provide loans to local importers of U.S. products. 
 
¶B.  Major Issues/Problems 
 
-- Firms complain about onerous and unpredictable application of the 
tax law and harsh government actions, such as blocking company bank 
accounts, to compel companies to agree to compromises on tax 
assessments.  On paper, commercial law is adequate; however, 
investors find it difficult to enforce contracts because the court 
system remains slow and corrupt. 
 
-- Cameroon's business climate remains problematic.  Cameroon's 
rating in the World Bank's annual Doing Business Report dropped from 
2008 to 2009, regressing in seven out of 10 areas and improving only 
in one category. 
 
-- Although strong laws are on the books, enforcement of 
intellectual property rights laws is weak.  In 2008, Cameroon's 
copyright registration system moved from a single body accepting 
registrations to multiple bodies divided according to field.  The 
body charged with registering musical works has been liquidated for 
over a year by decree of the Minister of Culture.  During the 
reporting period, the Cameroonian Supreme Court invalidated the 
decision of the Minister of Culture, but a new registration body is 
not yet in place. 
 
-- In 2008, Cameroon entered into an interim Economic Partnership 
Agreement (EPA) with Europe, providing duty free access of European 
imports to Cameroon and reciprocal duty free access into Europe of 
Cameroonian exports (especially bananas).  The agreement is expected 
be phased in over a period of 10-15 years. 
 
-- Although the state-owned Camair is under liquidation, the 
privatization of the airline and the national telecommunications 
company, CAMTEL, has stalled. In an encouraging sign, the 
Telecommunications Regulatory Agency ruled on August 11, 2009 that 
CAMTEL does not have a monopoly on the fiber optic network of 
Cameroon. 
 
II.  Political Reforms/Rule of Law/ Anti-Corruption 
 
¶A. Major Strengths Identified 
 
-- There has been an improvement in the country's political 
evolution over the past 15 years.  A multiparty political system has 
been in place since 1990.  Cameroon has some 200 political parties, 
including five represented in Parliament. 
 
-- The press and private citizens are able to criticize the 
government with relative openness(including for corruption and 
mismanagement), although some are subjected to government reprisal. 
 
 
-- The GRC has put in place mechanisms for systematic payment of 
state contracts, reducing room for corruption.  Cameroon ratified 
the UN Convention Against Corruption in February 2006, but effective 
implementation is still incomplete. 
 
-- Free legal aid centers, staffed by members of the Cameroon Bar 
Association, promote awareness of civil and human rights as well as 
judicial processes. 
 
-- Cameroon continues to work with the IMF, the European Union and 
other partners in an effort to improve transparency, planning and 
effectiveness of government revenues and expenditures, although 
progress has been slow. 
 
-- A new, unified Criminal Procedure code took effect in 2007, and 
is generally considered to improve defendants' rights and, by 
expanding provisions for bail while awaiting trial, is expected to 
help reduce prison over-crowding. 
 
-- The National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC) has stepped up 
its activities to raise awareness about corruption. 
 
-- Under President Biya's "Operation Sparrowhawk" anti-corruption 
campaign, judicial proceedings against corrupt officials continued 
through 2009, including the arrest of the former ambassador to the 
U.S. and other high level government officials.  In 2009, 
Cameroonian Customs introduced the use of a new requirement that 
trucks coming from Douala be fitted with global positioning systems 
(GPS) to track their movements in an effort to reduce diversion and 
corruption. 
 
YAOUNDE 00000896  003 OF 005 
 
 
 
¶B. Major Issues/Problems Identified 
 
-- In December 2008 the government finally complied with the 
December 2006 law requiring the establishment of an ostensibly 
independent election commission, ELECAM.  On December 30 and 
December 31, the president signed decrees appointing members of the 
Electoral Council and the director and deputy director general of 
ELECAM.  Public and diplomatic observers questioned the credibility 
of the organization, as most of the appointees were members of the 
ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM). 
 
-- In power for 27 years, President Paul Biya, his political party, 
his Bulu ethnic group, and the broader Beti ethnic group continue to 
dominate all aspects of Cameroonian politics. 
 
-- Impunity among the security forces remains a serious problem, 
although the government has made significant efforts to punish 
police officers involved in serious human rights violations or 
corrupt practices. 
 
-- The government has used security forces to inhibit political 
activists from holding public meetings. 
 
-- The judiciary remains corrupt, inefficient, and subject to 
political influence, although it is beginning to show growing 
independence and integrity in some respects.  Officials in 
Cameroon's security services are often poorly trained, ineffective, 
and corrupt. 
 
-- Prolonged pretrial detention, including incommunicado detention, 
remains a problem. 
 
-- Official harassment of journalists continued.  The government 
continued the practice of "administrative tolerance" whereby radio 
and television media are permitted to broadcast without fully paying 
hefty licensing fees.  Critics have argued this enables the 
government to selectively apply the licensing law against media.  A 
radio station was shut down in August for not paying the licensing 
fees and "not conforming to the rules of journalism."  The 
government has frequently called journalists critical of the 
government, particularly those covering unfavorable international 
press, "unpatriotic."  The licensing system for private media 
remains expensive and incomplete, leaving many outlets operating in 
an uncertain legal environment. 
 
-- The use of libel laws-and the harsh handling of journalists 
accused of libel-has had a chilling impact on reporting of 
corruption and other abuses of public offices. 
 
-- Despite some positive steps and public commitments on 
anti-corruption, governance in all sectors remained problematic, and 
corruption is endemic. 
 
III.  Workers' Rights/Child Labor/Human Rights 
 
¶A. Major Strengths Identified 
 
-- The labor code recognizes workers' right to strike and workers 
exercised this right in practice. 
 
-- Forced labor is prohibited under the Labor Code and the 
Constitution. 
 
-- Cameroon has ratified ILO Conventions 182 on the worst forms of 
child labor and 138 on minimum age of employment. 
 
-- The GRC is cooperating with the ILO on an International Program 
for the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) inquiry on labor by 
children under 14. 
 
-- Legislation on child trafficking and slavery was ratified in 
¶2005. 
 
-- Although it is underfunded and frequently criticized, Cameroon's 
National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms is independent and 
dedicated to exposing human rights abuses.  The government has taken 
some steps to improve its human rights record by curtailing human 
rights abuses and, in some cases, arresting perpetrators. The 
Commission finalized a text book for use in all schools to educate 
children on human rights.  The Commission officially launched the 
program for the teaching of human rights in primary and secondary 
schools on December 23, 2008. 
 
-- The GRC has institutionalized the teaching of respect for human 
rights in its law enforcement institutions, graduating in 2005 its 
first class of police commissioners and officers specifically 
prepared to provide leadership in eliminating abusive and corrupt 
practices in law enforcement. 
 
YAOUNDE 00000896  004 OF 005 
 
 
 
¶B. Major Issues/Problems Identified 
 
-- The Government did not effectively enforce labor laws and many of 
the relevant agencies lacked the resources to do so. 
 
-- The Government restricted workers' rights to form and join trade 
unions, especially for workers in the public service.  The law does 
not permit the creation of a union that includes public and private 
sector workers or the creation of a union that includes different 
sectors. 
 
-- The Government continued to infringe on worker rights and 
restricted the activities of independent labor organizations by 
withholding or indefinitely delaying registration of independent 
trade unions.  The Government also continued to interfere, although 
in a limited manner, with trade union activities. 
 
-- The law does not provide workers with the right to remove 
themselves from situations that endanger their well-being without 
jeopardizing their employment. 
 
-- Child labor remains a problem.  Children are exploited as workers 
in subsistence farms, agriculture, urban areas and in the informal 
sector.  An increasing number of children are engaged in domestic 
work and prostitution. 
 
-- Forced or compulsory labor, including by children, is prohibited, 
but illegal forced labor, including forced child labor, was a 
problem.  There were reports of trafficking in persons, primarily 
children, for purposes of forced labor. 
 
-- Prison conditions remain harsh and life-threatening. 
 
-- Security forces limit freedom of movement and assembly, 
especially against political activists of the illegal separatist 
Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC). 
 
-- Violence and discrimination against women, as well as child abuse 
remained serious problems.  Homosexual acts are illegal, and 
societal discrimination and harassment from law enforcement against 
homosexuals are problems. 
 
IV.  (U) Poverty Reduction 
 
¶A. Major Strengths Identified 
 
-- The Government's 2009 budget emphasizes education with the first 
and third largest expenditures going to secondary and basic 
education, respectively.  The defense budget is the second largest 
expenditure. 
 
-- The Government continues to engage with the Bretton Woods 
institutions, although the last Poverty Reduction Growth Facility 
program ran out. 
 
-- The Government committed to providing free, universal access to 
anti-retroviral treatment and HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, 
though implementation remains problematic. 
 
¶B. Major Issues/Problems Identified 
 
-- Budgetary allocations and execution, especially for much-needed 
investments in priority social sectors, remain problematic. 
 
--Cameroon performs poorly on a range of social indicators.  The 
poverty rate has remained unchanged at 40% since 2001. The FAO 
estimates 44% of Cameroonians are malnourished.  Infant, under-five, 
and maternal mortality rates have increased over the past decade. 
Cameroon dropped from 144 to 153 out of 177 in the 2009 UN Human 
Development Index. 
 
-- The government has yet to release audits on public health 
spending, including for funds provided by the Global Fund for AIDS, 
Tuberculosis and Malaria, despite reports that the funds were 
subject to widespread corruption and embezzlement.  The Government 
will run out of 2009 Global Fund financing for free anti-retroviral 
treatment as many as three months early, due to overspending and 
mismanagement. 
 
-- The Government has not yet finalized its Poverty Reduction 
Strategy Paper. 
 
-- The government continues to delay the release of a 2005 updated 
census, complicating planning and development initiatives. 
 
¶V.  (U) International Terrorism/ U.S. National Security 
 
¶A. Major Strengths Identified 
 
YAOUNDE 00000896  005 OF 005 
 
 
 
-- The government of Cameroon cooperates with the Embassy on issues 
pertaining to anti-terrorism. 
 
-- Cameroon is part of a sub-regional initiative to fight money 
laundering and illegal financing of terrorism.  That initiative is 
managed by GABAC, a regional organization based in Bangui, Central 
African Republic, with branches in each of the sub-region's six 
central African countries. 
 
-- Cameroon's Financial Intelligence Unit, called the National 
Agency for Financial Investigations (or ANIF) is operational and 
collaborates closely with counterparts in the United States and 
third countries. 
 
¶B. Major Issues/Problems Identified 
 
-- Enforcement of laws and regulations pertaining to financial 
transactions remains uneven, and much of the banking sector operates 
without effective supervision, despite the regulatory structures in 
place. 
 
PETERSON