DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GOVERNANCE

Through the Cameroon Peace Promotion Project we utilize radio programming to increase community cohesion and prevent the spread of violent extremism in the northern regions. Our program supports moderate voices, improves information flow among community members on peace and tolerance concepts and promotes opportunities for dialogue between stakeholders on important issues. These activities aim to gradually galvanize the population against support for violent extremism groups.

ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TRADE

The West Africa Trade and Investment Hub helps farmers and firms to compete, attract investment to the region, and boost their regional and global trade. The Trade Hub provides technical support to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Trade Resource Center in Douala, which offers training to national customs officials and Cameroonian companies on the documentation required for exports throughout West Africa and to the United States under AGOA.

ENVIRONMENT

Through the Central African Regional Program on the Environment, we foster conservation of the tropical forest in Cameroon working closely with Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. Our efforts help strengthen national policies on resource management and forest governance. We also encourage countries to work together to manage their shared resources. Our program supports the Government of Cameroon to, 1) enforce logging regulations, 2) reform natural resource policy, 3) engage communities in resource management, and 4) fairly share the benefits of forest resources.

GLOBAL HEALTH

The Government has made significant commitments to fighting the country’s relatively high HIV/AIDS rate. However, the level of public spending on health is not enough to support these goals. Through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), our efforts build partnerships to provide HIV prevention, care, and treatment throughout the country with focus on vulnerable populations such as orphans and children. Our programs also promote the Global Health Security Agenda and assist the Government to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats, including those that originate from animals. Our neglected tropical diseases program fights diseases that can be cured or prevented by distributing drugs donated by the pharmaceutical industry. To provide opportunities for health financing, our unique partnership with ECOBANK and the USAID Development Credit Authority provides access to private capital for local small and medium enterprises that provide health services.

WORKING IN CRISIS AND CONFLICT

We support humanitarian interventions for conflict-affected populations through our Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and Food for Peace program, in partnership with the World Food Program. We assist refugees and internally displaced persons due to regional conflicts. Our programs address acute malnutrition, provide free quality health care for children, and improve livelihoods through unconditional cash transfers to vulnerable households to assist them to meet basic needs. We also provide cash-for-work activities to support households while restoring community infrastructure damaged by the conflict. We establish safe spaces for women and girls to receive psychosocial support, learn ways to mitigate gender based violence, and gain practical skills to foster independence and self-sufficiency.