This is the leitmotif of the presentation ceremony chaired by the Minister of Forests and Wildlife, Jules Doret Ndongo on Thursday March 27, 2024 at the Hilton hotel in Yaoundé in the presence of the incoming WWF country director and his outgoing predecessor.
The Code of Ethics and Deontology in question is a guide to good conduct aimed at promoting honest behavior, team spirit and a sense of discipline among water and forestry personnel serving in Protected Areas. The conservation and sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources have been a priority for the Cameroonian government for several decades. “A legal and institutional framework has been put in place. without being exhaustive, we can cite the forest policy of 1993, the forest law of 1994 and its implementing texts which govern the management of forest and wildlife heritage in Cameroon,” indicated Minfof.
Also, with the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) in Montreal on biodiversity, States made strong commitments to conservation, especially in the face of the effects of climate change.
This code was the subject of examination by the sectors of the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife after consultation with the main officials responsible for its implementation, in this case the Conservators. For the new director of WWF “it is important to remind eco guards to respect human rights and those of indigenous populations in biodiversity conservation activities. This code reminds eco guards of their responsibilities in protecting forests and wildlife. It also contains a set of dissuasive but also incentive provisions which will reward those who will shine through their good behavior with regard to human rights in the accomplishment of their missions. »
For the minister delegate to the injustice, Jean Dedieu Momo, it will be important to make a distinction between poachers and indigenous populations who live from hunting or gathering, without forgetting the principle of self-defense of eco guards in the face of heavily armed poachers. armed.
Remember that Minfof had signed an MoU with Mindef as part of supporting eco guards to deal with cross-border poaching by providing a response proportional to the threat weighing on our protected areas.
Marcelle Ebanda (Stg)
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