Forestry and Wildlife Minister yesterday signed an agreement with Netherland's SNV organisation.

Cooperation between Cameroon and the Netherlands yesterday entered another phase following the signing of a convention between government, represented by the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Egbe Achuo Hillman and SNV represented by its Director in Cameroon and the Congo basin, Pieter de Baan.

The agreement sets up a strategy framework and an operational collaboration base between the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and SNV as concerns capacity building of services of MINFOF. The agreement lays emphasis on decentralised services of the Ministry particularly as concerns sustainable management of forest resources. In this vein, those to enjoy from the training include: local populations, civil society organisations, councils, and Non Governmental Organisations. Their skills will be developed in the management of natural resources and biodiversity conservation as a purveyor to improving the life of the local population within the framework of government's bid to fight poverty and to develop the rural sector.

SNV has been active in Cameroon for the past 40 years and is known to have started as a voluntary organisation. This role suddenly changed in the 80s when it became an important development partner. Against this backdrop, it has realised a number of projects in collaboration with other development partners. Some of the projects include: the Waza Logone project, Mandara mountain project, biodiversity project in the Benue valley, biodiversity management project in Campo Ma'an and community forestry capacity building project.