File photo of school kids washing their hands. The Ministry of Water Resources and Energy (MINEE) and UNICEF in Cameroon officially presented the National Water Policy (PNE) on April 11, 2024. This strategic roadmap aims to ensure sustainable and equitable management of the country's water resources by 2035, addressing water-related challenges such as pollution, increasing demand, and climate change.
The policy focuses on implementing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to ensure holistic management of water resources, considering socio-economic, cultural, and environmental needs. It also aims to improve access to drinking water and sanitation, particularly in rural areas, and strengthen institutional and regulatory capacities to support water management. Additionally, the policy involves investing in water infrastructure and promoting public-private partnerships and decentralization for equitable and sustainable water management.
Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water Resources and Energy, described the National Water Policy as "an essential roadmap to ensure that our water resources fully contribute to Cameroon's socio-economic development while preserving our ecosystems."
Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Representative in Cameroon, emphasized that "access to drinking water and sanitation is fundamental to the well-being of children and communities," and UNICEF is proud to support Cameroon in this initiative.
Cameroon faces significant water-related challenges, including uneven distribution of water resources between north and south regions, climate change limiting water availability, particularly in the north, increasing water demand due to rapid population growth, urbanization, and agricultural intensification, and limited access to drinking water and sanitation, particularly in rural areas.
The Government aims to achieve a sanitation rate of 60% by 2030, with the National Water Policy guiding efforts to ensure equitable access to drinking water and quality sanitation services for all Cameroonians. UNICEF has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government in this endeavor.
It's worth noting that Cameroon has been working on revising its 1998 Water Law to improve water governance, with the support of the Global Water Partnership, Central Africa, and the financial support of the GEF through UNDP and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. This revision aims to address the current water challenges and align with the National Development Strategy 2030 and Cameroon’s Vision 2035.
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