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Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea have renewed a transboundary cooperation agreement to jointly manage Campo-Ma’an National Park in Cameroon and Rio Campo National Park in Equatorial Guinea, key biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks. This move is part of broader efforts to protect vital ecosystems while fostering sustainable development in the region.
Campo Ma’an National Park in southern Cameroon spans 2,640 square kilometres (sq km) and is home to 80 mammal species, including endangered elephants, gorillas, and chimpanzees, alongside 302 bird species and over 80 amphibian species. Rio Campo National Park in northwest Equatorial Guinea, covering 330 sq km, is known for its rich Atlantic Coastal Broadleaf Forest, supporting great apes, elephants, and hippos, and has been designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.
Transboundary management of these parks is critical to preserving their rich biodiversity and ensuring the region’s long-term development.
On October 6, a workshop was held in Kribi, Cameroon, bringing together officials from several prominent conservation organisations. Participants discussed finalising a transboundary cooperation agreement, first initiated in 2010 but stalled due to resource constraints.
The event, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), featured contributions from the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Officials from the Central African Forests Commission, the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon, and the National Institute for Forests and Wildlife were also present.
George Neba Akwa, senior programme management officer at UNEP, highlighted the importance of creating “mechanisms and frameworks for transboundary governance” to manage large landscapes and maintain ecological corridors across terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The revised agreement aligns with the UNEP-led sustainable landscape program, which spans six Congo Basin countries and aims to transform the management of transboundary protected areas.
Once the updated agreement is formalised, technical meetings will take place to ensure its smooth implementation, with top officials from both countries expected to endorse the pact.
Lesley Akenji, senior landscape manager at the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), highlighted that AWF will have a pivotal role in the implementation phase. Their support will include combating wildlife trafficking, promoting eco-tourism, and improving local livelihoods.
“AWF’s responsibility is to ensure that such transboundary agreements are implemented in accordance with international standards,” Akenji told this reporter.
The renewed agreement coincides with Cameroon’s new forestry law, which encourages greater involvement of indigenous and local communities in managing protected areas. Memvi Abessolo, landscape manager at Campo Ma’an National Park, highlighted innovations in protected area management, noting stricter sanctions alongside increased opportunities for local community involvement.
“Engaging local populations in wildlife conservation has always been a priority, with plans to create community-managed protected areas. Many activities, such as boundary maintenance, ecological monitoring, and the gorilla habituation programme, are already community-driven. Ongoing negotiations aim to ensure local communities benefit from eco-tourism initiatives,” he told this reporter.
Sabom Mambala, representing the Rio Campo conservation area, echoed these sentiments, emphasising that joint biodiversity management aims to improve living conditions for local populations.
The transboundary pact between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea is the latest in a series of agreements Cameroon has established with its neighbours, aimed at enhancing conservation across the region.
These agreements, according to Professor Zacharie Nzooh of GEF Cameroon, are critical for achieving the effective management of high-conservation-value areas, a key goal for GEF-funded projects.
