The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP has launched an 8.9 million-dollar project for the sustainability of  protected areas in Cameroon.

Cameroon is the third country in the Central African sub region where the project has been launched after Congo and the Central African Republic.

Launched today during a workshop in Yaounde, the project aims to promote long term sustainable funding of protected areas in Cameroon.

The workshop brought together stakeholders of the sector including government ministries that form part of the National Bureau of protected areas in Cameroon, ONAPCAM.

Participants at the workshop were educated on the project objectives, methodologies and implementation at the national as well as regional level.

For a five-year period, key objectives of the project will be centred on improving on the funding for protected areas in Cameroon as well as the Central African sub region. Thus stakeholders were were schooled on their roles, functions and duties in the effective implementation of this project.

The workshop taking place today, it is hoped, will help facilitate the creation of a platform of stakeholders concerned in the management of protected areas in Cameroon.

Placed under the coordination of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, the project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which has allocated 8.9 million US dollars.