The Cameroonian government has partnered with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Arab Bank to launch a new initiative aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Private Sector Support Operation (OSSP) will provide funding and training to SMEs in six regions of Cameroon: the Far North, West, Center, Southwest, Littoral, and Northwest. The initiative will focus on supporting women and youth entrepreneurs involved in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, fishing, farming, animal rearing, and food processing.
During the launch of the project’s first phase in the Littoral region, Governor Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua encouraged participants to take advantage of this opportunity to contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Isaac Tamba, the national coordinator of the OSSP project, emphasized the importance of strengthening startups and small-scale producers to create jobs and boost the economy. He also highlighted the project’s focus on regions that have been particularly affected by social tensions and economic shocks.
Martin Hart-Hansen, the deputy resident representative of UNDP Cameroon, noted that the operation aims to not only help entrepreneurs recover but also to drive Cameroon’s economic development through job creation and achieve sustainable development goals.
In the coming months, the project will begin accepting applications from eligible beneficiaries, who will join the government’s efforts to foster inclusive economic growth in Cameroon.
HENRY WANA
