Under the auspices of the WCO-INAMA project, the WCO supported the Customs Administration of Cameroon to effectively combat the illicit trade of endangered species protected by the Washington Convention also known as the Cites Convention in the framework of a mission which took place from 7 to 11 August 2017.

The mission included numerous consultations with Customs units operating in the area of enforcement (Risk Management, surveillance units…) as well as thorough discussions with the Modernization committee and the relevant support services (Internal Audit, HR…). Visits to the major Customs posts (Douala Port and Yaoundé airport) were also undertaken to assess the operational capacity of Customs to effectively implement the Cites Convention.

During this mission, the WCO and the Customs Administration of Cameroon managed to develop a roadmap in order to build on the strengths of the Administration as well as bridge the gaps identified.

The Director General of Customs Administration, Mr. Fongod, reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to combat illicit wildlife trade as it is a major national concern and thanked the WCO for its continued support in this area and others.

The focal point of the INAMA Project in Cameroon, Lt. Njoya, particularly thanked the WCO experts for their participatory and inclusive approach to the drafting of the roadmap as he indicated that this methodology will greatly contribute to the ownership of the activities foreseen in the roadmap.

The INAMA project is funded by the CITES Secretariat, GiZ, the government of Sweden and the US Department of State. This particular activity was sponsored by Sweden.

For more information about the INAMA Project, please contact the WCO-INAMA Project Manager, Mr. Marco Foddi (marco.foddi@wcoomd.org) .