The Ministry of Social Affairs and the UN Agency in charge of the food programme signed a memorandum of understanding on March 22, 2024, in Yaounde.
It is a significant milestone in the World Food Programme’s partnership with the government of Cameroon, as the two entities signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday, 22nd of March 2024 in Yaounde.
The partnership agreement was sealed between Social Affairs Minister, Pauline Irene Nguene and country representative of World Food Programme, Wanja Kaaria.
Reaching out to marginalized groups
Speaking on behalf of the World Food Programme, Country Representative, Wanja Kaaria said this new collaborative accord comes at a time when her organization is engaged in curbing the needs of vulnerable communities and supports the government in its various actions.
She outlined the fact that this partnership agreement is just the continuation of a long-standing collaboration established with the government throughout a series of ongoing programs that seek to relieve vulnerable groups in humanitarian settings or remote areas.
“More than ever, we are called to effectively respond to the pressing needs of vulnerable people. We must make sure we build strong communities and social systems, including social services that help equip the vulnerable populations with tools required to increase their resilience to a variety of shocks.” Wanja Kaaria said.
Pauline Irene Nguene, Minister of Social Affairs, on her part, said this agreement is highly welcomed as it will be an effective response to the multidimensional needs of marginalized communities as observed on the field.
Taking stock of the numerous activities achieved by WFP on the field, she praised this new collaboration that will be of benefit to marginalized groups.
Madam Nguene went further to express government’s will to see an extension of the MoU and new partnership agreements addressed to target groups such as those children and girls living with disabilities.
It was disclosed during the signing ceremony that WFP and MINAS have put in place an annual plan of action for 2024 with a total budget of 107.587.898 FCFA. That is 81.114.748 FCFA for the World Food Programme and 26.473.150 FCFA for the Ministry of Social Affairs.
This information was highlighted in a presentation by Henri Nyambi III Dikosso, Technical Adviser number 1 and Coordinator of the RESUC project at the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Stakes of the partnership
Since 2022, the two structures have worked together to operationalize the unified social registry (register unifié social au Cameroun-RESUC), aimed at assisting the government, humanitarian and development actors to implement social assistance programmes and projects effectively and efficiently.
Through this agreement, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Agency, and the Ministry of Social Affairs, MINAS will strengthen collaboration to design and deliver inclusive social assistance, placing marginalized groups at the heart of their work.
Via this newly signed memorandum of understanding, MoU, the World Food Programme, WFP which embarked on the field of social protection in Cameroon, is setting the pace for technical and financial assistance.
According to provisions of the MoU, the UN’s agency food programme and MINAS are expected to collaboratively achieve some key objectives as stated in their partnership accord.
In objective number 1, WFP facilitates South-South and Triangular cooperation for the government of Cameroon through direct exchange of knowledge, experiences, skills, resources, and technical know-how to support the expansion and coordination of Cameroon’s social protection system.
In objective number 2, it is stated that accountability to affected populations is mainstreamed through information, provision, consultation, and the establishment and efficient management of a grievance redress and feedback mechanism for the Unified Social Registry.
In objective number 3, MINAS’ capacity is strengthened to coordinate, design, deliver, monitor, and evaluate inclusive social assistance through digital cash transfers, taking into account the varied vulnerabilities of those supported through MINAS and partners’ mandates.
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