The Place of Cameroon in US Policy toward Central Africa after the Events of September 11 2001

The Oil attraction

US attraction to Cameroon should be understood from a global energy security crisis which obliges great powers to seek new energy sources. According to The Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ), Cameroon has proven oil reserves of 400 million barrels as of January 2005. The majority of Cameroon's reserves are located offshore in the Rio del Rey basin of the Niger Delta. Less significant reserve deposits are located in Douala/Kribi-Camp basins off Cameroon's western coast, and onshore in the northern Logone-Birni basin. With the peaceful resolution of the Bakassi conflict, Cameroon's oil production is expected to rise in the coming years.^140(*) If these oil reserves are added to the 250,000 barrels of Chadian oil pumped through the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project with the terminal in Kribi, US interests in Cameroon after 9/11 will make more sense.

Economic observers agree that greater macro-economic planning and financial accountability would enhance prospects for economic recovery. But this must be associated with privatization of most of Cameroon's remaining non-financial parastatal enterprises; elimination of state marketing board monopolies on the export of cocoa, certain coffees, and cotton; privatization and price competition in the banking sector; implementation of the 1992 labor code; a vastly improved judicial system; and political liberalization to boost investment.

i. Other natural resources

The change of posture toward greater interest in Cameroon could equally be explained by the enormous natural resources of the country. In general, Cameroon's natural resources are suited for agriculture, forestry and industry. Testifying before the Senate as a nominee head of mission for Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, Niels Marquardt described Cameroon as follows: «It boasts a large, well-educated population, a reasonably developed infrastructure on which both it and its neighbors depend, ample natural resources, a strong agricultural base, and considerable environmental treasures.»^141(*) This statement gives a clue of Cameroon's potentials in resources and the invitation those resources give to the US. Soils and climate in the south encourage extensive cultivation of crops such as cocoa, coffee, and bananas. In the north, natural conditions favor crops such as cotton and peanuts.

Cameroonian national territory reserves enormous resources. The southern rain forest has vast timber reserves, but large areas of the forest are difficult to reach. The southern rivers are obstructed by rapid waterfalls which offer these sites opportunities for hydroelectric development. The Wouri River estuary provides a harbor for the country's principal seaport city, Douala. In the north the Benoué River is seasonally navigable from Garoua into Nigeria. Petroleum and natural gas are found offshore, and iron ore in the south near the coast. Northern Cameroon has large deposits of bauxite and limestone. With much unused arable land, abundant energy resources, and one of the best educated populations in Africa, Cameroon has great development potential.

* ¹⁴⁰ The Bakassi conflict was resolved thanks to the efforts of the UN and US, France, Britain and Germany. US involvement in this conflict could be interpreted as intended to have Cameroon regain the oil-rich island so that American firms can secure contracts of exploration and exploitation. Preference for Cameroon could equally be understood from the fact that Nigeria is an OPEC member and would be less-malleable.

* ¹⁴¹ Statement of R. Niels Marquardt, Ambassador-designate to the Republics of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, June 15, 2004. //usinfo.state.gov\xarchives\xmlview.html