To Assure Continuity, Sustainability

“SWEDD project aligns with President Paul Biya’s vision and the 2035 national development strategy centered on the key pillars of human capital development and the improvement of wellbeing,” commented Alamine Ousmane Mey, the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT. 
In his capacity as SWEDD Project Steering Committee Chair, Minister Mey spoke in Yaounde on Thursday, May 15, 2025. At a ceremony organized by the Sahel Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend in Sub-Saharan Africa, SWEDD project. The event saw the handover of equipment and rolling stock by the project - through Alamine Ousmane Mey - to the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education and the Ministry of Public Health. 

Crucial Role Of Partners 
Present were several cabinet ministers, heads of United Nations agencies and a representative of the World Bank. There was also Dr Justin Koffi, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA Cameroon and Nadine Perrault, the Country Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF Cameroon. As well as Dr Mbah Ngami Alphonse Glory, SWEDD Project Cameroon National Coordinator.

Development Indicators Attained 
“The results of the second phase of the project are quite encouraging to beneficiary women and girls in terms of education, training, health, care of the girl child, the protection of girls against gender-based violence, socio-economic support of women and girls in the three Northern regions of Cameroon (Far North, North and Adamawa)… Some 80 per cent of the 16 billion FCFA funding was disbursed, achieving almost 90 per cent of development objectives and 80 per cent of project indicators,” Mr. Mey noted.

Womenfolk, Underprivileged 
He recalled that with the support of the World Bank Group, Cameroon in 2021 joined SWEDD the project in its second phase – after it had earlier begun in some West African countries. “I take this opportunity to thank partner ministries – Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Public Health, Youth and Civic Education, Basic education… - for their role in ensuring the success of the project. It is a great pleasure for us handing over equipment and rolling stock to two ministries to continue the work already started by the project. The donation includes ambulances, refrigerated trucks, mobile clinic vans, awareness-raising vans… to support female folk and the underprivileged in the Far North, North and Adamawa regions,” Minister Alamine said. 

Multifaceted Support 
“We are so grateful to partners – the World Bank Group, the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF – for their financial, material and technical support. We hope that Cameroon will be included in the third phase of SWEDD, to be known as SWEDD+,” Minister Alamine expressed hope. 

Over 700,000 Beneficiaries  
“One of the main pillars of Cameroon’s national development strategy is the development of human capital – the socio-economic upliftment of the vulnerable, particularly women and girls. The support of the World Bank enabled the project to keep girls in school, empower girls economically, protect them against early, unwanted pregnancies and school dropout. Over 700,000 people benefitted from the project,” Minister Alamine Ousmane disclosed. 

For Continuity 
“We handed over rolling stock to the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education and the Ministry of Public Health. They will continue the work of the project by using the donated equ...