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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Balancing Politics, Economics and Conservation: The Case of the Cameroon Forestry Law Reform |
Author: | Ekoko, François |
Year: | 2000 |
Periodical: | Development and Change |
Volume: | 31 |
Issue: | 1 |
Period: | January |
Pages: | 131-154 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Cameroon |
Subjects: | legislation forestry Development and Technology Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Law, Human Rights and Violence Politics and Government Economics and Trade |
External link: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-7660.00149 |
Abstract: | The formulation of Cameroon's 1994 Forestry Law was influenced by the World Bank, the government of Cameroon and French politicians, as well as by logging companies and individual Cameroonian politicians. Their actions were motivated by development objectives, direct material interests and political concerns. However, as the result of a flawed formulation process, conflicting interests and weak government administrative capacity, the law has not been fully implemented. This paper analyses the process of formulation of the 1994 Forestry Law, focusing on the context, issues, actors, tactics and strategies used, as well as the outcomes of the debate. The discussion is divided into three periods: the drafting stage (when the World Bank dominated the process), the debate in the National Assembly (during which political and financial interests became more important), and the period since the passage of the law in 1994 (when conflicting pressures from different groups kept the law from being fully implemented). The analysis suggests that the success of future policies will depend on the willingness of actors to defend their interests, the balance of power at the time, and the ability of the Executive Branch to mediate between the different interests in each case. Bibliogr., notes, sum. |