A study was launched in 2019 in collaboration between the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA) of Cameroon and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in order to propose measures and mechanisms for the effective implementation of the National Program for the Development of the Social Economy (PNDES). The findings of the study were discussed and validated in a validation workshop held in April 2021.

As a result of the process, the report “Assessment of the needs of social economy units and identification of priority value chains for the creation of decent jobs in Cameroon” has been published in December 2021. The report contributes to the operationalization of the PNDES through, among others, its in-depth analysis of priority value chains, the identification of precise needs of social economy organizations, and its specific recommendations .

The approach based on the identification of priority value chains aims to support the Government of Cameroon's efforts to release the potential of the social economy to achieve strong, sustainable economic growth whose benefits are equitably distributed among its population.

The study is the latest development of a series of initiatives which are contributing to a more conducive environment for social economy development in the country. They include the adoption of a regulatory framework and policy provisions such as the framework law No. 2019/004 governing the social economy in Cameroon and the decree No. 2020/0001 on the structuring and operation of the network of social economy units. Moreover, this approach echoes the recent decision of the ILO Governing Body in March 2021 to include an item on the agenda of the 2022 International Labour Conference a general discussion item on "The social and solidarity economy and decent work".

The ILO and MINPMEESA will continue to work together to define new joint actions to accompany the promotion and support of social economy ecosystems in Cameroun.

The report in French is available here.

For more information on the ILO's work on SSE, see here .