Political Risk:
Very High
Score:
20/100
Defence and Security Policy and Policy Transparency
Q1
42/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
View Question
Articles 16, 18, 26, 29, 30 and 35 (1) of the Constitution of 1996 give the National Assembly and the Senate (Parliament) the power…
Explore
Although the Anti-Terrorism Law of December 2014 was hotly debated by the Opposition as it feared that it would be used to witch-hunt members…
Explore
A delegate of the Ministry of Defence who is usually a civilian usually presents the budget of the Ministry of Defence. However, during sessions,…
Explore
Q2
13/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
View Question
The National Defence and Security Committee of the Senate is headed by Senator Bell Luc René. This Committee was constituted during a plenary session…
Explore
The National Defence and Security Committee is headed by Senator Bell Luc René [1]. He was formerly the Delegate General of National Security. He…
Explore
The National Defence and Security Committee in the Senate was constituted on May 7, 2018 and in theory looks into matters of national defence,…
Explore
The National Defence and Security Committee in the Senate was constituted on May 7, 2018 and in theory looks into matters of national defence,…
Explore
The Parliamentary Defence Committee conducts enquiries on the ground, e.g. visits to military schools and police academies, and sends questions to the defence and…
Explore
There is no information available to show any parliamentary defence committee’s investigations nor is there any evidence of institutional changes made as a result…
Explore
Q3
0/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
View Question
The National Defence Policy and the National Security Strategy are considered to be state secrets, meant only for the top ranking military officials at…
Explore
The National Defence Policy and the National Security Strategy are considered to be state secrets, meant only for the top ranking military officials at…
Explore
The National Defence Policy and the National Security Strategy are considered to be state secrets, meant only for the top ranking military officials at…
Explore
The National Defence Policy and the National Security Strategy are considered to be state secrets, meant only for the top ranking military officials at…
Explore
Q4
17/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
View Question
Although the media over the years have faced press censorship which has made it difficult for practitioners to carry out their social duty of…
Explore
The 1990 Liberty Law allows the possibility of CSOs operating within the country. However, CSOs suffer reprisals from the government through terrorism charges, bans…
Explore
In some cases, the milltary and CSOs have started working together in the area of training. These CSOs have been supported by the government.…
Explore
Q5
63/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
View Question
On 10th December 2003, the Government of Cameroon signed the UNCAC. This Convention was later ratified, on 6th Febraury 2006 [1]. Cameroon is not…
Explore
According to the review of the implementation of the UNCAC. Cameroon has complied with some of the provisions of the UNCAC [1]. The following…
Explore
Q6
25/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
View Question
Public debate about defence issues has increased with the advent of the Boko Haram conflict and the Anglophone Crisis [1] [2], despite frequent threats…
Explore
The Government of Cameroon engages with the public on issues of defence. The Minister of Communication usually holds press conferences and briefings on salient…
Explore
Q7
63/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
View Question
In 2010, the Government of Cameroon elaborated a National Strategy to Fight Corruption that had been established by Decree No. 2006/088 (in French) on…
Explore
The National Anti-Corruption Commission stated in its assessment report of 2014-2016 that the defence and security sectors are included in its National Strategy to…
Explore
Q8
33/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
View Question
The Ministry of Defence has an anti-corruption unit which oversees issues of corruption at the level of the ministerial department [1]. The country has…
Explore
Although there are several mechanisms for countering corruption in the country, the defence and security institutions are not usually subjected to oversight and independent…
Explore
According to the United States Department of State and a senior military officer at the Ministry of Defence, there are mechanisms, including SEMIL and…
Explore
Q9
NS/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
View Question
This indicator is not assigned a score in the GDI. About 56% of Cameroonians believe that the police sector is the most corrupt in…
Explore
Q10
0/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
View Question
No systematic assessment has been carried out of corruption risks for the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces personnel, but it is believed that…
Explore
There is no information to indicate that regular and consistent assessments are conducted. Investigations are only carried out when there has been a reported…
Explore
Risk assessments are not regularly conducted [1]. Thus, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore
Defence Budgets
Q11
0/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
View Question
Defence purchases are not publicly known [1]. The laws governing procurement including PPPs in Cameroon are currently governed by Law No. 2006/012 of 29…
Explore
Because there is no process for acquisition planning, this indicator is marked Not Applicable.
Explore
Because there is no process for acquisition planning, this indicator is marked Not Applicable.
Explore
Q12
75/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
View Question
The 2018 Budget Law provides only highly aggregated figures, and does not include any breakdown across functions (i.e. personnel [salaries, allowances], military R&D, training,…
Explore
The budget is submitted in November while the fiscal year starts in July. The budget is submitted in advance for review. Before the Minister…
Explore
Q13
0/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
View Question
The National Defence and Security Committee is responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis. Although a National Defence and Security Committee does exist within…
Explore
According to the most recent Open Budget Survey (Jan 2018), the “legislative committees do not examine and publish reports on their analyses of the…
Explore
Q14
8/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
View Question
The budget is published in the National Gazette and on the website of the Presidency of the Republic, which is accessible to the public,…
Explore
Most areas of the defence budget are not publicly available. While the approved budget is made available, it is published in a highly aggregated…
Explore
The Open Budget Survey has given Cameroon a score of 7/100 on budget transparency, noting that scant budget information is provided to the public…
Explore
Q15
0/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
View Question
Funds for the military mainly come from the central government [1]. Other sources of income come from bilateral cooperation. Cameroon receives military support from…
Explore
There is no evidence of institutional scrutiny of non-central government sources of funding [1]. According to the Open Budget Survey (Jan 2018), the most…
Explore
There is no evidence of public scrutiny of funding that is not from central government. According to the Open Budget Survey (Jan 2018), the…
Explore
Q16
0/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
View Question
According to the Open Budget Survey (Jan 2018) “The legislature and supreme audit institution in Cameroon provide weak oversight of the budget” [1]. There…
Explore
There is no evidence that an internal audit process exists within the defence ministry [1]. Therefore, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore
There is no evidence that an internal audit process exists within the defence ministry [1]. Therefore, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore
There is no evidence that an internal audit process exists within the defence ministry [1]. Therefore, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore
Q17
0/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
View Question
The Ministry of the Supreme State Audit is mandated to carry out external audits of government ministries [1]. However, according to the Open Budget…
Explore
The Appropriation Committee, which is in charge of controlling the budget of the different ministries at the National Assembly, does not have access to…
Explore
The Appropriation Committee, which is in charge of controlling the budget of the different ministries at the National Assembly, does not have access to…
Explore
The Appropriation Committee, which is in charge of controlling the budget of the different ministries at the National Assembly, does not have access to…
Explore
Nexus of Defence and National Assets
Q18
15/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
View Question
There is no evidence of any law that prohibits defence institutions from getting involved in any business transaction.
Explore
According to the Japan Times, “The local press says the Cameroonian elite — including generals, colonels, lawmakers, ministers and a nephew of President Paul…
Explore
According to the Japan Times, “The local press says the Cameroonian elite — including generals, colonels, lawmakers, ministers and a nephew of President Paul…
Explore
According to the Japan Times, “The local press says the Cameroonian elite — including generals, colonels, lawmakers, ministers and a nephew of President Paul…
Explore
There are no mechanisms put in place to scrutinise such interests [1] [2].
Explore
Organised Crime
Q19
25/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
View Question
According to both a senior officer at the Ministry of Defence and the U.S. State Department, gendarmerie officers have been involved in organised crime.…
Explore
According to a report at Camer.be, “The Minist[er] of Defense, Beti Assomo[,] now starts like a missile to hunt down the corrupt. [‘]We must…
Explore
Q20
33/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
View Question
Both the military and the police have units charged with the investigation of organised crime [1]. Law No. 2017/012 of 12 July 2017 lays…
Explore
The policing units in the defence and security sectors are not independent, as they fall under the authority of tthe Ministry of Defence and…
Explore
According to the US State Department Human Rights report (2017), some steps have been taken to hold police officers accountable for corruption and abuse…
Explore
Control of Intelligence Services
Q21
0/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
View Question
In Cameroon, there is no Special Commission which serves as watchdog of the activities of the intelligence services. There is also no legal space…
Explore
In Cameroon, there is no Special Commission which serves as watchdog of the activities of intelligence services. There is also no legal space for…
Explore
Q22
0/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
View Question
Generally, recruitment into the military, police and gendamerie is characterised by some level of nepotism. In the same manner, though appointments and promotions to…
Explore
As a result of the patron-client relationship that often exists between the President of the Republic, who is also Chief of the Armed Forces,…
Explore
This is done at the discretion of the Head of State and there are no mechanisms in place to determine the credibility of the…
Explore
Export Controls
Q23
50/100
Does the government have a well-scrutinised process for arms export decisions that aligns with Articles 7.1.iv, 11.5, and 15.6 of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?
View Question
Cameroon signed the Arms Trade Treaty in December 2014 and ratified it in June 2018 [1] [2].
Explore
This indicator has not been assigned a score due to insufficient information or evidence.
Explore
Data from the Stockholm International Research Institute between 2017-2018 suggest that Cameroon is not an arms exporter [1] [2]. It imports arms, from several…
Explore
Lobbying in Defence
Cameroon has no framework for regulating lobbying activity.
Explore
Cameroon has no framework for regulating lobbying activity. Therefore, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore
Cameroon has no framework for regulating lobbying activity. Therefore, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore
Cameroon has no framework for regulating lobbying activity. Therefore, this indicator has been marked Not Applicable.
Explore