(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Alamine Ousmane Mey, on Friday, 31 October 2025, held high-level talks in Yaounde with a delegation from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to review the Bank’s FCFA 427 billion development finance portfolio in the country. The meeting focused on assessing the progress of ongoing projects and strengthening cooperation through Islamic finance instruments aimed at expanding savings and providing accessible credit for national development.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the IsDB’s active FCFA 427 billion investment supports key initiatives including the Basic Education Support Project (PAEBC), the Agricultural Infrastructure and Value Chain Development Project, and the Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Elimination Project. These programmes are designed to boost human capital, increase agricultural productivity, and enhance healthcare access across the country. Discussions also explored new opportunities for inclusive financing to align with Cameroon’s 2030 development vision.
The IsDB delegation, led by Dr Imtiaz Alam, Head of Social Infrastructure Operations, and Dr Ali Hamed Alghamdi from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to ongoing projects. Dr Ali stated, “We are looking forward for more partnership to different donors, so this Lives and Livelihood initiative is one of them. We want to have the smarter financing just to have the ripple effect in our interventions and also avoid duplication.” Minister Mey welcomed the renewed partnership, highlighting its importance in supporting national development priorities and local resilience.
The Islamic Development Bank’s growing engagement in Cameroon forms part of a broader strategy to foster social and economic inclusion across member states through innovative financing. In parallel, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center held talks with the Ministry of Finance to explore new projects in health, water, and education. These partnerships reflect a deepening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Cameroon and Saudi-linked development institutions, reinforcing efforts to drive sustainable growth and human capital investment nationwide.
Mercy Fosoh
