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Neoliberalism and Development in Cameroon

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Neoliberalism and Structural adjustment programs in Cameroon.Privatizations from agricultural to electricity sectors.
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Neoliberalism and Structural adjustment programs in Cameroon : Privatizations from agricultural to electricity sectors. Soraya Fouda Carleton University Department of Political Science April 12 th ,2012. Abstract Decades of neoliberal policies in Cameroon have negatively affected the economic and social development goals set at the independence in 1960. The article is an attempt to explain how Structural adjustment Programs’ privatization policies in the country have damaged major sector of the economy such as agriculture or power energy; but also major social sectors. The article will focus on privatizations of agriculture and electricity, with an analysis of the effects those privatizations have on the developmental agenda. Key words : Structural adjustment programs, economic development, social development, privatization, corruption.
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Page 1: Neoliberalism and Development in Cameroon

             

 

 

 

Neoliberalism  and  Structural  adjustment  programs  in  Cameroon  :  

Privatizations  from  agricultural    to  electricity  sectors.  

 

 

Soraya  Fouda  

Carleton  University  

Department  of  Political  Science  

April  12th  ,2012.  

 

Abstract    

Decades  of  neo-­liberal  policies  in  Cameroon  have  negatively  affected  the  economic  and  social  

development  goals  set  at  the  independence  in  1960.  The  article  is  an  attempt  to  explain  how  

Structural   adjustment   Programs’   privatization   policies   in   the   country   have   damaged  major  

sector  of  the  economy  such  as  agriculture  or  power  energy;  but  also  major  social  sectors.  The  

article  will  focus  on  privatizations  of  agriculture  and  electricity,  with  an  analysis  of    the  effects  

those  privatizations  have  on  the  developmental  agenda.    

 

Key  words   :  Structural  adjustment  programs,  economic  development,  social  development,  

privatization,  corruption.  

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                                     Under  president  Truman,   the  world  started   to   see  development  as  an  escape   to  

underdeveloped  world.   If   one   country  was  underdeveloped,   it  was   the  duty  of  developed  

countries  to  help  them.  The  world  become  split  in  two;  developed  versus  underdeveloped.    

In   1980’s   the   neo-­‐liberal   approach   of   the   market   became   the   obvious   solution   to   bring  

those  countries  out  of  poverty;  and  like  many  others   ‘underdeveloped’  nations,  Cameroon  

did  not  escape   its  applications.  The  Bretton  Woods   institutions’,   the  World  Bank  and  IMF  

implemented  the  Washington  consensus  with  Structural  adjustment  Programs;  neo-­‐liberal  

policy   agenda  of   reforms  poor   countries   should   apply   to   growth   their   economy.  From   its  

implementation   in   1987   in   Cameroon   until   today,   neo-­liberal   policies   of   the   Washington  

consensus  have  been  a   failure.    What  are   the  consequences  of  such   failure   to   the  economy  

and  the  population?  This  is  the  question  this  article  will  attempt  to  answer.    

Two  of  the  mains  sectors  that  undertook  reforms  are  going  to  be  discussed  to  understand  

the   dynamic   of   the   second   Structural   adjustment   Program   implementation   in   Cameroon  

and  its  developmental  policy.    The  first  one  was  the  liberalization  of  the  economy  and  the  

main  economic  sectors  that  are  agriculture  and  oil;  but  the  focus  on  this  paper  will  solely  

based   on   agriculture.   The   second   one   is   poverty   alleviation   and   growth   promotion   by  

strengthening  the  supply  and  quality  of  essentials  social  services  such  as  education,  health  

etc.  through  the  liberalization  of  those  sectors,  Finally,  the  privatization  and  reforms  of  the  

energy  sector  with  a  specific  focus  on  electricity  (  IMF  report  7  )  .    

 

                       

 

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                       The  developmental  state  has  two  components;  one  is  ideological  and  the  other  one  is  

structural.   In   terms   of   ideology,   the   developmental   state’s   primary   mission   is   to   ensure  

economic  development,  usually  through  high  rates  of  accumulation  and  industrialization  

(Mkandawire  2).  The  state  has  the  ideology  that  it  has  to  economically  develop  the  nation.  

The  Cameroonian  state  did  it  after  the  independence;  the  new  government  had  the  ideology  

to   develop   the   state   and   create   high   rates   of   accumulation.   At   the   structural   level,   state  

structure   is   at   the   chore   of   this   aspect   of   developmental   state.   It   means   that   the   state  

emphasizes  the  capacity  to  implement  those  economic  policies  effectively.    The  capacity  of  

the   state   to   implement   those   policies   depends   on   various   institutional,   technical,  

administrative  and  political   factors  (Mkandawire  2).  The  state  should  be  a  strong  state   in  

order  to  succeed  into  implementing  those  policies.    

It   is   important   to   understand   in   the   developmental   state   theory   the   factors   that   have  

accounted   for   success   can   also   be   the   same   reason   for   economic   failure.   This   is   what  

happened  in  Cameroon,  where  its  performances  until  the  mid-­‐  1980’s  would  have  qualified  

it   as   a  developmental   state  until   the   economic   crisis   of  1985-­‐86  when   it   became  an  anti-­‐

developmental  state.  Another  important  point  to  understand  with  the  developmental  state  

is   the   idea   of   nationalism.   The   inducted   nation   has   for   a   goal   to   “catch   up”   with   more  

advanced   economies   (Mkandawire   3   );   that   was   the   idea   behind   the   whole   nationalist  

movement  in  Africa  after  Independence.  In  the  case  of  Cameroon,  nationalism  also  brought  

nationalization  of  all  major  economic  sectors.    

To   follow   the   idea   of   developmental   state   both   ideologically   and   structurally,   after   the  

independence,   the   Cameroonian   state   performed   very   well   economically   from   1961   to  

1985,  with  agriculture  supporting  the  economy.  The  country’s  economy  was  well  managed  

and  had  one  of   the  highest  per   capita   incomes   in   sub-­‐Saharan  Africa   (Amin  6).  The  main  

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objective  of  the  development  policies  of  the  state  was  a  5  years  plan  to  integrate  politically  

and  economically  all  regions  and  to  improve  the  standard  of  living  of  the  population  

 (Amin  12).  Policy  makers  were  focused  on  doubling  the  per  capita  incomes  and  reduce  the  

social  and  economic  inequalities.  During  that  time,  there  was  an  increase  in  the  government  

revenue   as   well   as   in   salaries.   The   government   adopted   a   welfare-­‐state/interventionist  

approach  to  its  policies  and  extensively  intervenes  in  the  economy;  the  prices  of  goods  and  

services   were   regulated,   as   well   as   public   industries   and   agricultural   inputs   were  

subsidized  (Amin  13).  The  creations  of  many  public  enterprises  underline   the  dynamic  of  

protectionism  in  the  country.  Nevertheless,  in  the  mid  1980’s,  after  more  than  two  decades  

of  rapid  economic  growth,   the  economy  collapsed.  This  was  partly  because  a   fall   in  world  

prices  for  its  main  export  commodities  and  poor  domestic  management  (  Amin  7)  .  

       One  of  the  main  exported  commodities  was  agriculture  with  cocoa  and  coffee  as  well  as  

bananas  and  rubber.  As  a   solution   to   the  crisis,   the  government  decided   to  become  more  

involved  in  the  economy.  The  state  concentrated  on  expanding  more  the  public  sector  and  

the  government  became  more  and  more  interventionist  in  transportations,  general  services  

such  as  electricity  and  water  were  nationalized  (  Amin  7  ).The  state  gained  more  control  of    

industries  such  as    their  dominant  economical  sector  agriculture  .  Agriculture  accounted  for  

almost  34%  of  the  GDP  and  employed  80%  of  the  labor  forces  and  providing  85%of  export  

from  1961   to  1985   (Amin  5).   Considering   the  data   at   that   time  and   the   expansion  of   the  

agricultural  sector  and  discovery  of  oil,  the  government  encouraging  private  sector  capital  

investment   to   invest,   the   country   had   all   the   pre-­‐conditions   for   an   economic   take   off  

(Rostow  6);  Indeed,  the  “prices  drop”  in  the  main  agricultural  goods  by  almost  60%    

(Awung  &  Atanga  2)  Cameroon  was  exporting  was  a  major  issue  for  the  economy.    

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After   1985,   the   economy   became   stagnant;   Food   production   grew  while   the   export   crop  

production  declined.  With  its  main  economic  sector  affected  and  declining,  the  state  began  

to   be   in   a   very   sensitive   economical   situation;   hence   by   1986,   the   government   started  

internal   adjustment,   including   measures   in   the   areas   of   prices   policies   and   institutions.    

They   launched  an  austerity  program  in  1987;   the  World  Bank  and  the  Cameroonian  state  

started  to  considered  Structural  adjustment  programs  as  a  way  to  recreate  growth  and  re-­‐

launched  the  economy  through  neo-­‐liberalism.    

 

               Neo-­‐liberalism  is  rooted   in   the  notion  that   there   is  only  one  body  of  economic  theory  

with  universally   applicable   concept.  Neoliberals  believe  private  producers   consumers  are  

pre-­‐supposed   to   be   utility   and   profit   “maximizers”   who   respond   rationally   to   correct  

market  signal.  They  assert  market  will  produce  rationale  behaviors   that  efficiently   reflect  

market  signals  based  on  the  principles  of  scarcity  and  choices.  Neo-­‐  liberals  find  important  

to   consider   the   historical   background   but   their   theorical   construct   also   examine  

government   and   states,   as   they   exist   in   practice   with   all   their   various   imperfections  

highlighted   (Brohman   7)   .Neo   –liberalism   theory   agenda   is   based   on   principles   of   free  

markets,  economic  liberalization  and  open  market;  it  is  one  of  the  reason  they  are  looking  

closely  to  states  and  governments’  flaws.    

The  Neo-­‐  liberalist  development  agenda  started  in  the  early  1980’s  with  the  Bretton  Woods  

agreement   alongside   the   Reagan-­‐   Thatcher   era.   Bretton   Woods’s   institutions   and   the  

Washington   consensus  with  powerful   organizations   such  as   the  World  Bank  and   the   IMF  

decided   on   an   agenda   to   promote   liberalism   in   third   world   countries.   IMF   has   different  

programs  they  implemented  in  developing  countries  to  stimulate  growth  (Hutchful  10);  but  

it   was   really   through   Structural   adjustment   Programs   that   the   IMF   and   the  World   Bank  

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introduced  neo-­‐liberalism   to  Africa.  Underdeveloped  nations,   in   the   face   of   the   economic  

crisis  of  the  mid  1980’s  started  to  turn  to  the  IMF  and  World  Bank  to  lend  money  to  create  

again  a  cycle  of  growth  in  their  economy.  The  argument  of  the  Washington  consensus  and  

the   economic   powers   behind   Bretton   Woods’s   institutions   was   that   a   “laissez-­‐faire”  

capitalism  was  necessary   for  a  broader  political  and  social   freedom  (Broham  17).    Hence,  

IMF   and   the   World   Bank   started   economic   programs   in   Africa;   one   of   the   IMF   main  

objectives  was  to  incorporated  trade  policies,  public  sector  reforms,  deregulation,  external  

liberalization,   emergence   of   monetary   government,   and   rollback   of   the   state   to   Africans  

countries  (Hutchful  7).  But,  those  lenders  did  not  allocate  the  money  without  conditionality;  

starting  1981,  borrowers   countries  were   required   to   implement  adjustment  policies  with  

certain  conditions.    

                   With   all   the   neo-­‐liberals   reforms   in   the   continent   and   the   economic   crisis,   the  

Cameroonian   state   decided   with   the   IMF   in   1989   to   implement   Structural   Adjustments  

Programs   (SAPs)   with   150   millions   dollars   loan   from   the   IMF   (Awung   &   Atanga   17).  

Conditions   to   the   SAPs   were   reforms   involving   the   preparation   and   implementation   of  

poverty  reduction,  the  maintenance  of  a  stable  macro-­‐economic  environment,  the  set  up  of  

mechanisms   to   ensure   efficient   and   transparent   use   of   interim   debt   reliefs   and  

strengthening   public   expenditures   and  management   (Awung   &   Atanga   19)   .The   issue   of  

poverty   alleviation   started   to   become   of   the  World   Bank’s   preoccupation   in   the   1990’s;  

hence   it   became   one   of   the   conditions   of   the   bank   to   lend  money.     The   bank   strategy   in  

fighting   poverty   relied   heavily   on   redistribution   of   public   expenditures,   rather   than   new  

founding  (Hutchful  16).    

In   2000’s,   Cameroon   reached   the   position   of  Highly   indebted   poor   country   initiative   and  

benefits  from  interim  debt  reliefs  from  its  creditors  previously  accumulated  through  loans  

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from  the  IMF  and  the  World  Bank  in  the  first  phase  of  SAPs  implemented  from  1989-­‐1999.  

Following   the   release   of   its   debt   credit,   the   IMF   implemented   a   second   structural  

adjustment   program   plan   (SAPs   II).   The   main   goals   to   their   medium-­‐term   adjustment  

program  was  to  strengthen  macroeconomics  stability,  to  bring  economy  into  a  sustainable  

development  path  and  to  bring  improve  social  conditions  of  population  and  reduce  poverty  

(IMF  report  3).    Another  mandatory  condition  in  the  second  SAPs  was  the  total  privatization  

of  para-­‐statals  organizations;  that  means  the  state  would  have  to  lose  more  control  of  some  

important  sector  of  the  economy  (e.g.  agriculture)  (Awung  &  Atanga  19).  

With   the   guidance   of   IMF   and   World   Bank,   Cameroon   engaged   itself   in   a   neo-­‐liberalist  

development  policy  for  20  years,  with  recommendation  to  privatize  diverse  economic  and  

social   sectors   such   as   education   but   also   privatize   energy   such   as   water   and   electricity  

companies  SNEC  (  societe  nationale  des  eaux  du  Cameroun)  and  SONEL  (  Societe  nationale  

d’electricité).  (African  Development  Bank  Report  on  Cameroon  9).  

 

                         Public-­‐enterprise  reform  and  private-­‐sector  development  have  been  designed  in  the  

offices  of  the  Bretton  Woods  institutions.  Like  other  structural  adjustment  measures,  they  

have  been  accepted  by  virtually  all  bilateral  donors  and  presented  to  African  governments  

as  the  only  way  forward  to  development  and  economic  growth  (Konings  6)  .  Privatizations  

take   their   roots   in   the   theorical   stream   of   the   liberalism   founded   by   Adam   smith.   The  

central  idea  is  that  even  imperfect,  the  market  is  preferable  to  the  drifts  of  the  public  action  

that  hinders  the  game  of  individual  interests.    

Privatizations   in   Cameroon   began   in   the   late   1980’s   under   the   pressure   of   International  

multilaterals   institutions.   It  has  continued  since  at  a   slow  and  erratic  pace.  Since   the   first  

SAPs  in  1989,  Cameroon  has  undertaken  a  vast  program  of  privatizations  and  restructuring  

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of   state   owned   corporations   and   public-­‐private   enterprises.   In   1995,   the   government   to  

made   a   decision   to   accelerate   the   privatization   program   and   to   extend   its   scope,   by  

including   main   public   utilities   such   as   water,   electricity,   and   telecommunication   etc.  

(Ndzomo  and  Nzongang  2).    

                 Recognizing   that   its  power  sector  needed  to  be  modernize,   the  state  power  company  

SONEL,   the  sole  generator  and  distributor  of  power  needed  to  be  privatized  as   the  World  

Bank  advised  the  government  to  do.   In  the   late  1990’s,  only  452  000  connections  existed,  

leaving   most   of   the   people   in   the   country   without   electricity   (International   Finance  

Corporation  2);  hence  as  a  response,  the  government  adopted  a  power  sector  reforms  with  

the  1998  electricity  sector  Law,  that  set  ground  work  for  privatization  of  SONEL  

 (International  Finance  Corporation  2).      It  is  important  to  underline  that  even  though  there  

was  a  demand  for  more  electricity  from  people,  the  privatization  of  the  company  itself  was  

more  to  comply  to  the  commitments  imposed  by  the  World  Bank  with  SAPs  (Pineau  4).    The  

objectives  of  the  privatization  of  the  electricity  sector  were  standard  goal  of  liberalization/  

privatization  programs  of   the  Bretton  Woods’   institutions;   indeed,   the  only  assessment  of  

SONEL  made  by   the  World  Bank  were   very   general   and   assert   issues   such   as  day   to   day  

management,   lack   of   transparency,   lack   competition   and   weak  ministerial   oversight   and  

high  costs  (Pineau  4)   .  Between  1998  and  2000,  the  government  set  new  electricity  policy  

framework   to   develop   private   involvement   and   competition   under   the   supervision   of  

ARSEL,   the   supervisatory   regulation   agency.   One   law   and   three   decrees   set   the   legal  

framework   of   electricity   sector   in   Cameroon   (Ministry   of   Economy   and   Finance   of  

Cameroon  para  3).  

Five   large   international   companies   initially  expressed   interest   in  SONEL;The  State  owned  

EDF   from   France,   Hydro-­‐   Quebec   from   Canada,   the   American   corporation   AES   ,   South  

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African   ESCOM   and   Spanish   state   owned   ESPENOSA   (Pineau   6).   In   order   to   increase  

attractiveness  of   the  deal   to   investors,   the   government   guaranteed  50  %  of   the  purchase  

price   against   risks   and   other   potential   issues   (IFC   2).   The   transaction   structure   allowed  

56%  of  SONEL  capital  to  be  acquired  by  the  successful  bidder  to  a  transparent  process.  The  

successful  bidder  would  be  granted  20  years  concession  for  the  distribution,  consumption  

and  generation  of  electricity  throughout  the  country;   it  would  also  have  exclusive  right  to  

distribute  and  sell  electricity  to   low  volt  consumers  for  20  years  and  to  medium  and  high  

volt   consumers   for   the   first   5   years.   The   reciprocal   debt   between   SONEL   and   the  

government   would   be   eliminated   and   some   of   SONEL   outstanding   debts   would   be  

transferred   to   the  government   (IFC  2).     In  November  2000,  AES  was   the  only  bidder  and  

acquire   SONEL   for   61   millions   (Pineau   12).   No   further   information   is   available   on   the  

transaction   and   contract   signed   between   the   government   and   AES,   which   is   highly  

problematic  as  there  is  a  clear  lack  of  transparency  (Pineau  7).  

AES  also  has  the  goal  to  build  more  dams  to  allow  a  greater  generation  of  power  throughout  

the  country,  especially  after  the  drought  of  2001  to  2003.  Hence,  they  started  a  project  with  

the   co-­‐financing  of   the  World  Bank   in   the   region  of   Limbé.  The  dam  was   supposed   to  be  

built  in  10  months  for  the  beginning  of  the  rainy  seasons,  but  major  delays  occurred,  as  with  

all  of   their  other  projects   (Pineau  14).To  summarize   the  objectives  of   the  privatization  of  

SONEL  by  the  government  and  the  World  Bank  were  to  use  the  private  sector   investment  

and   benefit   from   its   expertise,   to   improve   service   quality,   to   supply   electricity   at   a  

competitive  price,  to  involve  the  national  private  sector  to  SONEL  capital,  to  fight  the  lack  of  

transparency   and   competitiveness   and   the   state   interference   to   the   day   to   day  

management.    

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       The  power  sector  was  not  the  only  one  to  be  liberalized  and  privatized;  the  agricultural  

sector   restructuration   was   also   one   of   the   main   aims   of   the   World   Bank   with   SAPs.  

Agriculture   is   part   of   a   livelihood   strategy   to   safeguard   family   food   security,   health   and  

education.  Agriculture  is  definitively  the  main  economic  sector  in  the  country,  but  for  rural  

dwellers   also,   it   is   the   backbone   of   their   livelihood.  Men   engage   in   cash-­‐crop   production  

while  women  take  concern  with  food  crop  production  (Fonchingong  3).  The  SAPs  measures  

in  agriculture  was  aimed  to  encourage  the  production  of  cash  crop  production  for  exports  

and  to  generate  more  for  foreign  exchange  and  render  the  country  better  able  to  service  its  

debts   payment   (Fonchingong   3).   Crops   growing   in   the   country   include   banana,   coffee,  

cacao,  plantains  etc.   In  order   to  achieve   these  goals,   the  government  and   the  World  Bank  

decided  to  further  liberalize  the  agricultural  sector.  The  strategy  was  to  improve  the  sector  

competitiveness   and   enhance  productivity  with   a   view   to   strengthening   growth,   increase  

farmers  incomes  and  hence  subsequently  reduce  poverty  (IMF  5).    

 The  government  also  intended  to  improve  basics  infrastructures  to  the  rural  area  as  well  as  

the  quality  of  social  services  deliver  to  them.  In  order  to  improve  the  competitiveness  and  

production  of  the  sector  so  it  could  reach  growth,  the  program  provided  for  the  publication  

of   an   agricultural   policy   statement   (ADB   report   on   Cameroon   21).   The   new   agricultural  

policy   of   the   government   was   based   on   modernization   of   the   sector   institutional  

framework,   the   improvement   of   incentives   framework   and   the   reinforcement   of   actions  

aimed   at   improving   the   competitiveness   of   export   and   quality   of   goods,   especially   in   the  

cacao  and  coffee  sub-­‐sectors  (IMF  7).    To  achieve  these  goals,  the  state  decided  to  continue  

the  decentralization  of  public  administration  and  develop  a  strong  partnership  between  the  

government   and   local   communities.   The  program  started   in  1989/1990  and   continues   in  

1999/2000  until  now  (IMF  5).    

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Structural  adjustment  programs  in  agriculture  include  both  privatization  and  liberalization;  

the  food  crop  development  authority  and  the  Market  food  board  which  had  control  of  cacao  

and  coffee,  were  both  liquidated  along  with  others  developmental  agencies  in  the  process  of  

liberalizing  the  agricultural  sector  (Bamou  and  Masters  7).  The  goals  were  also  to  grow  new  

crops  and  implement  a  variety  of  new  agricultural  techniques.  In  order  to  achieve  that,  the  

public   agricultural   education   system   was   virtually   abandoned   because   of   its   degrading  

facilities  and  weak  staffs  ,  to  private  educational  institutions  that  were  better  equipped  with  

human  and  financial  resources  (Bamou  and  Masters  9).  Liberalization  and  privatization  of  

the  sector  also  meant  liquidation  of  the  public  agricultural  bank;  the  aim  was  to  allow  the  

emergence  of  private  financial  intermediaries  institutions.    

The  agricultural  reforms  engaged  in  the  early  2000  have  and  still  on-­‐going  require  a  total  

withdrawal  of  the  government  in  the  activities.      

 

           Tackling  poverty  was  one  of  the  prominent  goals  of  the  World  Bank  and  they  expected  to  

do  so  through  privatization  and  agricultural  reforms  as  aforementioned.    

Twelve  years  after  the  implementation  of  SAPs  II,  the  assessment  of  the  policies  imposed  by  

the   World   Bank   on   Cameroonian   economy   are   mixed;   if   some   positive   outcomes   did  

occurred,   the  majority  of   the  goals  aimed  at   the  three  objectives  aforementioned  failed  to  

produce  any  kind  of  economic  and  social  growth.  

   It   is  understood  that  privatization  is  effective   if   the  first  private  contractor  assure  all   the  

functions  and  activities  of  the  enterprise  not  explicitly  defined  by  the  state  and  secondly,  if  

the   first   contractor   take   in   charge   financial   costs   linked   to   the   modernization   and  

development   of   the   enterprise   but   also,   if   the   case   arise   the   recorded   financial   losses.    

(Ndzomo   and   Ndzongang   8).   Based   on   those   two   principles,   privatization   of   AES-­‐SONEL  

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was  a  success,  but  in  term  of  the  developmental  agenda  behind  it,  the  consequences  of  this  

neo-­‐liberal   policy   were   disastrous.   Indeed,   since   the   privatization   of   SONEL,   electricity  

issues  in  the  country  have  been  worse  than  what  in  was  13  years  ago.    Power  cuts  persist,  

and   there   is   a   long  way   to  go  before  people   can   stay  with   lights  on  all   the   time.   In  2003,  

following  three  years  of  drought,  there  was  no  water  left  in  the  dams,  causing  the  turbines  

to   stop,   leading   to  black  outs   in  most   of   the   country   lasting   for   several   days.   Since  2001,  

those   events   are   recurring   and   on-­‐going;   people   find   themselves   without   water   and  

electricity  for  days  while  the  bills  keep  on  growing.  Electricity  bills  were  up  by  10%  in  the  

five  years  preceding  the  privatization  of  SONEL  (IRIN    para  3).      

In  order  to  provide  long-­‐term  power  supplies,  AES  is  trying  to  raise  100  millions  dollars  to  

build  more  dams  as  well  as  gases  power  thermals  stations  (IRIN  para  10).  Even  though  the  

numbers  of  connections  have  increase  by  nearly  50%  (IFC  2),  most  of  the  goals  achieve  in  

2001  are  still  not  achieve,  12  years  later.  First,  AES-­‐SONEL  has  failed  to  supply  electricity  at  

a  competitive  prices,  no  competition  take  place  and  prices  increases  at  a  schedule  basis    

(Pineau   17).   Households’   consumers   were   hoping   at   the   time   to   have   better   electricity  

services  at  affordable  prices.  In  terms  of  the  consumers’  goods  and  services  the  World  Bank  

wanted   to   install   by   privatizing   electricity,   it   is   an   enormous   failure.   Secondly,   the  

government   realizes   that   AES   will   not   resolve   the   long-­‐term   issues   of   electricity   in   the  

country  as  they  failed  in  12  years  to  build  more  than  one  dam  (Pineau  15).  Finally,  only  two  

objectives  of   the  government  was  partly   successful;   it  was   to  use  private   investment   and  

benefit  from  its  expertise  and  its  removal  from  day  to  day  management  as  it  only  has  44%  

of   the  shares  (AFD  report  17).   If   the  government  partially  succeeds   in  that  area,   they  and  

the  World  Bank  failed  in  all  of  the  other  goals  as  no  private  national  sector  investors  get  in  

the  deal  with  IMF,  there  is  still  lack  of  transparency  (a  law  was  passed  to  protect  the  lack  of  

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transparency   in   accounting   (Pineau   17)   )   .   In   conclusion,   privatization   of   electricity   in  

Cameroon  brought  higher  consumers  costs  and  poorer  services.;  if  it  failed  to  have  positives  

changes,  it  has  reinforced  patterns  of    patron-­‐clients  relations  (  Konings  7)  .    

                     In  the  sector  of  agriculture,  the  results  were  not  very  different.  Agricultural  reforms  in  

Cameroon   have   created   a   tremendous   amount   of   economical   tensions   within   the  

population.   Those   tensions   can   be   felt   between   urban   and   rural   population   but   also   in  

gender  relations.  After  the  economic  adjustment,  there  is  now  hardly  dividing  line  between  

men   and   women   in   farming.   The   clear   division   of   labor   between   men   who   were  

concentration  on  cash  crops  and  women  on  food  crops  has  now  changed  (Fonchingong  3).    

This   is   the   result   of   the   economic   pressures   brought   with   the   SAPs;   so   now   everybody  

works   on   land   to   ensure   survival   for   them   and   their   family.     Moreover,   the   transfer   of  

technologies   that   was   supposed   to   happen   with   the   liberalization   of   agriculture   hardly  

occurred;   indeed,   in  rural  areas  small   farmers,  most  women  and  men  work   the   land  with  

basic   agricultural   tools.   Hence,   in   rural   areas   women   and   men   are   involved   in   income  

generating  activities  outside  their  home;  they  have  to  leave  rural  areas  to  sell  their  crops  in  

neighboring   urban   areas,   if   there   is   one.   The   issue   is,   because   people   in   urban   areas  

incomes  have  declined,   farmers  can  only  sell   their  crops  at   low-­‐prices   in   the  markets.  So,  

there  are  no  economical  benefits  from  them,  as  they  have  to  pay  their  own  transportation  to  

the  city  and  sell  their  crops  for  less.    This  is  affecting  women  more  than  men,  as  they  have  to  

take  a  better  role  to  provide  a  livelihood  for  their  family  (Fongchingong  4)  ;  it  is  a  failure  for  

the  social  aspect  of   the  development  agenda  the  World  Bank,  as  women  are  economically  

and  socially  under  high  volume  of  pressure,  sometimes  requiring  their  children  to  drop  out  

of  school  to  help  them  work  in  the  land  or  sell  crops.    

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The   agriculture   liberalization   has   also   affected   farmers   in   a   macro   level.   Before  

liberalization,   there   was   the   Food   Crop   market   authority   and   the   National   Produce  

Marketing   Board,   which   had   control   of   cocoa   and   coffee.   Their   liquidation   improved  

average  incentives,  but  for  many  products  and  regions  of  the  country,  there  were  very  few  

traders   available;   So,   for   the   farmers,  marketing   costs   actually   rose.   The   deterioration   of  

local   marketing   conditions   inhibited   farmers’   productions,   which   in   turn   limited   the  

entrances  into  private  settings  to  serve  these  markets  (Bamou  and  Masters  7).      

The   private   educational   agricultural   institution   created   some   improvements’,   but   it   only  

covered  a   limited  range  of  skills  and  it  served  only  certain  regions  of  the  country  (Bamou  

and  Masters  8).  Moreover,  with  the  privatization  of  the  educational  system,  schools  to  skill  

trained  farmers  became  expensive  and  most  of  the  family  cannot  really  afford  to  send  their  

children  or   their  spouse  to  have  a  proper  agricultural  skills   train;  especially   local   farmers  

who  operates  on  a  micro-­‐level  scale.  

Another  big  goal  of  the  World  Bank  in  this  project  was  to  build  roads  to  connect  rural  and  

urban  areas  within  the  countries,  but  to  also  build  roads  connecting  to  other  countries,  so  

that  agriculture  could  benefit  from  sub-­‐regional  competitiveness  by  allowing  farmers  to  sell  

their   crops   to   neighboring   countries   (IMF   report   6).   Unfortunately,   because   neighboring  

countries  are  dependent  on  Cameroonian  crops  such  as  plantain,  farmers  sell  them  at  very  

high  prices,  often  leading  to  the  raise  of  prices  of  those  crops  within  Cameroonian  markets.  

For  example,  the  price  of  a  regime  of  plantains  in  2005  was  2500  CFA  (5  dollars)   ,  now  in  

2012,  it  is  close  to  7500  CFA  (16  dollars).    The  sub-­‐regional  competitiveness  is  a  good  policy  

as   farmers   can   easily   sell   their   crops   outside   of   the   country   to   neighbors,   but   it   is   also  

detrimental  to  Cameroonians  as  more  and  more  local  farmers  can  cross  the  border  to  sell  

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their  crops  in  Gabon  or  Equatorial  Guinea,  neglecting  Cameroonian  consumers  who  do  not  

have  enough  economical  mean  to  pay  the  regime  of  plantains  at  7500  CFA.    

The   reality   of   the   agricultural   sector   in   Cameroon   right   now   is   that   government   has  

abandoned  farmers,  as  they  do  not  have  any  kind  of  economic  or  social  structure  to  dwell  

on  such  as  banks  to  procure  loans  or  educational  system  to  help  them  enhanced  their  skills.  

Moreover,   the   liberalization   of   agriculture   has   created   a   form   of   food   crisis   within   the  

country  as  prices  for  necessity  means  such  as  plantains,  rice,  chicken  etc.  are  way  to  high  for  

the  consumers.  Cameroon  is  the  breadbasket  of  central  Africa  but  yet,  its  own  people  are  no  

longer  able   to  afford   to  eat  well  at  a   reasonable  price,   in   the  name  of  a  neo-­‐liberal  policy  

that  did  not  take  into  account  that  neo-­‐liberalism  is  a  zero-­‐sum  game.    

 

                     

                 The   conclusion  of   this   paper   is   a   clear   critique   of   SAPs   and   the  neo-­‐liberalist   theory  

take  through  a  post  development  theory.   Indeed,  post  developmental  theorists  assert  that  

solution   to   be   found   in   the   ‘contextuality’   of   development   as   a   product   of   particular  

historical   processes.     The   context   of   development   is   constantly   changing   at   a   variety   of  

scales  over  times  and  among  societies  (Brohman  3).  Structural  Adjustment  Programs  have  

proved   to   be   ineffective   both   by   their   policies   implementation   and   also   in   term   of   their  

execution.   There   has   been   empirical   evidence   showing   African   governments   may   sign  

document  initiating  a  neo-­‐liberal  policy  without  intending  to  execute  it  (Konings  6).    

Hence,   even   though   donors   are   able   to   design   and   impose   neo-­‐liberal   policies   through  

structural  adjustment  programs   to  African  governments,   they  appear   to  have   less  control  

over  their  actual  implementation  as  in  the  case  of  Cameroon.  Corruption  and  ethno-­‐regional  

tensions  often   fuel   the   lack  of  proper   implementations  of   those  policies.  Moreover,   in   the  

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case  of  the  privatization  of  SONEL  and  the  other  policies,  it  is  clear  that  the  World  Bank  and  

the   IMF   did   not   take   into   consideration   the   current   and   evolving   environment   in   which  

Cameroon  was.  They  simply  implemented  the  “one  –fit  for  all”  policy  they  created.    

The  failure  of  the  structural  adjustment  programs  in  Africa  and  in  Cameroon,  has  compelled  

the   Bretton   Woods   institutions   to   recognize   the   positive   role   the   state   can   play   in   the  

process  of  development  (  Mkandawire  4)  .In  the  case  of  Cameroon,  certain  sectors  did  not  

need  to  be  totally  liberalize,  because  of  the  social  conditions  at  the  time;  but  it  was  anyways,  

leading  to  an  economic  distraught  in  the  population.  A  situation  in  which,  the  government  

will  have  tremendous  amount  of  difficulty  to  reverse  into  something  positive.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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REFERENCES      

-­‐African  Development  Bank  Group;Cameroon  Structural  adjustment  programme  II:  Project                          performance  evaluation  report;  Operations  evaluation  department;  November                            2002;p  9,21  .Print.    -­‐Amin,A;  An  examination  of  the  sources  of  economic  growth  in  Cameroon;  African  Economic                              Research  Consortium,  Nairobi;  March  2002;  p  5,6,7,12,13.  Print.      -­‐Awung,W  &  Atanga,M;  Economic  crisis  and  multi-­party  in  Cameroon;  Cameroon  Journal  on                                Democracy  and  Human  Rights  ,  vol.5  No.1  ,  June  2011;  p17,19;Print.      -­‐Bamou,E  &  Masters,W;  Distortions  to  agricultural  incentives  in  Cameroon;  working                              paper;2007;p7,8,9.Print.   -Brohman, J ;Universalism, Eurocentrism, and Ideological Bias in Development Studies:

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                     sheet;Web  http://www.fdi.net/documents/WorldBank/databases/plink/factsheets/cameroon.htm   -Nzomo,J  &  Nzongang,  J;THE  PROCESS  OF  PRIVATIZATION  OF  PUBLIC  AND  PARA  PUBLIC                          ENTERPRISES  IN  CAMEROON:  AN  ASSESSMENT;Journal  of  Sustainable  Development  in                        Africa  ,Volume  9,  No.4,  2007;p2,8.  Print.      -­‐Pineau,  P-­‐O;Transparency  in  the  Dark:  An  Assessment  of  the  Cameroonian  Electricity                Sector  Reform  ;  University  of  Victoria,  Vancouver;  August    2004;  p  4,6,7,12,14,16.  Print.  -Rostow,W.W; The  Stages  of  Economic  Growth:  A  Non  Communist  Manifesto;Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1960 ;p,6. Print.  


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