Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285/REV.1 |
S-IV§4.167 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Services |
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4.4.4 Tourism services
4.167. In preparing this report, little information was furnished concerning Cameroon's trade policy in this sector. Cameroon has considerable tourism potential because of its natural and cultural assets, but these are largely unexploited, even though the GESP highlights tourism as a factor for growth. Despite this potential, tourism's contribution to the country's development and, as a knock-on effect, on combating poverty, remains marginal. The constraints which explain the performance of Cameroon's tourism have barely changed over the past seven years, and include the lack of promotional and information efforts, little investment in the sector, and insufficient expertise in the realm of tourism.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285/REV.1 |
S-IV§4.27 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Agriculture |
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4.1.2.3 Palm oil
4.27. Cameroon is currently still a net importer of palm oil. This could soon change: according to the NGO Oakland Institute, in 2009 the American firm Herakles signed a 99-year leasing agreement with the Cameroonian Government for 70,000 hectares of land in the South-West in order to grow palms and produce unrefined and refined palm oil. Several environmental groups have protested about this project, considering that the Government is not respecting the social and environmental criteria provided by law in this project, in particular, consultation of the communities concerned and obtaining their agreement, protection of forested zones with high conservation value, integration of small planters and producers into these intensive farming projects or securitization of land tenure.
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Keywords
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Environment
Forest
Conservation
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.23 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Agriculture |
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4.1.3.2 Market garden produce
(...)
4.23. As part of the "Green Gabon" pillar of the national development plan, the IGAD is implementing the Agricultural Development and Investment Project (PRODIAG). The project will operate primarily in the food crop, market gardening, small-scale livestock breeding and agri-foods processing sectors, through a substantial increase in investment.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.26 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
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4.26. Fishing and fish-farming are still regulated by the Code adopted in 2005. The Code incorporates the objective of sustainable management of the resources concerned. To fish it is necessary to obtain a licence, costing US$800 for foreign-registered vessels. In addition, enterprises that handle fisheries products must obtain technical approval from the Directorate General of Fisheries.
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Keywords
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Fish
Sustainable
Natural resources
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.29 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
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4.29. Deep-sea fishing, involving the exploitation of tuna resources, is practised in the EEZ under bilateral agreements with the European Union and Japan. The last fisheries partnership agreement concluded between Gabon and the EU covered the period from 3 December 2005 to 2 December 2011. It allowed 24 freezer tuna seiners and 16 surface longliners to fish in Gabonese waters, subject to a fishing licence issued by the authorities against payment. The financial contribution was EUR 860,000 a year, of which EUR 715,000 was earmarked for the Gabonese State budget and EUR 145,000 went to support fisheries policy in Gabon. This payment was for annual catches of no more than 11,000 tonnes. If that figure was exceeded, the financial contribution increased by EUR 65 per tonne. Following a decision by the authorities to define more environmentally friendly bases of negotiation in the framework of the "Blue Gabon" strategy, no agreement was signed in 2012. A new agreement is being negotiated, and it is expected to be signed in 2013.
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Keywords
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Fish
Environment
Natural resources
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.29 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
Relevant information
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4.33. In a bid to ensure the sustainable use of resources, Gabon has banned fishing in river mouths and marine parks. In addition, the use of certain types of fishing gear which are not very selective is prohibited. Fishing for prawn and bonga shad (ethmalosa fimbriata) is suspended for three months of each year.
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Keywords
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Fish
Sustainable
Natural resources
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.27 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
Relevant information
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4.27. The Government also has to improve aquaculture, in particular fish farming. Aquaculture production will have to support coastal and marine fishing production. The Government is relying on aquaculture development to encourage the perpetuation of the country's fishery resources.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.28 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
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4.28. The legal and regulatory framework for fisheries in the Congo comprises laws, ordinances, decrees and orders. An analysis of the texts governing the Congolese maritime sector shows that much remains to be done to improve, streamline and optimize regulation so that it dovetails more neatly with the Government's objectives for the sector. Fishing at sea requires an annual fishing licence granted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. The licences are subject to payment of fees depending on the vessel's autonomy. Information on catches is collected with the aim of managing fisheries resources. The Congo has not signed any fishing agreement with any country. Nevertheless, foreign vessels may be authorized to fish in the Congo's territorial waters; because of lack of resources, they are not closely monitored.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.29 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
Relevant information
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4.29. Since 14 June 2010 the Congolese State has defined the conditions governing the exploitation, conservation and management of biological resources in the coastal waters under its jurisdiction together with any associated activities (among others). The law lays down the various taxes that apply to coastal fishing and aquaculture operations, and provides for penalties for violations. Additionally, Orders Nos. 9102 MPA-CAB and 5060 MPA/MDMM, Decrees Nos. 2011 320, 2011 318 and 2011 319 from the same period, bolster the drive for organizational improvements to operations in the sector.
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Keywords
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Fish
Natural resources
Conservation
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/285 |
S-IV§4.30 |
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2013 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
Relevant information
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4.30. Parallel to the taxes laid down in law there is an extensive, complex system of parafiscal taxes whose origin lies chiefly in institutional regulations issued by administrative entities that have no authority to levy them. This parafiscal system is the work of a large number of actors and/or structures; it applies both to professional small scale marine fishing and to coastal fishing. Moreover, it has considerable impact in small scale marine fishing as shown in the summary of taxes (Table 4.1).
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