Cameroon manages budget priorities and FATF grey list status

Cameroon is facing significant fiscal and regulatory challenges as the government prepares its 2027-2029 budgetary programming. Facing a portfolio of nearly 500 ongoing projects and a funding gap of 8,500 billion FCFA, the government intends to prioritize urgent investments, complete existing works, and limit new debt. Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, emphasized that the upcoming period will require strict prioritization due to a projected financing deficit of 913 billion FCFA in external resource requirements.

Simultaneously, the country is working to exit the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, which it joined in June 2023 due to strategic deficiencies in combating money laundering and terrorism financing. While authorities claim to have reduced the number of required corrective actions from 24 down to seven, the country remains under enhanced surveillance. A crucial meeting with FATF experts in Abidjan is expected to determine Cameroon's financial standing and its ability to reduce credit costs and improve international investor attractiveness.