Stephen Teeuwen
Senior Advisor Environmental and Social Assessment
The transboundary TRIDOM landscape, shared by Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon, is home to an enormous biodiversity. At the same time, the region is under economic development, with large Iron mines being planned in the border areas and linear infrastructure to support this. WWF has requested the NCEA to support Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for these developments.
Significant details
In December 2023, the NCEA conducted a reconnaissance mission to Yaoundé to explore how it could be involved in these developments. Two main options were explored: an SESA for the TRIDOM zone and review of ESIA of Mbalam Iron mine. Capacity development through trainings is also possible, but only in support of coaching or independent advice.
It was decided to continue exploring the possiblity of doing an SESA for the whole regoin. For this, a regional awareness-raising workshopto sensitize stakeholders to the added value and challenges of SESA will be organized. This workshop is preceded by workshops in each of the three countries, the first of which was organized in Gabon in May 2025.
An SESA for the TRIDOM region will be a challenge, due to the different political interests. The SESA is already quite complex, but the region also covers three countries (Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon) making it even more complicated. A definitive go/no-go moment is expected before the end of 2025.
The review of ESIA for iron mines will become a separate dossier under the NCEA's regular activities.