Africa loses about US$ 90 billion per year in illicit financial flows, robbing the continent of resources to finance investment and development. Financial secrecy allows individuals to hide and move money out of the continent and the Financial Secrecy Index 2022, published by the Tax Justice Network, shows that the largest enablers of financial secrecy are some of the richest nations in the world, including the USA and Switzerland.

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call to action for all countries - poor, rich and middle-income - to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand in hand with strategies that expand economic growth and address a range of social needs, including education, health, social protection and employment opportunities, while combating climate change and protecting the environment. To do this, Civil Society and the Legislative Branch must come together to contribute to the effective implementation of the SDGs.

Cameroon, Africa in miniature, rich in natural resources, has a poverty rate of nearly 37.5% (2014, World Bank). In 2017, indirect taxes alone accounted for more than 70% of the revenue collected by the Directorate General of Taxes. 40.9% for VAT, 10.4% excise duties, 6.8% for the TSPP 5.7% registration and stamp duties and also 3.5% for the TSR. So 30% is generated by direct tax. This means that Cameroonians, who are mostly poor, pay taxes disproportionately according to their ability.

Civil society organizations members and non members of the EITI Committee Cameroon met again in person this 05 May 2022 in Yaoundé. It was within the framework of a consultation workshop on the theme: For a satisfactory EITI 2023 validation of Cameroon, organized by CRADEC, as part of the implementation of the action "Strengthening Tax Justice in Cameroon", supported by Tax Justice Network-Africa and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (TJNA/NORAD). This meeting followed the first session of the EITI Committee held on March 30. The main objective of the workshop was to advocate for the inclusion of national priorities and beyond in the 2022-2023 work plan for a more effective and satisfactory 3rd validation of Cameroon in 2023.

The debate on media involvement in more responsible public debt management and sustainable development has so far been framed in positive terms and, in doing so, its contradictory dynamics are ignored.African countries must develop institutional mechanisms to foster and nurture a spirit and practice of partnerships and constructive, mutual engagement between the civil society and Medias.

To encourage civil society to clarify the objectives of its participation in the EITI and to ensure that it is well represented and has the necessary capacities to be able to participate freely, actively, effectively and fully in the process; CRADEC opened an opportunity for reflection on Tuesday March 29, 2022 in Yaoundé to the CSO-ITIE Platform extended to other groups, to review the dynamics of monitoring the EITI process within and outside the EITI Committee in order to ensure that the issues and national priorities on compliance with the Standard constitute points of convergence of attention and resources of the various groups working on the governance of the extractive sector in Cameroon.