Relationships with Government

Abstract

The difficulties that Cameroonian environmental NGOs face obtaining financial resources from government are paralleled by their difficulties gaining influence over the state and acceptance, legitimacy, and support from it. Cameroon is a semi-authoritarian state, where the concept of civil society is relatively new and has only ambivalent government support, and environmental problems are often subordinated to seemingly more pressing needs (see chapter 5). Nevertheless, the NGOs’ needs for legitimacy, influence, assistance, and funds necessarily bring them into at least occasional contact with government. While these contacts have the potential to be beneficial, they can also be problematic, and at times even threatening. This chapter examines the extent and nature of the NGOs’ relationships with government.