Brad Kinder's internship was designed to advance transparency, accountability, and equity in Camerooní¢â‚¬â„¢s forest tax revenue distribution system. This system was established to ensure rural communities benefit from the logging operations taking place in close proximity to their villages.

The system, however, is currently flawed in its implementation and ineffective in providing substantial benefits for local communities. As such, Brad worked with a Cameroonian NGO, the Network for Environment and Sustainable Development í¢â‚¬“ Central Africa (NESDA), to identify and develop pertinent and practical recommendations for improving Camerooní¢â‚¬â„¢s tax revenue distribution system. In pursuit of this goal, NESDA staff and Brad convened an NGO coalition group, facilitated discussions among NGO and government partners, reviewed studies on the Camerooní¢â‚¬â„¢s forest tax system, and established a technical working group to coordinate the recommendation planning process. As a final product of these activities, Brad composed a road map policy document outlining details and next steps on the implementation of two high-priority recommendations: 1) The establishment of monitoring bodies at the provincial level in each province that receives forestry royalties from forest exploitation; and 2) The creation of local networks designed to assist rural village communities in the utilization of the percentage of forestry taxes allocated for their use. Brad looks forward to continuing to be engaged in efforts in Cameroon to couple natural resource extraction with rural development and poverty alleviation.

Internship Details