Cameroon–Switzerland Article 6.2: The Country's First Bilateral Carbon Agreement Moves Toward Implementation

Cameroon has concluded with Switzerland one of the first Article 6.2 cooperation agreements on the African continent, opening the way for internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) from Cameroonian territory to Switzerland, which will use them to supplement its own nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.

What the Agreement Provides

The bilateral agreement authorizes eligible projects in Cameroon — primarily in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and REDD+ forestry sectors — to generate carbon credits transferable to Switzerland. In exchange for these transfers, Switzerland commits to results-based payments and technical support through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

In practice, each transferred credit triggers a corresponding adjustment: Cameroon deducts the transferred volume from its own national climate accounting (to avoid double counting) and receives financial compensation in return. This corresponding adjustment mechanism, embedded in the Glasgow rulebook (decision 2/CMA.3), is what distinguishes Article 6.2 transactions from simple voluntary credits.

What This Means for Project Developers

The existence of a signed Article 6.2 agreement is a prerequisite — but not sufficient — for a Cameroonian project to qualify for credits eligible for bilateral transfers. Developers will need to obtain a Letter of Approval (LoA) from the Cameroonian government (via the Ministry of Environment, MINEPDED) confirming that the project is aligned with the national NDC and that the transferred volumes will benefit from a corresponding adjustment.

For REDD+ projects already underway in Cameroon — particularly in the Congo Basin forests, which cover approximately 22 million hectares of dense tropical forest — this opens a pathway to higher credit valuations. Article 6.2 credits with corresponding adjustments typically command a 20–50% premium over standard voluntary credits in markets such as CORSIA.

National Policy Context

Cameroon adopted a national policy on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) in 2021 with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The country is also developing a National Low-Carbon Strategy as part of its Strategic Development Plan to 2035. The agreement with Switzerland fits within this trajectory: it is progressively transforming Cameroon from a host country for voluntary projects into an active partner in the regulated international carbon market.

For investors and project developers, the window of opportunity is becoming clearer: an Article 6.2 framework in place, one of Central Africa's most extensive tropical forests, and a government actively seeking partners to monetize its natural assets.

Related links: DRC: The Creation of the Lumière National Carbon Registry | Cross-border REDD+: The Evolution of African Carbon Projects