Cameroon's University of Yaoundé I launches UNESCO Chair for ecology and climate research

The University of Yaoundé I has launched a new UNESCO Chair dedicated to ecology and climate, marking a significant step in advancing environmental research in Cameroon. Inaugurated on July 27, 2026, the chair aims to harness Cameroonian scientific expertise to drive sustainable development and address pressing environmental challenges.

Under the leadership of Professor Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, Minister of Basic Education and President of the National Commission for UNESCO in Cameroon, the chair will focus on three key pillars: ecological modeling, sustainable development, and geoscience. The initiative seeks to deepen the understanding of natural systems, such as forests, basins, and soils, to better anticipate and respond to issues like droughts, floods, and biodiversity loss.

The establishment of this chair is not merely academic; it is intended to produce practical tools and models. These include vulnerability maps, decision-support systems for local authorities, and data actionable by relevant ministries. The goal is to translate complex scientific understanding into concrete solutions for environmental crises.

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The objective is not to produce theses for libraries. The National UNESCO Commission wants usable models: vulnerability maps, decision-support tools for communities, data that can be exploited by technical ministries.

University officials and national delegates, including Minister of State for Higher Education Pr Jacques Fame Ndongo and the Permanent Delegate of Cameroon to UNESCO André-Magnus Ekoumou, were present at the inauguration. Professor Remy Magloire Dieudonné Etoua, Rector of Yaoundé I, will serve as the first holder of the Chair. Researchers, students, NGOs, and the private sector are invited to collaborate, utilizing Cameroon's diverse ecological landscape, from the Congo Basin to its savannas, as a unique research ground.

In a context of increasing climate instability affecting agriculture and urban areas, Yaoundé I's new UNESCO Chair positions itself as a hub for exporting expertise. The university aims to move beyond traditional academic output to become a source of practical, exportable environmental solutions.

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Researchers, students, NGOs, and the private sector are invited to work together.