D I A L O G U E
N°5 - June 1996



CONTENT

Editorial
Article 1 : An overview of DIAL's work on the economy of Cameroon




EDITORIAL

This issue of Dialogue marks the simultaneous publication of DIAL's newsletter in the languages of Shakespeare and Molière. A large number of our collaborators and correspondents are based in non-francophone countries and we believe this initiative will promote the wider diffusion of DIAL's aims and achievements in the field of development economics. From this issue onwards Dialogue will be published both in French and in English.

But first, those of you who are receiving Dialogue for the first time might be wondering : what is DIAL? It is a European research centre established in 1990 by ORSTOM ( the French Institute for Scientific Research in Co-operation ), the French administration and the European Commission. Its main objective is to provide French and European institutions in charge of development aid, as well as developing countries, with analyses and advice on macro-economic issues. In addition, DIAL's specific mission is to develop concepts and instruments to help define medium-to-long term strategies for Sub-Saharan African countries facing severe financial constraints.

DIAL's early years have been strongly marked by its efforts in Cameroon. It is there that our institute undertook its first researches and we have continued to monitor developments in the country. While several of DIAL's reports cover different aspects of the Cameroonian economy, a broad synthesis of their conclusions is as yet unavailable. We are rectifying this situation and hope to publish before the end of this year a comprehensive book containing the results of our research and analyses.

We thought it useful to offer a foretaste of this volume by devoting the whole of the current issue of DIALOGUE to a summary of our work in Cameroon. Those readers interested in further information regarding one or another of the themes covered will find, at the end of this bulletin, a list of some of our publications devoted to this country. DIAL would be grateful to hear from its English-speaking readers their reactions to this first issue of Dialogue in their language!