Impact Palmarès revises digital visa deal with Cameroon, gets secure document printing contract

The contractual agreement that links the government of Cameroon and Impact Palmarès, the Cote d’Ivoire-based IT firm implementing a consular services modernization project in the country, has been amended.

Per the revised agreement, Impact Palmarès has as priority to make the second and third-generation digital consular services fully operational by 2026, and also deliver the Digital Transformation Centre of the Ministry of External Relations (CTDM) by June next year. Construction works on this center were launched last year.

External Relations Minister, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, and the CEO of the Ivorian firm, Justin Giresse Tella, put pen to paper on the amended agreement during a recent ceremony in Yaounde.

The agreement, which has been rejigged, was initially singed in April 2022, with the firm awarded a 10-year contract, renewable.

Cameroon launched a biometric visa system in 2023 as part of the consular services upgrade deal.

Speaking at the National Assembly on November 26, Prime Minister Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, said as of September 30, the government had processed a total of 411,439 paid visas, generating FCFA 46.8 billion (approximately US$ 82.9 million) in revenue.

During the ceremony to sign the amended deal, Mbella Mbella said the idea is to reinforce and update the partnership between Cameroon and Impact Palmarès Group, in order to ensure the successful implementation of the commitment both parties took three years ago.

The minister said since the signing of the initial deal, some of the clauses had outlived their relevance and needed updating. That notwithstanding, he praised Impact Palmarès for its flexibility in addressing the new challenges that have arisen during implementation, including additional investments which are currently underway.

“Today’s ceremony serves to further advance the Head of State’s vision toward the full digital transformation of consular procedures, and the modernization of the management of consular services, which, as we must recall, fall exclusively under the authority of the Ministry of External Relations. This marks our shared commitment to bringing administrative and diplomatic services closer to their users,” Mbella Mbella said.

He cited some of the achievements of the project since its launch, mentioning the digital visa component which he said has “delivered highly satisfactory results.” The system has however also faced downtime with users complaining of hassles with the platform.

“Our citizens abroad no longer need to travel long distances to access these services. They can now request them remotely via a computer or smartphone connected to the internet,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, in his own address, Tella noted that his company will pursue the implementation of the amended contract with stronger commitment in order to transform the government’s vision into concrete action.

One immediate action, he said, will “focus on rendering fully operational the second- and third-generation digital consular services by 2026, thereby offering users a modernized, secure, and fully adaptive service aligned with today’s challenges.”

Secure document printing contract

Meanwhile, about a week earlier, Impact Palmarès and the government also concluded a deal for the company to upgrade the country’s national printing press.

Communication Minister, René Emmanuel Sadi, who oversaw the signing of the agreement, said Impact will offer its solution to help strengthen the country’s secure document printing capabilities.

“Our printing press has faced numerous challenges. It is an old facility established as far back as 1906. Over time, the equipment has become obsolete. We therefore deemed it necessary to undertake renewal efforts, and we concluded that partnering with a specialized firm, Impact Palmarès, was the right step forward,” the minister said after the signing ceremony.

“From now on, I believe the documents produced by our National Printing Press will be more secure. In financial terms, too, the benefits will be quite satisfactory.”

The government also believes the move will be crucial in combatting document fraud which is becoming pervasive in the country.

The Cameroon National Printing Press was restructured in 2023 by presidential decree to bring the structure in tune with changing technological realities.

Article Topics

Africa  |  Cameroon  |  digital ID  |  government purchasing  |  identity document  |  Impact Palmarès R&D