AfCFTA in Cameroon: Actors Satisfied With First Import, Project to Assist Companies in Export during 2nd Phase.

By Synthia Lateu

BUEA, August 12, 2023 - Stakeholders of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA have expressed satisfaction after evaluating the first import into Cameroon under the AfCFTA.

In a meeting held on August 10, 2023 the Adhoc Sub-Committee in charge of facilitating the implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative in Cameroon said it had identified 265 Cameroonian companies exporting to other African countries, with a view to help them benefit from the AfCFTA regime.

Five of these companies, it was revealed have already been selected for the assistance process, prior to the second phase of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative, scheduled for October 2023.

The Chair of the Adhoc subcommittee, who doubles as the General Manager of the Cameroon National Shippers' Council, CNSC Auguste Mbappe Penda, lauded the members of the ad-hoc sub-committee for a brilliant accomplishment. Meanwhile the Subcommittee members, also partner institutions appreciated the commitment of all parties involved in making the operation successful.

According to the representative of the company, INODA Industries Sarl, owner of the shipment of resins which arrived Cameroon in July via the Port of Kribi, Kemajou Feuba Blaise, limited awareness of this trade opportunity amongst sector stakeholders is challenging.

The lack of information and knowledge on the use of the Pan-African Payment & Settlement System – PAPSS to test the functionality of the operational instrument was also highlighted.

The Auguste Mbappe Penda tasked the ad-hoc subcommittee to amongst others;

- Complete the survey of SMEs that are exporting and those with high export potential;

-  Engage in a matchmaking exercise between SMEs in Cameroon & buyers in other GTI state parties;

- Conduct training sessions for border agencies at major trading points to familiarize them with the AfCFTA package;

- Conduct the 1st major export under the AfCFTA and;

- Generate new exports as a result of the agreements with an emphasis on SMEs.

A statement from the Kribi Port Authority announced early July 2023 , the arrival of  a shipment of resin from Tunisia at the  Kribi Deep-Sea Port, South Region of the country, under the AFCFTA  regime.

The body explained that, the objective of AfCFTA is to ensure the free circulation of goods and services, produced in Africa or with African raw materials, just like those that were being imported in the Kribi port.

During the 12th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union held in Niamey on July 7, 2019, the operational phase of AfCFTA was launched.

Established in 2018 by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, the AFCTA has 43 parties and another 11 signatories, making it the largest free- trade area by number of member states, after the World Trade Organisation.