About a hundred business partnerships are envisaged between Cameroonian SMEs and businesses from several African countries. These were the findings of the meeting held by the Ad-hoc Sub-Committee responsible for the implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative today, 21 November 2023, at the head office of the Cameroon National Shippers' Council in Douala.

The aim of the meeting chaired by Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda was to discuss the outcome of the trade mission to Egypt within the framework of the 2023 Intra-African Trae Fair (IATF) held from 9 to 15 November. Some 7 SMEs were sponsored by the CNSC to take part in this major business event including: TERREFIC COFFEE, SWEET CHOCO, CAFADEC, LAMANA SARL, SEM PRODUCTION, GIC ANAB and LES LABORATOIRES ROGER DUCOS.

The entrepreneurs of these SMEs who were present at the meeting presented the fall-outs of their trip to Cairo, and thanked the CNSC for all the assistance they had received so far. Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda, CNSC's General Manager and Chairman of the abovementioned sub-committee charged with the implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative, reassured these SMEs of the CNSC's support as it looks forward to seeing these products “Made in Cameroon” exported to other countries. 

Products from 8 other Cameroonian SMEs whose promoters were unable to travel to Egypt were also carried along and sold by CNSC staff at the IATF. The CNSC is now focused on setting up a monitoring mechanism for all these 15 SMEs and studying the financing packages offered by AFREXIMBANK to support SMEs.