Commonwealth Trade, Investment Summit: Cameroon’s Attractiveness Highlighted

For two days (April 20-21), representative of the public and private sectors met in London for the fifth Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit with the objective to discuss promoting trade and investment amongst member States for sustainable development. The Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in charge of Cooperation with the Commonwealth, Felix Mbayu led the Cameroonian delegation to the Summit and delivered a keynote address during the plenary session dubbed “Invest in Cameroon: Making Exports A Driving Force For Investment And Industrialisation.” The opening plenary was characterised by a welcome address by the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) Lord Jonathan Peter Marland, a speech from the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, amongst others. In his statement, the Minister said Cameroon's development trajectory is guided by President Paul Biya's clairvoyant National Development Strategy which runs from 2020 to 2030. Felix Mbayu told participants that the comprehensive framework designed to support the structural transformation of the country's economy seeks to move Cameroon beyond an economy that relies heavily on primary commodities towards one that is more industrialised, diversified, productive and inclusive. According to him, Cameroon should be understood not simply as a country endowed with natural resources but as nation committed to building resilient value chains, with the aim of consolidating Cameroon's role as a regional breadbasket, an emerging energy hub and an industrial platform serving both the continent of Africa and the wider Commonwealth community. The Minister added that this ambition is underpinned by concrete opportunities. Cameroon, Minister Felix Mbayu, asserted occupies a strategic position at the crossroads of West and Central Africa with access to the Nigerian market, direct connections to the Atlantic trade route and logistical corridors linking the ports of Douala and Kribi to t...