Commonwealth Trade & Investment Summit unveils opportunities for Cameroon.

The call was made at the 2023 Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit, CTIS, held in November last year in the London, United Kingdom, from November 27-28.
The Commonwealth is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a market made up of more than 2.5 billion people and a combined economy of more than $13.5 trillion.
The 2023 Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit was attended by senior government officials, C-suite Business Executives, international investors and strategic partners.
The high-level summit showcased the work that Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, CWEIC, has been doing to drive trade and investment throughout the Commonwealth network, working alongside more than 150 Strategic Partners to build bridges and provide support to businesses that recognise the Commonwealth’s immense potential. 
Alongside its new Hub Office in Cameroon, it operates a Hub in Kenya, serving East and Central Africa, as well as Hubs in Bangladesh, Ghana, Gibraltar, Nigeria, Singapore and representations in The Caribbean, Maldives, Malta, Sri Lanka, and the Pacific region.
Cameroon conspicuously present
Over a two-day period, delegates heard from high-profile speakers including Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations in charge of Cooperation with the Commonwealth, Felix Mbayu; the country’s Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Paul Tasong; the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Michael Mainelli; and the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene.
Other speakers included the President of the African Export-Import Bank, Professor Benedict Oramah and the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia.
High-level panel discussions focused on issues as varied as the intersection between technology and healthcare, investment finance for emerging markets, and the role of the private sector in driving sustainability. 
Last year’s guest of honour was the Honourable Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister of Samoa, and next Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, who gave her thoughts on the immense potential of the Commonwealth for small island developing states. 
H.E Mata’afa also formally announced that the Commonwealth Business Forum, CBF will be holding in Samoa in 2024, alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, following successful Forums in Malta, London, and Rwanda in previous years.

Huge benefit for Cameroon
To say that all of this would not have been possible without Cameroonian support is no exaggeration.
The Government of Cameroon, as one of CWEIC’s most active Strategic Partners, was among the premier sponsors of this year’s CTIS.
The said partnership showcases not only the close ties between CWEIC and the Government of Cameroon, but also Cameroon’s commitment to the Commonwealth, particularly as an avenue for unlocking greater international trade and investment opportunities as part of the country’s National Development Strategy, NDS30.

The second day of the Summit saw a vibrant panel discussion on Cameroon’s National Development Strategy, led by CWEIC Deputy Chair, Lord Hugo Swire.

Enter Cham Etienne Bama
Delegates heard from Ministers Felix Mbayu, Paul Tasong and Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, CWEIC’s Country Director for Cameroon, Gabon, and Togo, Cham Etienne Bama.
Minister Mbayu spoke highly of the Commonwealth’s potential as a supporting pillar of the Strategy, highlighting “shared values and principles, which can be injected into business practices”.
Further underlining the strides that CWEIC has already made in Cameroon, Etienne Cham also spoke of the work being done at CWEIC’s Douala Hub Office to “identify entry points for Strategic Partners who are interested in Cameroon”, with a particular focus on technology, infrastructure, and digitalisation. 
Ministers Tasong and Felix Mbayu held a series of formal meetings with businesses expressing interest in investing in Cameroon, as well as a meeting with HE Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Ghanaian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

Big opportunity for private sector
Alongside the said formal links between Cameroon and the CTIS, the country was represented by a healthy contingent of private sector business like Dashaco Holdings Africa, the Venerable Senator in her capacity as President of GFAC, and KMN Law firm, who had ample chances to interact, connect, and forge new relationships with over a hundred and fifty businesses affiliated with the Commonwealth.
The conclusion of the event's first day saw Lord Jonathan Marland, Chairman of CWEIC, preside over the Global Advisory Council meeting alongside Lord Hugo Swire, Deputy Chairman, and Rosie Glazebrook, Chief Executive, and a gathering of Strategic Partners. 
The said meeting served as an excellent platform for the Chairman to update Strategic Partners on the Council's past endeavours and upcoming activities. 
The event was concluded with the banquet dinner hosted by Alderman Michael Mainelli at the iconic Mansion House. 
Last year’s CTIS was testament to the buoyancy and diversity of the Commonwealth’s business community, as it provided a unique opportunity toto demonstrate the immense capacity of the Commonwealth, and CWEIC’s action to spur trade, investment, and inclusive economic growth across the organisation’s 56 member states. 
It was also yet another example of growing international interest in Cameroon, and a tangible example of how the Commonwealth can bring businesses together.