CCIMA First Vice President, Nfon Mukete, EU diplomats discuss boosting trade….

This was the focus of an audience Nfon Mukete and other CCIMA officials granted the EU delegation in Douala on February 29. 

Nfon Mukete chaired exchanges during the audience on behalf of the President of CCIMA, Christophe Ekeng. He was assisted by the Second Vice President, CCIMA Secretary General and other collaborators

Exchanges during the over one-hour audience focused on issues as training, trade facilitation, private sector development, boosting the capacity of young entrepreneurs and improving the business climate. They also talked about the possibility of renewing the Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the audience, Nfon Mukete who is also King of Kumba and Paramount ruler of the Bafaw, lauded EU-Cameroon cooperation. 

He said times have changed and the entente between CCIMA and EU is on the basis of a win-win partnership.

“If six ambassadors are at CCIMA, it is a sign that they are serious to take engagements with the private sector. Douala is the centre of the private sector and we want a situation where our cooperation is real and addresses certain challenges…,” the CCIMA First Vice President remarked.

Senator Nfon Mukete added that they talked about boosting cooperation. He said it is not about always receiving gifts from one end but working as a team to ease access to financing. 

Nfon Mukete also talked of the constant headache of working to boost a business climate that results in growth. Such growth, he maintained, will address the opportunities young people are constantly seeking.

He declared that, there are possibilities for both the EU and CCIMA to collaborate and enjoy shared benefits. 

From the Cameroonian perspective, the Senator and traditional ruler set the goal is for the benefits to reach everyone.

The EU Ambassador to Cameroon, Jean-Marc Chatnaigner, who headed the delegation during the audience talked of opening new opportunities.  He said their interest is to look for openings for EU companies while at the same time ensuring that what is produced in Cameroon, enjoys same within the European Union market.

He said the EU will continue to work with CCIMA for mutual economic development. He talked of specific interest in the private sector.  Chantaigner said Cameroon and the EU are complementary because they produce different things. He said there is more to achieve if the EU and CCIMA work together.

The EU, he said, has the strong interest of working with Cameroon to also make further in routes in markets within member countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC sub region. 

He talked of mutual energy to finance the economy, financing enterprises, train entrepreneurs to make the best of the EPA and other concrete issues.

Other members of the EU delegation were: Dr Corinna Fricke, German Ambassador to Cameroon; Jacquemin Eric, Belgian Ambassador; Garcia Lumbreras Ignacio, Spain’s Ambassador, and Scammacca Del Murgo Filippo, Italian Ambassador to Cameroon. 

There was also the French Ambassador to Cameroon, Thierry Marchand, and leaders of other EU institutions