Gov’t, France discuss cooperation ahead of Africa Forward submit.

Discussions to this effect took place on Monday, April 13, in Yaounde. Both personalities used the audience to review the state of preparation ahead of the upcoming summit. The submit, officials said, will take place in an English-speaking country, breaking with a long-standing Francophone tradition. 

Co-hosted by France and Kenya, the event aims to redefine Africa–France relations around current priorities, including digital transformation, industrialisation, agriculture, health, and energy transition.

During the meeting, discussions also expanded to include security in the Gulf of Guinea and efforts to strengthen African sovereignty. The Nairobi summit, the officials said, is expected to build on these developments. 

The Africa Forward Summit is emerging as a platform to reshape the partnership toward a more balanced, forward-looking model, focused on innovation and development challenges. 

Officials disclosed that for both Yaounde and Paris, the goal is to turn a long-standing relationship into a more practical engine for economic and social progress.

For Cameroon, the partnership maintains longstanding political and economic ties with Paris, with the summit offering a platform to advance its strategic interests, and as a regular participant, Cameroon typically uses the forum to push issues such as development financing, regional stability, and security cooperation.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, NIS, in 2024, France ranked as Cameroon’s fifth-largest export market, accounting for 5.7% of total exports, a decline from previous years. 

On the import side, France also slipped to fourth place, with trade continuing to centre on key goods such as pharmaceuticals, wheat, fuel, and malt.

Beyond trade, France’s economic presence remains significant, with a lot of French companies operating in Cameroon, supporting around 20,000 direct jobs and contributing to major infrastructure projects.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3766 of Monday April 20, 2026