At meeting in Yaounde: SMEs minister, German envoy discuss investment opportunities for local enterprises.

This was during an audience Minister Bassilekin III granted the German diplomat recently in Yaounde.

According to information made public by the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, MINPMEESA, discussions centred on measures to reinforce bilateral cooperation in the areas of SMEs, social economy and handicrafts. 

The ministry revealed that opportunities for local industrialisation, value addition, access to financing and technology transfer were also highlighted. 

According to MINPMEESA, the meeting also explored ways of improving access for local enterprises to international markets through existing cooperation frameworks.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the German Ambassador noted that the exchange was productive and focused on practical opportunities for investment promotion.

“We had a very fruitful discussion and spoke about the importance of private sector investment. At the level of the embassy, we have worked extensively to encourage German companies to come and see the opportunities available,” Sedat stated.

The envoy indicated that Germany intends to use the forthcoming International Exhibition for Enterprise, SMEs and Partnership, PROMOTE 2026, scheduled to hold from June 12 to 21, at the Yaounde Conference Centre, as a platform to deepen business engagement. 

He noted that an investment forum planned on the sidelines of the event will bring together economic operators from both countries to explore concrete partnership opportunities.

MINPMEESA disclosed that during the discussions, the minister outlined government expectations regarding technical and financial support for the SME Development Support Programme, PAD-PME. 

He also raised the need to capitalise on existing cooperation tools such as the WIDU platform and German entrepreneurial networks.

According to the ministry, the minister further underscored the importance of making optimal use of the Economic Partnership Agreement between Cameroon and the European Union to facilitate access for local enterprises to German industrial technologies and equipment. 

He added that this would contribute to modernising production units and strengthening local value chains.

MINPMEESA furthered that the exchange also provided an opportunity to assess ongoing cooperation between both countries in the SME sector, social economy and handicrafts. 

Particular attention was given to the role of German development agencies GIZ and KfW in supporting enterprise structuring, local processing initiatives and capacity-building for economic actors.

Both parties also highlighted the contribution of the Cameroonian diaspora in Germany in promoting skills transfer, technology sharing and productive investment. 

The ministry concluded that through the audience, Cameroon and Germany reaffirmed their shared commitment to building a strong, innovative and job-creating economic partnership for youth and women. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3805 of Tuesday June 02, 2026