Gov’t salutes German-Cameroonian Business Dev’t Forum.

This was while launching the second edition of the German-Cameroonian Business Development Forum. In attendance was the Africa Director of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ, Philipp Knill; the head of the German Cooperation in Cameroon, Knut Gummert.

SMEs minister, Achille Bassilekin III; the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze; and Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana of trade also attended the Forum. Discussions centered around agri-industry, renewable energies and the digital sector. 

Minister Tasong said the gathering helped to ease interactions around restructuring to correct imbalances such as over-reliance on exports and other limitations.

According to the minister, Germany has been a reliable development and commercial partner for Cameroon for decades. The April 2025 inter-governmental negotiations that both nations had in Yaounde, he said, demonstrated the strength of the ties between both countries. 

Discussions, he noted, helped Cameroon to obtain from the German government financing amounting to some 58 billion FCFA, for the 2025–2026 cooperation cycle. 

The minister stated that despite the decisive financing which now stands at 340 billion FCFA, Cameroon is still behind. Tasong reiterated need for more platforms to support the implementation of programs and development projects.

He stated that Cameroonian exports are majorly raw products such as cocoa and coffee alongside natural products such as wood and cotton which suffer from price fluctuation on the international market. He said the situation calls for more engagements to balance the deficits.

For Minister Achille Bassiliken III, there is need to build on gains made during the April consultations between Cameroon and Germany which resulted in a new roadmap for cooperation.

“We wish to see this dialogue develop between Cameroonian and German companies because, ultimately, this is how we will deliver the full potential of this economic cooperation. Up until now, this cooperation has remained truly below its potential,” Minister Bassiliken III said.

Enter BMZ Africa Director

Africa Director of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ, Philipp Knill, said Cameroon and Germany are strategic partners.

The Forum, he stated, will ensure cooperation in the areas of forestry, agriculture, the digital sector, decentralization and health via government-to-government cooperation.

Knill asserted that yesterday’s discussions will open new doors for Cameroonian entrepreneurs and German institutions to facilitate financing and structuring for common interests.

The BMZ Africa Director called for the reinforcement of discussions to facilitate work. “…We must have the companies that have the ideas, that have the innovations, that have the technology, and that take the risk to truly put themselves in the game,” Knill noted, adding that: “…It is always about truly creating added value in Cameroon because Germany’s economy is a rather diversified economy”.

It was organised on the sidelines of the ongoing International Exhibition for Enterprises, SMEs and Partnerships of Yaounde, PROMOTE.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3825 of Monday June 22, 2026