France-Cameroon: Trade ties worth intensifying

The volume of imports and exports grew significantly between 2009 and 2011 although the trade balance continues to tilt to the negative side for Cameroon.

The visit of French President, François Hollande, to Cameroon this July 3, 2015, will among others possibly be an opportunity for the two countries to seek ways of not only consolidating existing trade ties, but also mapping out ways of deepening them for the mutual benefit of their people. This is more so as records show that Cameroon remains one of France’s main trade partners in the Central African sub region.

Statistics from the Department of European Affairs of Cameroon’s Ministry of External Relations show that the volume of trade between the two friendly nations has been evolving steadily over the years. Cameroon’s non-petroleum exports towards France moved from FCFA 118 billion in 2010 to FCFA 171 billion in 2011.

This represents a net improvement from the previous years when Cameroon’s exports concerned a limited number of products in 2005 notably aluminium (FCFA 57 billion), cocoa and coffee (FCFA 37 billion) forest products (FCFA 4 billion) et al. Generally, the volume of Cameroon’s exports to France moved from FCFA 110.967 billion in 2009 to 118.939 billion in 2010 and finally to FCFA 171,772 billion in 2011.

Cameroon’s imports from France have equally been growing over the years. They registered a FCFA 45 billion increase from 2010 to hit FCFA 411.52 billion in 2011. Overall statistics moved from FCFA 325.982 billion in 2009 to FCFA 365.846 billion in 2010 and FCFA 411.523 billion in 2011. The imports-exports performance of Cameroon vis-à-vis France represents a continual negative trade balance for Cameroon of FCFA 215.015 billion in 2009 to FCFA 246.907 billion in 2010 and FCFA 239.751 billion in 2011.

Information garnered on “France Diplomatie” indicates that Cameroon is one of France’s main suppliers of agricultural products, tropical fruits, aluminium, wood and oil. Meanwhile, France exports industrial food products, machines for industrial and agricultural products to Cameroon. The website indicates that the planting of over 200 small and medium-size industries and enterprises by Franco-Cameroonians in Cameroon is testimony to the solid commercial and economic ties existing between the two countries.

Without being exhaustive, French companies in Cameroon like Orange in the telecommunications sector, Bolloré in the management of container terminal in the Douala port and Douala-Ngaoundere railway lines, among others lend credence to the longstanding and continual trade ties binding the two countries. These ties, as friendly as they are now, could be further solidified and widened for the mutual benefit of citizens of the countries. There is therefore no better way of doing this than at the summit by the two Statesmen.