Yaoundé, Cameroon, 4 July 2025-As part of his official visit to the Republic of Cameroon, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), met with H.E. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade of Cameroon. The Secretary-General and the Minister reviewed the status of the AfCFTA’s implementation and exchanged views on how to strengthen Cameroon’s participation, recognising the country’s pioneering role in Central Africa.

During the meeting, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to supporting Cameroon in its national rollout of the AfCFTA Agreement. Both parties agreed to jointly develop a targeted action plan that reflects the country’s priorities and aims to generate concrete benefits for Cameroonian businesses and institutions engaged in intra-African trade.

The Secretary-General also provided an update on continental-level progress, including the growing number of ratifications by State Parties, the deployment of trade facilitation tools, and ongoing efforts to foster deeper engagement with the private sector as the AfCFTA transitions from negotiation to full implementation.

Later in the evening, H.E. Wamkele Mene served as guest speaker at a dinner-debate hosted by the Cameroon Bar Association. In his remarks, he highlighted the current stage of AfCFTA implementation and the innovative instruments established under the Agreement, such as the Protocols on Digital Trade, Intellectual Property Rights, and Women and Youth in Trade.

He underscored the important role of legal professionals in disseminating accurate information to the private sector and ensuring that stakeholders understand the obligations and opportunities presented by the AfCFTA. The Secretary-General noted that, in several of these new areas, Africa is leading globally by adopting binding legal commitments, rather than general declarations, marking a new chapter in international economic governance.

The visit reflects the AfCFTA Secretariat’s continued engagement with State Parties and stakeholders across the Continent, in line with the collective ambition of building a unified African market.