CAMEROON–EUROPEAN UNION COOPERATION: A NEW DYNAMIC FOR SMEs, SOCIAL ECONOMY AND CRAFTS

 

Yaoundé, 19 August 2026 — The Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Achille BASSILEKIN III, granted an audience this Wednesday to H.E. Jean-Marc CHATAIGNIER, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Cameroon, as part of the Ambassador’s farewell meetings with members of Government.

The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the European Union’s multifaceted support to Cameroon’s private sector, particularly SMEs, through various programmes and initiatives aimed at strengthening their competitiveness, development and access to economic opportunities.

During the discussions, the Minister expressed his appreciation to the Ambassador for his support to Government initiatives in favour of SMEs, the social economy and handicrafts, while expressing the wish that the recently launched programmes become genuine productive transformation instruments for Cameroon’s SMEs and handicraft enterprises.

Among the new instruments introduced within the cooperation portfolio are the Economic Development Support Programme through the Promotion of Value Chains and Private Initiative (PAD-CV), the Cameroon Digital Acceleration Programme, and the Digital Business Boost for Africa programme.

This cooperation builds on a longstanding partnership that has contributed to initiatives such as the Subcontracting and Partnership Exchange (BSTP), Business Creation Formality Centres (CFCEs), the e-regulation project with Mybusiness.cm, as well as several programmes supporting SME competitiveness and development.

Through the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the European Union market also represents significant opportunities for Cameroonian SMEs, with duty-free access for their exports to the European market.

MINPMEESA remains committed to strengthening this strategic partnership in order to foster the emergence of a more competitive, innovative, productive and internationally-oriented Cameroonian private sector.