(Yaoundé/Geneva) – The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Government of the Republic of Cameroon sign a letter of intent to strengthen collaboration in advancing ecommerce and the digital economy in Cameroon. The signing took place on the margins of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14).
The letter of intent was signed by H.E. Mr. Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of Cameroon, and ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke Hamilton.
Through this partnership, ITC and the Government of Cameroon commit to supporting small businesses in the country to participate in digital trade, including by strengthening the business environment, under the umbrella goal of advancing inclusive and sustainable economic growth in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
At the signing ceremony, H.E. Mbella Mbella said: ‘This agreement marks an essential step in strengthening our collaboration, with ITC and with the private sector, to advance Cameroon’s economic growth. The private sector has a significant and strategic role to play in this effort.’
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton said: ‘The current trade environment calls for bold economic transformation, and digital trade is central to that shift. We commit to working with the government to support Cameroonian businesses – including small businesses – to tap into the knowledge, skills and supportive business environment needed to engage across the board.’
Committing to digital transformation
This new phase of collaboration, building on more than 25 years of partnership across various areas, aims to leverage ITC’s technical expertise and Cameroon’s national priorities to accelerate the country’s transition toward a more dynamic, resilient and inclusive digital economy.
Key areas of cooperation include supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in ecommerce and digital markets, including by adopting digital tools and expanding their online presence; building the capacity of policymakers through training, advisory support and knowledge exchange; and supporting the review and development of digital economy policies and regulations to promote innovation, competitiveness and inclusion.
Looking ahead, ITC and the Government of Cameroon will jointly develop a programme of work and identify concrete initiatives to be implemented under this letter of intent.
As an early sign of this strengthened collaboration, ITC and the Government of Cameroon jointly organized a side event at the WTO Ministerial Meeting on ‘E-commerce for rural development: How can WTO rules support agro and food procedure’. Delivering remarks at the workshop were H.E. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade of Cameroon, and H.E. Samir Abid, Minister of Trade and Export Development of Tunisia. Cameroonian businesses and policymakers exchanged on the nexus of agricultural trade, e-commerce, rural development, and trade and investment policy. They also explored the role of the WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce and the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement in supporting developing countries, including Cameroon, in improving the investment climate and creating a conducive policy environment for e-commerce development.
Note for the Editor
About the International Trade Centre – ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
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