Cameroon is working to boost export revenues to fend off a potential debt crisis and has relaunched talks with the U.S. to rejoin Washington's flagship trade initiative with Africa, its economy minister said on Monday. The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global shocks provoked by the war in Ukraine have hit African countries hard, denting economic growth and aggravating their sovereign debt positions. The...

11 April 2023

Cameroon will lose its preferred trade status under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on January 1, following a US decision to revoke its status because of its human rights record. The October decision was confirmed through a presidential proclamation last week. Three other African nations also will see AGOA status changes, the White House said.AGOA affect market access, investment and reduced or eliminated tariffs on US...

31 December 2019

President Trump said he will soon ax Cameroon from a trade program that allows African countries to sell goods to the United States on a duty-free basis, citing “persistent human rights violations” in a letter to Congress on Thursday. The decision comes as U.S. officials accuse the Central African nation of extrajudicial killings and unlawful detentions amid conflicts that have displaced more than a half-million people over the...

02 November 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would end Cameroon’s preferential trade benefits from Jan. 1, citing what he called the African country’s “persistent gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” In a letter to the U.S. Congress, Trump said Cameroon had failed to address U.S. concerns regarding extrajudicial killings, torture and other persistent human rights violations being committed by Cameroonian...

01 November 2019

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES In accordance with section 506A(a)(3)(B) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(3)(B)), I am providing notice of my intent to terminate the designation of the Republic of Cameroon (Cameroon) as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). I am taking this step because I have determined that the Government of Cameroon currently engages in...

31 October 2019

Technical Officials from the East African Community (EAC) and the United States (U.S.) met 12 to 15 February 2014 in Bujumbura, Burundi to discuss Trade Africa and the EAC - U.S. Trade and Investment Partnership (TIP). In particular, the Technical Officials discussed among others, the Ministerial guidance provided in August 2013; AGOA; Regional Investment Treaty; Trade Facilitation; Trade Capacity Building, and Commercial Dialogue. Both...

17 February 2014

Cameroon's participation at AGOA's 10th anniversary early this month was the focus of a news conference yesterday. Cameroon stands to gain a lot in terms of export trade from the Africa's Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), if it fully lives up to expectation with the conditions of the institution, the Minister of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, has said. But ten years after the...

21 August 2010

The Ambassador of the United States of America to Cameroon, Janet E.Garvey yesterday, July 20 encouraged the Minister of External Relations, Henri Eyebe Ayissi to "ensure that Cameroon has a great representation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) conference which is taking place in a few weeks in Kenya". Speaking to the press after an audience with Mr Eyebe Ayissi, the USA ambassador said, "I will like to see Cameroon take...

21 July 2009