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Africa To Reap Benefits From New Agoa Agreements

Published date:
Wednesday, 26 November 2003

Experts of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), recently visited some Douala based enterprises. The visit which took them to five business locations, was out to drill Cameroonian entrepreneurs on how to improve the quality and quantity of their products destined for American markets. Led by Mrs Jean Bolden, Senior Associate, Cyinthia, specialist in textile and Soppo Ngale, AGOA facilitator for Cameroon, the visit began with a stop over at the Batoula firm in Bonaberi where plastic bottles, mattresses, spunches and bed sheets are being fabricated for the Cameroonian and African markets. After a visit to the different departments of the firm, the American experts were impressed with the nature of products. They lauded the Director of the firm, Mr.Youngoua Mathias and encouraged him to put into full use the sophisticated equipment at his disposal in order to export more in and out of Africa. To Mrs Jean Bolden, "African countries would gain more in carrying out inter-boarder trade than exporting out of the continent". They lauded the company's efforts at making full use of their waste materials which is not the case with most African firms where over 65 per cent of their waste products are not put into use.

At the African Distilling Company (ADIC), established in 1990 with over 14 agencies nationwide, the delegation was warmly received by the company's hierarchy. Here, apart from the production of different types of hot drinks, the company's specific objectives also lied in the production of medical or surgical spirit for hospitals and industrial alcohol for cosmetics like perfume. According to the Director, the main markets for now are countries of the CEMAC zone. The AGOA experts promised to put the company in touch with American business firms involved in the distilling business.

At the Bonapriso neighbourhood, they visited the fashion "Group YVY" involved in the production of African wear using local material. Though the experts discovered with admiration the different shirts, popularly known as "Afritude", shoes, bags made from local material like raffia and canes, they advised Nemale Mirielle née Ngounou, Director of the workshop, to refine some of the local material before exploitation and also reduced the number of designs on the different articles so that they can sell better in the United States. The climax of the visit was at the Bassa residential area, where the delegation gainst a background of praise songs, was highly welcomed by the president of the Network of Women of English Speaking Association Training and Production Centre in Douala, Mrs Ngen Njapduke Yvonne. This association which groups women from the nooks and crannies of the economic capital is engaged in the training of youths in sewing, needlework, dyeing and tie-dye. Situated at the Cité Sic Bassa neighbourhood, the four-year old association which got a hefty promise from AGOA experts to expand their workshop has trained quite a number of women. The day rounded off with a visit to the headquarters of the African Investment Corporation (AIC) in Bonamoussadi. AIC which has been working with over four American Banks, provides support to local business companies in all domains in Africa. So far, it has assisted many companies in Africa, the most recent being the creation of a sucks production firm in Ghana and it intends, within the framework of AGOA, to open a t-shirt industry in Douala. From Douala, the experts are expected to visit enterprises in Limbe, Yaounde, Bafoussam and Bamenda before returning to their base in Benin.



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