WT/TPR/M/285  
24 October 2013  
(13-5858)  Page: 1/40  
Trade Policy Review Body   
29 and 31 July 2013 
  TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
COUNTRIES OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY COMMUNITY (CEMAC) 
MINUTES OF THE MEETING 
Chairperson: H.E. Mr Joakim Reiter (Sweden) 
CONTENTS 
 
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAI RPERSON ....................................................... 2  
2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESEN TATIVE OF THE CEMAC COUNTRIES .............. 3  
3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT ................................................................................ 9  
4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS ........................................................................................ 12  
5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CEMAC COUNTRIES AND 
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ............................................................................................... 29  
6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAI RPERSON ......................................................... 38  
 
 
Note: Advance written questions and additional questions by WTO Members, and the replies 
provided by the CEMAC countries are reproduced in document WT/TPR/M/285/Add.1 and will be 
available online at http://www.wto.org/ english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp_rep_e.htm. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 
1.1.  The first joint Trade Policy Review of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community 
(CEMAC) countries Members of the WTO took pl ace on 29 and 31 July 2013. The Chairperson, 
H.E. Mr Joakim Reiter (Sweden), welcomed the Heads of Delegations of the CEMAC countries 
led by H.E. Mr Luc Magloire MBARGA AT ANGANA, Minister of Trade (Cameroon), 
H.E. Mr Amalas Amlas HAROUN, Minister of Tr ade and Industry (Central African Republic), 
H.E. Mr Hamid Mahamat Dahalob, Minister of Trade and Industry (Chad), 
H.E. Mrs Claudine MUNARI, Minister of Trade an d Supplies (Congo), and H.E. Mr Fidèle MENGUE 
ME ENGOUANG, Minister of Trade (Gabon), the othe r delegations from the capitals and colleagues 
from the Missions in Geneva, as well as the discu ssant, H.E. Mr Alberto Pedro D'Alotto (Argentina). 
1.2.  The Chairperson recalled the purpose of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism and the main 
elements of the procedures of the meeting. Th e CEMAC Government Reports had been published 
in document WT/TPR/G/285, and that of the WTO Secretariat in document WT/TPR/S/285. 
1.3.  The questions asked by the following delegations had been communicated in writing at least 
two weeks before the meeting and had been sent  to the delegations of the CEMAC countries: 
Canada, European Union, India, Mexico and the United States. The delegations of Brazil and Australia had submitted written questions after the two-week deadline. 
1.4.  The discussion referred to some points raised during the previous individual reviews 
of CEMAC countries and to the reports by  CEMAC countries and the Secretariat. 
1.5.  The economies of the five CEMAC countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, 
Congo, and Gabon) remained dominated by production and export of mineral resources. 
After some years of positive and relatively high GDP growth, the recent economic downturn had 
recalled the need for sustained efforts for economic diversification in the five countries. In fact, depressed world demand for primary products had led to low or negative GDP growth rates 
in most of the countries. Socio-political conflicts had also played their part, mainly in the 
Central African Republic and Chad. 
1.6.  In general, concerns raised during the previous reviews of individual CEMAC countries 
remained relevant. In fact, on some tariff lines, the CEMAC CET rates still surpassed rates 
individually bound by certain Members. Most CEMAC countries were still imposing export taxes on selected products. The countries remained slow  in meeting their notifi cation requirements and 
were still encountering difficulties in effectively protecting intellectual property rights. 
1.7.  During their reviews, Members had also highlig hted the pressing need for CEMAC countries 
to take steps towards more sustainable exploitation of their mining and forestry resources. 
1.8.  Overall, despite the openness of their invest ment regimes, high financial costs, poor 
infrastructure, cumbersome investment and customs procedures, and high costs and poor supply 
of electricity had not helped attract the FDI need ed to diversify the economies away from their 
diminishing petroleum reserves. 
1.9.  It was clear that Members were interested in knowing the steps taken by CEMAC countries 
to address these issues. 
1.10.  In this context, the Government report by CEMAC had been very useful for this review. 
In its report, CEMAC had emphasized a number of remaining challenges, such as: disparities in the 
implementation of the CET; unilateral VAT incr eases in CEMAC member countries; the practice 
of double taxation that was impairing free circulation in the CEMAC region; and various impediments to transit and border clearance. 
1.11.  But, since the last review of some of its in dividual members, CEMAC had also established 
a Regional Economic Programme (REP) with the aim of making CEMAC an emerging integrated economic area by 2025. 
1.12.  This review as well as Members' comments and questions were to be used to assist CEMAC 
to address its challenges and meet its laudable objectives. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CEMAC COUNTRIES 
(H.E. MR FIDÈLE MENGUE ME ENGOUANG) 
2.1.  It is in my capacity as Minister of Trade of Gabon, which is currently chairing the CEMAC, 
that I rise on behalf of the subregion in this special context of the first group trade policy review 
of our countries. 
2.2.  I should like to convey to the Director-General of the WTO and the experts from 
the Trade Policy Review Division the subregion's gratitude for their efforts to assist 
our Member States and the CEMAC Commission in the technical preparations for this group trade 
policy review. 
2.3.  It is also a fitting occasion to pay well-deserved tribute to the Director-General, 
Mr Pascal LAMY, for his professional stewardship of the work to bring about a better multilateral 
trading system, and to extend our sincere congratulations and encouragement to 
Mr Carvalho AZEVEDHO, who has just been placed at the head of the World Trade Organization. 
2.4.  I am pleased to deliver this trade policy statemen t on behalf of all the Ministers of the CEMAC 
member States. I should however like to point out that the Bangui-based CEMAC Commission was 
affected by the crisis in the Central African Republic in March 2013. Its operations were considerably slowed down, and this negatively impacted all its activities and more particularly, 
the preparations for this group trade policy review of the CEMAC member States. 
2.5.  The statement on the group trade policy review  of CEMAC States Members of the WTO comes 
in a very special context. Subregionally, this context is still marked by the installation of a new leadership team at the CEMAC Commission whose goal is to bring a new dynamic to Community 
activities. Amongst other things, this dynamic includes more comprehensive coordination of trade 
and sectoral policies, the formulation of the regional aid for trade strategy and the adoption of the CEMAC Regional Economic Programme (REP). 
2.6.  Internationally, however, the delay in the nego tiations under the Doha Development Agenda 
(DDA) and the Economic Partnership Agreemen ts (EPAs) between the subregion and the 
European Union is a matter of regret. Besides, tensions on international financial markets, the 
persistence of the euro zone crisis and the down trend in the economic indicators of the major 
emerging countries could negatively impact policy implementation and the trade of CEMAC member States. 
2.7.  It is important to recall that in the past, each CEMAC member State would go it alone in the 
trade policy review process, even though Cameroon and Gabon already had a joint policy review 
in 2007. 
2.8.  In terms of rapprochement, Central Africa has a long history of integration dating back to the 
pre-independence period. As part of French Eq uatorial Africa (AEF), the former territories 
of the Central African Republic, Chad, the Congo and Gabon had already launched the Equatorial Customs Union (ECU) in June 1959. In December 1964 in Brazzaville, the four countries 
and the Republic of Cameroon signed the Treaty  Establishing the Central African Customs and 
Economic Union (UDEAC). In keeping with the determination of the Heads of State to give fresh impetus to this integration process, CEMAC was established in March 1994 and notified to the WTO on 21 July 1999 under the Enabling Clause. 
2.9.  The CEMAC countries together represent a market of more than 44 million people spread 
over some 3 million km
2 and their economies are highly dependent on the oil sector, with the 
exception of the Central African Republic, whic h derives its revenues from diamond, wood and 
cotton exports. 
2.10.  The CEMAC countries pursue common monetary and foreign exchange rate policies in the 
framework of the Central African Monetary Unio n (UMAC). As members of the franc zone, these 
countries have maintained a monetary cooperation agreement with France since 1972, 
supplemented by the 1973 Operating Account Agr eement. The Bank of Central African States 
(BEAC) is the institution that issues the common currency, the CFA (Financial Cooperation WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  in Central Africa) franc, and under the common foreign exchange regulations, movements 
of capital in CFA francs between Member States are free and unrestricted. 
2.11.  To support the subregion's economic and mo netary policy and diagnose economic and 
financial trends in the Community in greater detail, CEMAC has established a multilateral 
surveillance mechanism based on compliance with indicators and convergence criteria. 
2.12.  The indicators concern the primary fiscal balance in relation to GDP, the external currency 
coverage ratio, the tax burden, the comparative variation of the public wage bill in relation 
to revenue, and the external current account deficit in relation to nominal GDP. 
2.13.  But above all, our member countries must meet the mandatory convergence criteria 
onholding inflation at 3% or lower, a basic fiscal balance that must be greater than or equal to 0% of GDP, total outstanding debt not exce eding 70% of nominal GDP and no accumulation 
of payment arrears on domestic or external debt. 
2.14.  Since the inception of UDEAC, the Community has gradually introduced workable legal 
instruments in the endeavour to strengthen its Common Trade Policy (CTP). These include legal 
instruments relating to import and domestic taxation as well as other trade-impacting measures. 
2.15.  The following instruments have been adopted with respect to import taxation: 
 A Generalized Preferential Tariff (GPT) at the zero rate since 1998 allowing for the free 
movement of goods originating in CEMAC in the framework of the free trade area (FTA); 
 The establishment of a customs union through the adoption of a Common External Tariff 
(CET) applicable by all Member States to goods from third countries; 
 The CEMAC rules of origin adopte d through a Community regulation; 
 The Community integration tax (TCI) and the Community Integration Contribution (CCI) 
dedicated to the funding of integration proj ects and the operation of CEMAC and ECCAS 
respectively; 
 The levy to finance the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa 
(OHADA); 
 A new Community transit regime being tested on the two pilot corridors of Douala-Bangui 
and Douala-N'Djamena, launched in 2009 to reduce barriers and ease the transit of goods 
between the port of Douala and the two landlocked countries. 
2.16.  With respect to domestic taxation, CEMAC has harmonized the rules pertaining to: 
 Value added tax (VAT) and excise duty (DA); 
 Corporation tax (IS); 
 Personal income tax (IRPP); 
 Registration fees, stamp duties and guardianship fees (DETC); 
 A specific tax regime applicable to the Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC) and to 
air transport in connection with the future Community airline (AIR-CEMAC). 
2.17.  CEMAC also has a customs tariff, customs regulations and a Customs Code that are 
exclusive to the Community and applied throughout the six member States. 
2.18.  Lastly, a pilot project to interconnect the customs administrations of Chad, Cameroon and 
the CAR is under way as a priority component of the Programme for the Facilitation of Transport 
and Transit Operations (PFTT) in Central Africa. 
2.19.  The free movement of persons now in effect between Cameroon, Congo, the 
Central African Republic and Chad will be extended to all CEMAC as of 1 January 2014 pursuant to the Decision of the Extraordinary Conference  of CEMAC Heads of State held in Libreville 
on 14 June 2013. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  2.20.  In an endeavour by CEMAC to attract fore ign capital, the 1999 Community Investment 
Charter reaffirms the States' commitment to create an enabling environment for enterprise development by implementing common competition regulations, protecting intellectual property and developing support services to improve productivity and competitiveness. 
2.21.  The CEMAC member States are signatories to the Treaty Establishing the Organization for 
the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) and apply the relevant Uniform Acts. CEMAC States Members of the WTO have joined the principal international investment guarantee 
institutions such as the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International 
Centre for Settlement of Inve stment Disputes (ICSID). 
2.22.  The CEMAC Investment Charter also provides for the establishment of a standardization, 
metrological and certification system in each of the countries and at Community level. This system 
aims to comply with international provisions, including those of the WTO and the International 
Organization for Standardization. Hence, in their trading activities, all CEMAC countries apply European and regional technical regulations such as ISO, NF, CODEX Alimentarius and 
ARSO-ORAN. 
2.23.  In October 2011 the CEMAC countries signed a Memorandum of Agreement establishing 
the Central African Sub-regional Metrology Organization (CEMACMET), the aim of which 
is to promote metrology and related activities so as to facilitate trade. 
2.24.  With respect to sanitary and phytosanitary me asures, the Regional Food Safety Programme 
(PRSA) has laid the foundations for regulatory harmonization. Common regulations on the registration of pesticides were validated in 2004 by the CEMAC Ministers responsible for 
agriculture. 
2.25.  Where pharmaceutical products are concerned, the Organization for Coordination in the 
Control of Endemic Diseases in Central Africa (OCEAC) pilots the harmonization of national 
pharmaceutical policies. The reference docume nt was adopted by the Conference of CEMAC 
Heads of State in June 2013. Among other things, this common policy establishes the criteria for drug approval, pharmaceutical inspection and quality control of drugs in circulation 
in the CEMAC area. 
2.26.  On safeguards, the Convention Governing the Central African Economic Union (UEAC) 
provides that at the request of a Member State, the Council of Ministers may authorize that State to take protective measures to counter serious problems in one or more sectors of its economy for 
an average period of six months. Meanwhile, the imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing 
duties is governed by the CEMAC Customs Code, Article 12 of which stipulates the conditions of application. 
2.27.  The Community Customs Code allows each Member State the freedom to set export duties 
and taxes. The duty rates and covered pr oducts vary from country to country. 
2.28.  In the realm of the environment, the CEMAC countries are signatories to the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 
Accordingly, the exportation of these species is prohibited or stringently regulated. 
2.29.  The CEMAC Customs Code grants Member St ates the right to establish industrial 
or commercial free zones outside the customs regime. The Customs Code also leaves 
it up to States to determine the volume of goods that can be released for local consumption after 
leaving a free zone. 
2.30.  By way of incentives, newly formed companies in the agricultural, industrial, mining and 
forestry sectors can benefit from exemption from profits tax during their first three years 
of operation. The Investment Charter offers additional advantages. It provides for a reduction in registration fees in the cases of company form ation, new equity issues, mergers, or transfers 
of shares and holdings. It encourages countries to introduce additional measures into the 
legislation relating to the mining, tourism and forestry sectors. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  2.31.  There is also provision for other measures, in particular, to encourage enterprises to invest 
in cut-off or underdeveloped regions. Those enterprises can then benefit from tax reductions, equipment allowances and compensation for any social services provided by enterprises that join in these initiatives. 
2.32.  There are two texts governing the Community competition regime. They concern, 
respectively, anti-competitive business practices and State practices affecting trade between Member States. The regulations on anti-competi tive business practices address three types 
of practices, namely: unlawful agreements, conc entration operations, and abuses of dominant 
position. The regulations on State practices, on the other hand, deal with State aid for enterprises, the situation of enterprises with legal monopoly status and competition for Government contracts. 
2.33.  Community competition law is applied by a Community competition oversight body called 
the Regional Competition Council (CRC), and national competition monitoring agencies. However, 
the existence of Community legislation does not pr eclude the simultaneous existence of national 
competition laws. Community competition law provides for the close articulation of these two tiers 
of legislation which complement each other and each of which has its own clearly defined 
jurisdiction. As things stand, in addition to the common regulations, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Gabon each has a specific national law on competition. The Congo is currently 
drawing up its law. 
2.34.  In addition, the principle of free pricing is ensh rined in all the national legislations. However, 
price control and monitoring regimes also exist at the level of each CEMAC country to contain inflationary pressures when the circumstances so require. 
2.35.  Pending the full harmonization of the national regulations, government procurement 
is governed by the Regulations on State practices affecting trade between Member States adopted in 1999 and revised in 2005, which establish the main principles of government procurement 
and, in particular, the principle of transparency. 
2.36.  As signatories to the revised Bangui Agreement, the CEMAC countries are members 
of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), which acts as a national industrial 
property service for each of the Member States. 
2.37.  With respect to sectoral policies, CEMAC adop ted a Regional Food Safety Programme (PRSA) 
in 2002 and a Common Agricultural Strategy (CAS) in 2003, both drawn up with the support of the FAO. These two instruments aim to promote trade in agricultural products, ensure food 
safety and reduce poverty, particularly in rura l areas. Finally, the NEPAD Comprehensive Africa 
Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), managed subregionally by ECCAS, was also launched in 2003. 
2.38.  In the CEMAS area, livestock farming is one of the pillars on which the Community is relying 
to speed up economic growth, diversify export potential and achieve the targets of the Regional Economic Programme (REP). In th is context, the Economic Commission on Cattle, 
Meat and Fishery Resources. (CEB EVIRHA), a specialized CEMAC body, acts as the implementing 
agency with respect to livestock, fishing and aquaculture. 
2.39.  Similarly, in 2011 CEMAC launched the Inland Fishing and Aquaculture Promotion Project 
(PPCA-CEMAC), which is financed from the Community Development Fund (FODEC) to the tune 
of CFAF 5.5 billion and aimed at improving inland  fishing production and increasing aquacultural 
output, thereby diversifying the region's production potential. 
2.40.  In the realm of forestry, the Central Afri ca Forests Commission (COMIFAC) established 
in 2005 in the ECCAS framework is the body re sponsible for formulating, harmonizing and 
monitoring forestry and environmental policies in Central Africa. In this framework, several 
measures have been adopted, in particular, a convergence plan laying out the priority action 
to be taken to harmonize national forestry and fiscal policies, a subregional convention on forest 
control and the repression of illicit activities, and a system for the collecting, processing and 
sharing of forestry information. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  2.41.  As pertains to the sustainable management of forest resources, in addition to the principle 
of forest development which has become an asset for the producing countries, three CEMAC countries (Cameroon, the CAR, and the Congo,) have finalized Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) in the framework of the European FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, 
Governance and Trade) initiative. In the case of Gabon, the process is in its final stage. 
2.42.  The five CEMAC countries Members of the WTO are parties to the Extractive Industries 
Transparency Initiative (ITIE). So far, only the Central African Republic and the Congo have 
achieved "compliant-country" status. The process is continuing for the other countries. 
2.43.  The mobile phone network continued to develop rapidly in the CEMAC countries 
between 2005 and 2011. No CEMAC member State has made specific commitments on telecommunications under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). 
But the national legislations governing this sector do not contain any special restriction on market 
access for foreign providers. 
2.44.  Financial services are regulated at the Community level, especially as regards harmonizing 
foreign exchange policies in the Member States (Apr il 2000), the introduction of single approval for 
credit institutions (November 2001), the establis hment of the Central African Banking Commission 
(COBAC), and more recently the conditions for the exercise and supervision of microfinance 
activities. 
2.45.  Banking and financial activities are under the general authority of the monetary institute, 
namely, the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). The activities of credit institutions are regulated by COBAC. One feature of the CEMAC financial market, however, is the existence 
of two stock markets, of which one is a Community institution based in Libreville, and the other 
a national institution located in Douala, with two separate regulatory bodies. 
2.46.  Observers are of the view that the coexistenc e of two competing stock exchanges in such 
a small financial market (44 million inhabitants)  is a brake on its development. The solution 
envisaged by the Community is to merge these two stock exchanges. 
2.47.  Finally, the insurance market in the CEMAC area is under the authority 
of the Inter-African Conference on Insurance Ma rkets (CIMA). Since 1995 the CIMA Code has been 
the regulatory framework for all direct terrestrial insurance in the Member States. Insurance companies are free to set their own tariffs. However, a minimum tariff is compulsory for motor vehicle civil liability insurance. It was to reinforce this obligation that in 1996 the 
CEMAC countries introduced an international motor vehicle civil liability insurance card known as 
the "CEMAC pink card". While this card is compulsory for all motorists, it does not provide supplementary cover, but serves rather to facilitate rapid processing and a fair settlement in the 
event of a cross-border accident. 
2.48.  Looking forward, the subregion envisages, wi th the support of the CEMAC Commission and 
its technical and financial partners, tackling the challenges of implementing the common trade 
policy, the regional aid for trade strategy (SRAC) and the regional economic programme. 
2.49.  The States in the region are also engaged in harmonizing the two regional economic 
communities (ECCAS/CEMAC) in order to avoid duplication and above all to pool their integrative endeavours. 
2.50.  In implementing these projects and programme s our subregion must begin a thoroughgoing 
transformation from an undiversified, low value-added economy to a strong economy relying on exports of processed, high value-added products. 
2.51.  At the level of trade, this would make CEMAC an integrated area favourable to the 
free movement of goods, people, capital and services and, in terms of sectoral policies, a triple power, i.e., an energy power, a metallurgical and mining power, and a green power 
(agriculture and forestry). WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  2.52.  As you can imagine, reforms of this magnitud e certainly require internal efforts in the 
subregion, but also, and above all, much greater involvement of all our bilateral and multilateral partners. 
2.53.  W e  the re fore take  this  op p ortunity to c all  on a ll  o ur p artne rs  to s up p ort us in e ffe c t ive l y 
implementing these various initiatives. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT (H.E. MR ALBERTO PEDRO D'ALOTTO (ARGENTINA)) 
3.1.  It is a great honour for me to take part today in the Trade Policy Review of the countries 
of the Central African Economic and Monetary  Community (CEMAC) that are WTO Members, 
namely Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo and Gabon. 
I have a particular interest in this opportunity to offer my personal opinion, being myself also from 
the developing world. 
3.2.  This year will mark an important milestone for the CEMAC countries: their 50th anniversary as 
part of the multilateral trading system. 
3.3.  All these countries gained their independence (from France) in 1960, and it was only 
three years later, in 1963, that they became part of the GATT, predecessor to the WTO, four years before my own country, Argentina. Their commitment to multilateralism is therefore noteworthy. 
3.4.  It is interesting to observe that, like Argentina, CEMAC encompasses a market of 42.5 million 
people spread over some 3 million km
2 that are endowed with abundant natural resources and 
constitute a region that is generally well suited to agricultural activities. 
3.5.  CEMAC has witnessed real growth for the past decade, but unfortunately it has been uneven 
and had little impact on poverty, and its foundations are fragile. Despite its considerable wealth, CEMAC ranks lowest amongst groups of countries in the Human Development Index. 
3.6.  Despite some political, social or economic instability in most of these countries, which has 
hampered greater development, these countries obviously hold great potential. The latest, recently published Annual Report of the WTO confirms th at in the years ahead, developing countries, 
starting with those in Africa, are expected to grow three times as fast as developed countries. 
Indeed, while world trade expanded by almost 300% over the past ten years, trade between 
CEMAC and the rest of the world grew fivefo ld, and exports have outstripped imports. 
3.7.  The 2009-2015 regional economic programme established in the CEMAC framework 
is undoubted proof of the potential of different sect ors to become drivers of growth in this region. 
3.8.  First, as regards energy, CEMAC has the potential to become an energy hub by 2025, 
supplying the entire subregion with abundant, high -quality and affordable energy. According to the 
WTO Secretariat Report, in addition to gold, diamonds, manganese and uranium, the region has oil 
and natural gas deposits. Oil is of particular importance to the CEMAC countries in that it accounts for 86% of Community exports. As is the case in many developing countries, these natural resources are not being fully tapped for lack of private investment. 
3.9.  Oil production is generally open to private investment, including foreign investment. Yet the 
other segments of the energy sector are still do minated by monopolies and price controls that are 
affecting their performance. In the circumstances, it may be necessary to consider what can 
be done to make the current business environment more attractive to private investment. 
3.10.  In this connection, and as some Members have asked, I would like to know, whether there 
are projects afoot to enable these countries to diversify their exports, which would reduce their 
dependence on oil. Similarly, it would be interesting to know if there are schemes to promote both 
domestic and foreign investment in the energy sector. 
3.11.  The importance of agriculture in terms of jobs  and GDP contribution varies from country to 
country in CEMAC. It generally employs a substantial portion of the total workforce, albeit with 
a small contribution to GDP in countries such as the Congo and Gabon and a relatively large one 
in the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Chad. Because of its range of climates and agro-pastoral resources, the region is suitable for the development of agricultural and livestock 
rearing activities. 
3.12.  Despite this potential, local food production is insufficient in most of the countries and food 
crises and shortages are frequent. According to the FAO's latest report on the state of food 
insecurity, undernourishment affects a significant swathe of the population. Adopted 
in August 2003, the Common Agricultural Strategy is aimed at promoting trade in agricultural WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  products and ensuring food security. Yet today,  ten years on, this strategy has not yet been 
implemented. 
3.13.  Besides, Cameroon, the CAR and Chad are the three cotton-producing CEMAC countries. 
A strategy encompassing the cotton-textile-clothing chain was drawn up in 2011. 
3.14.  These topics have also been addressed in the questions posed by Members. 
Could the CEMAC countries provide us with any further information on the implementation of the agricultural and cotton strategies? 
3.15.  In 2012, the Société d'Organisation de management et de développement des industries 
alimentaires et agricoles (SOMDIAA, a mostly French-owned food group) announced an investment plan designed to increase sugar production by its African subsidiaries by some 30% by 2017. 
3.16.  Like other Members, I would like to know if the CEMAC members can give us an update 
on this strategy. Has it been implemented? 
3.17.  In the realm of forestry, CEMAC aspires to become the hub of tropical Africa, with a wide 
range of export products. With the exception the Chad, all CEMAC countries have more or less 
substantial forest resources and export wood produc ts. All the national legislations reflect a desire 
to promote local wood processing. 
3.18.  I would like to know the current trend in this regard. Is there local wood processing that 
would add value to local output? 
3.19.  The CEMAC economies have structural weaknesses that are hindering their economic 
advancement: integration is not very advanced and the region's competitiveness is weak. In this regard, there are sectors that, in my view, ca ll for substantive work in the framework of 
trade policy in the broad sense of the term. This would be conducive to realizing the region's 
immense potential. 
3.20.  First, the common market must be effectively put in place, as must trade facilitation. 
In this context, it is urgent for free movement to be implemented and for the principle 
o f  f r e e  m o v e m e n t  t o  b e c o m e  a  r e a l i t y .  M e m b e r s  h a v e  i n s i s t e d  o n  t h i s  p o i n t  i n  s e v e r a l  o f  t h e i r  comments and questions. It should be noted in this connection that CEMAC has not yet succeeded 
in promoting trade amongst its Members despite the various initiatives taken to establish 
a customs union that includes a free trade area. The fact is that up to now, goods imported from third countries are subject to customs procedures, import duties and taxes when transiting within the Community. 
3.21.  Second, in this case, and in accordance wi th several questions received, I cannot omit 
to mention the consistency of CEMAC member country tariffs with WTO rules. The common external tariff levels are higher than those bound by Gabon on 2,058 lines, by the Congo 
on two lines, and the CAR on one line. After its last Trade Policy Review, Gabon took steps to 
renegotiate its tariff concessions and my understanding is that consultations have taken place on the subject in recent days. Moreover, the Congo, the CAR and Chad apply other higher customs 
duties and taxes than the bound ones. 
3.22.  I would like to know what steps the CEMAC countries intend to take to bring their tariffs into 
line with WTO rules. 
3.23.  Third, I think that work should be done to simplify customs measures. The current goods 
import and export procedures are complex and costly. It takes an average of five to six days 
between registration of the import declaration an d release of the goods. When other formalities 
are taken into account, the total time is several weeks, especially when it comes to goods 
in transit to the Central African Republic and Chad. 
3.24.  Fourth, besides simplifying customs measures, it would be appropriate to simplify 
tariffs. Overall, the CET lacks rationality and displays negative escalation from unprocessed 
to semi-finished products, then positive esca lation from the latter to finished products. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  Moreover, the countries have also taken several measures suspending import duties and taxes and 
domestic taxes since 2007 in order to limit price increases for staples. 
3.25.  Like other Members, I would therefore like to kn ow if there is perhaps a project to review 
the tariff system and which could support the development of added value within CEMAC. 
3.26.  My fifth point, which is more in the nature of a challenge, concerns the building 
of infrastructure to further the region's integration. Infrastructure (roads, railways and port facilities) is in poor condition and the cost of energy remains high. As in any regional 
integration process, it will be very difficult for CEMAC to move forward as a community without 
adequate infrastructure. 
3.27.  Sixth, I would like to raise the matter of intellectual property. All CEMAC countries belong 
to the African Intellectual Property Organization, which provides the legal framework for the 
protection of intellectual property rights. They  are also all members of the World Intellectual 
Property Organization (WIPO). However, given the limited resources being devoted to awareness-raising and the fight against intellectual property infringements, imported 
counterfeit products including medicaments for the care of humans and animals, as well as herbal 
products easily find their way onto local markets in all Member States. 
3.28.  In the case at hand, Members' questions have focused on the effective protection 
of intellectual property rights. For my part, I would also like to know whether the CEMAC countries 
can count on national projects relating to intellectual property, including industrial property, enabling them to develop both their domestic indust ry and a system of innovation consistent with 
their development needs. 
3.29.  To conclude, my comments and questions are simply the outcome of personal reflections 
with a view to launching the debate. I sincerely believe that the Trade Policy Review of the CEMAC 
countries can serve to better illuminate the way forward thanks to comments and questions from 
other WTO Members. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 
MOROCCO 4.1.  As an African country, it is an immense pleasure for the delegation of the 
Kingdom of Morocco to participate today in the first Trade Policy Review of the Central African 
Economic and Monetary Community, which I am convinced will enable Member Countries of our 
Organization to take stock of the progress made by this group of friendly, sister nations in the multilateral trading system. 
4.2.  The task before us for today and the day after tomorrow will furthermore be an opportunity 
for CEMAC Governments to put forward the different facets and underpinnings of their trade policies, determined as they are to honour their commitments and to participate fully in multilateral trade. 
4.3.  Morocco is the second biggest African investor in Africa, with investments being made 
through public institutions and the private sector. Morocco's public and private sectors are actively engaged in many African countries in the spheres of banking, new communications technologies, 
air and maritime transport, and real estate. 
4.4.  Morocco maintains very substantial economic and trading relations with the CEMAC countries. 
Generally speaking, the presence of Moroccan companies and Moroccan investments in this region 
of Africa has grown considerably in recent years. This region of Africa occupies an important place 
in the Kingdom's strategy for Africa. A free trade agreement is now being prepared between Morocco and CEMAC. 
4.5.  The Kingdom of the Morocco welcomes the progress made in the economic integration of this 
subregion of Africa. 
4.6.  For Morocco, regional cooperation represents a priority framework for action in Africa. 
The subregional organization in Africa is deemed an imperative, a crucial lever for the furtherance 
of democracy, and the region's economic inte gration is the cornerstone of the continent's 
institutional structure. 
4.7.  Despite the existence of a customs union, a common external tariff and a common market, 
CEMAC has not yet succeeded in fully promot ing trade among its members. The regional 
integration of these countries still falls short of the expectations and aspirations of the region's peoples. 
4.8.  The fact that each CEMAC country belongs to several regional economic communities remains 
one of the main stumbling blocks to full harmonization, and further complicates business 
procedures in the region. 
4.9.  Moreover, we are pleased to note today that the CEMAC countries have taken steps 
to incorporate trade into their national development strategies. They have benefited from 
aid for trade both individually and collectively. They do however need more support to eliminate 
the bottlenecks that are hampering their efforts to make trade one of the main drivers of their 
economic advancement. 
4.10.  We are convinced that economic integration is the key to Africa's development. Efforts must 
be redoubled to expedite regional economic integration, the development of cross-border infrastructure and inter-African trade so that African countries can achieve lasting economic 
development as soon as possible. 
4.11.  Africa has not yet maximized all the benefits nor has it profited from the large size 
of its market, population and its extensive resources through inter-African trade. 
4.12.  The imperative of a strong and united Africa is based on the fact that economic synergy 
is generated through integration, as the economic advantage of any economic community is greater than the sum of the economic advantages of each member country taken separately. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  Promoting trade among African countries should be considered a priority, as this can constitute 
a path to growth, job creation and wealth. 
4.13.  Allow me to congratulate the Member Gove rnments of the Central African Economic 
and Monetary Community on their encouraging and commendable record over recent years 
and on their dynamism in promoting trade within this important region of the African continent. 
UNITED  STATES 
4.14.  The reports circulated for this meeting outlin ed critical areas of improvement and helped 
us understand recent developments in the CEMAC member States. The reports also highlighted 
reforms that are underway, and noted some of the challenges facing the countries as they strive to participate more effectively in the global trading system and to use trade as a means to stimulate greater economic growth and development. 
4.15.  The United States applauds CEMAC's commitment to regional economic integration and the 
CEMAC member States' efforts to break down barriers to regional trade. The United States strongly supports regional economic integration in Sub-Saharan Africa, both in general and as it 
pertains to CEMAC specifically. We support these undertakings with the expectation that they 
advance and complement the multilateral tradin g system, and do not seek to raise barriers 
to non-members of the regional economic community while they lower barriers amongst their own 
members. CEMAC member States and members of other African regional economic communities 
need to work to simultaneously integrate themselv es both regionally and into the global market. 
In that vein, we note that the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and Gabon appear to be breaching their tariff bindings as  a result of the adoption of the CEMAC common 
external tariff. Further, as noted by the Secret ariat Report, other duties and taxes introduced 
at the Community level appear inconsistent with the commitments of the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and Chad. We look forward to hearing how these Members intend 
to come into conformity with WTO rules on this issue. 
4.16.  The CEMAC region is blessed with abundant natural resources. These natural resources 
provide CEMAC member States with a ready source of assets to fund their development that 
far exceeds many of their African counterparts. Indeed, this reality is reflected in the fact 
that three of the six CEMAC member States are non-LDCs, one of the highest proportions of any 
regional economic community in Africa. 
4.17.  The CEMAC member States have economic potential across a diverse range of economic 
sectors including resource extraction, agricult ure, manufacturing, and services. Unfortunately 
at the present time, this potential diversity has not been realized in the structure of the economies of the CEMAC member States, which remain more dependent on the oil and mining sectors than 
on other sectors of the economy that have the potential to create new employment opportunities 
for Central Africans. 
4.18.  The United States stands ready to help. Most of the exports from CEMAC to the 
United States enter the US market duty-free either on a most favoured nation (MFN) or on 
a preferential basis. Since its launch in 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), 
combined with the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) provisions have provided opportunities for real people and businesses, and contributed to the growth of African economies 
through expanded and diversified trade, and we are encouraged by AGOA's positive trends. 
In 2012, US imports from the CEMAC region totalled over US$8 billion. Non-oil imports were over US$360 million, including cocoa paste, coffee,  rubber articles, gum arabic, plywood, apparel, 
footwear and fruit. Additionally, the United States has extended an offer to combine US technical 
assistance with CEMAC member States' financial resources to create a Central Africa Trade Hub, aimed at helping businesses in the Central African countries develop and expand regional 
value-chains in key non-oil sectors. The United States has deep expertise in this area based on the 
experiences of the USAID-funded Trade Hubs es tablished in East, West, and Southern Africa. 
4.19.  As noted in the Secretariat Report for each of these countries, there are significant obstacles 
and costs for traders in each of these countries, as they go about their daily business of moving 
goods to market and participating in the international trading system. We look forward 
to constructive engagement on trade facilitation issues to promote measures to reduce red tape WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  and customs and cross-border inefficiencies, which can significantly impact each Member's – and 
Africa's – regional and global trade competitiveness. 
4.20.  We have submitted questions for each of the Members under review, in areas such 
as customs procedures, intellectual property rights, and agricultural trade. We look forward 
to reviewing the responses. 
4.21.  In closing, while we recognize the capacity constraints that may confront each 
Government's participation in the multilateral trading system, we are also mindful of the critical, 
positive role that increased trade openness can play in their economies. Making pro-trade domestic 
reforms consistent with the WTO framework, combined with trade liberalization efforts are a proven framework for garnering foreign investment and generating economic growth. 
INDIA 
4.22.  India's long-standing partnership with the CEMAC countries has been enriched by growing 
trade and investment ties. Indian companies have made large investments in the region, operating actively in the areas of telecommunications, power transmission, transportation and oil 
exploration. Total bilateral trade between India and the five CEMAC countries 
reached US$2.4 billion in 2012-2013. Recognizing the immense potential, both sides are working towards enhancing this cooperation in future. 
4.23.  Development assistance by India forms an important component of our cooperation 
with CEMAC countries. This includes concessional lines of credit for infrastructure development and capacity building, support for institution-building and technical assistance and training programmes for vocational skill development under the ITEC programme. The Pan-African 
eNetwork for tele-medicine and tele-education is a major success of our institution-building 
partnership. Duty free market access is provided to the two LDC members of CEMAC under our DFTP scheme. 
4.24.  The detailed and comprehensive reports prepared for this review as well as today's 
presentations have highlighted CEMAC's huge economic potential, manifested by its large market, rich natural resources and vast mineral deposits of oil, natural gas, gold, diamonds, manganese 
and uranium. While oil and timber are the tw o major contributors to GDP and exports, 
a considerable part of the resources remain untapped, underlining the need for greater diversification, investment and domestic value addition. 
4.25.  Despite considerable diversity in the development levels of its members, it is laudable 
that CEMAC has been striving towards regional integration by adopting a common external tariff 
and pursuing common monetary and foreign exchange  policies. Several institutions have been put 
in place for implementing this vision of economic integration, comprising a common market; 
coordination of national sectoral policies and harmonization of rules. However, distortions continue 
to impede the development of intra-regional trade, including disparities in implementation of the common external tariff, unilateral exemptio ns by Member States, lack of harmonization, 
unilateral increases in VAT rates, double taxation and non-tariff barriers. 
4.26.  Against this backdrop, we welcome CEMAC's efforts to address these distortions through 
an ambitious Regional Economic Programme (PER) which aims to transform CEMAC into an emerging integrated economic area by 2025, doubling growth rates and cutting poverty levels 
by half. With a view to creating a competitive and favourable business environment to attract 
foreign investment, the programme intends to st rengthen economic governance, introduce tax 
reforms, improve multilateral surveillance, reform  government procurement, improve transparency 
and establish an effective common market. At the same  time, it aims to build priority road links, 
electricity networks, hydroelectric dams, telecommunication infrastructure and common regional policies. 
4.27.  To transform these ambitious plans into reality, CEMAC faces the tough challenge 
of establishing a harmonized business environment and substantial resource mobilization estimated at CFAF 20,000 billion. We hope that the donor community and development partners will come forward to assist CEMAC in fulfilling its desired objectives through Aid for Trade and 
other initiatives. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.28.  Further, as pointed out in the CEMAC Report, three of its members, namely, Cameroon, 
the CAR and Chad are cotton producing countries and their production is declining because of price distortions caused by subsidies granted by indu strialized countries to their cotton producers. 
We urge the concerned countries to eliminate all such subsidies that are impacting the livelihoods 
of poor cotton farmers in developing and least developed countries. 
4.29.  I would like to convey India's best wishes to the CEMAC countries for success in achieving 
their goal of greater regional integration and creation of an effective common market that would 
help them in meeting their development aspirati ons, enhance productivity and achieve higher 
growth levels and economic prosperity in the long term. 
EUROPEAN
 UNION 
4.30.  Integration in Central Africa is already a long-standing process in which the Central African 
Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) has been a key player. The new CEMAC leadership 
team in place for a year now is keen to give fresh momentum to this regional integration process. I therefore join the countries of the region in welcom ing, as they did in their joint report, this first 
group review of their trade policies. Indeed, this first group review will certainly help strengthen 
the implementation and monitoring of these policies, as well as their region-wide harmonization. 
4.31.  All the countries under review today have been important players in the economic 
integration process in Central Africa that led to the establishment of CEMAC almost 20 years ago. 
And today, as underlined in the Joint Report, CEMAC's trade policy accomplishments are many and substantial. 
4.32.  EU relations with CEMAC and its member countries go back a long way and have always 
been intense. The EU is currently the region's biggest trading partner. But the nature of CEMAC 
exports to the EU, comprising mainly commodities, gives an indication of the challenges facing the CEMAC region as relates to diversification, industrialization and boosting local value-added. 
4.33.  Intra-Community trade is still very limited (3% of total trade) compared to other regional 
groupings, and this gives an indication of the gro und still to be covered by the region in economic 
integration in the years ahead. 
4.34.  If the five countries are to realize their deve lopment ambitions aided by regional integration 
within CEMAC, it is crucial for them to press ahead with their various reforms, and the structural ones in particular, and to effectively implement the provisions collectively laid down by the Community. 
4.35.  However, as also shown by several st udies, for example, the World Bank's Doing Business  
report, it is on the business climate, trade facilitation and implementing free circulation and, more generally, improving access for enterprises to basic services that CEMAC and its member 
countries must concentrate their efforts, and this all the more rapidly considering the region's 
ambition to become an emerging area by 2025. 
4.36.  The five countries (plus the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sao Tome and Principe) 
are engaged in the negotiations on an Econ omic Partnership Agreement between the EU 
and Central Africa. This agreement aims to enhance the well-established relationship between the EU and the countries of Central Africa, broade ning the partnership so as to increase trade, 
investment and cooperation. It should help these countries better exploit their economic potential, 
support their efforts to effect reforms and adopt rules for better integration into world trade, 
and help further economic and trade integration in the Central African region. 
4.37.  The EU further recognizes the efforts of the region's Heads of State and of CEMAC 
and ECCAS to restore peace and security to the Central African Republic, as well as their security 
endeavours in the Gulf of Guinea. Supported by European cooperation through MICOPAX, these efforts are crucial to improving the bu siness climate and developing intra-regional 
and international trade. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.38.  In terms of development aid, the Central Africa n region and the five countries under review 
have together received a total of over EUR 1 billion under the 10th EDF. A large portion of this 
amount goes towards regional integration and aid for trade and security matters. 
4.39.  Turning to Cameroon – the region's largest and most diverse economy – the EU welcomes 
the new "Vision 2035" programme launched in 2009, which lays out a strategy based on 
employment and growth for creating an emerging economy. The EU is nonetheless still concerned 
over the tardiness in improving the business envi ronment and over the poor economic prospects 
for young people in a context of insufficient job creation and the resulting social tensions. 
4.40.  The European Union hopes that the Congo will press ahead with its significant efforts 
in social matters and in economic and financial governance. It is important to pursue the recently begun economic development and for the poorest population groups to continue to see tangible 
results on the ground. Furthermore, the EU hope s for the successful implementation of the new 
national development plan and underlines its suppo rt for the policy of economic diversification 
away from the oil sector and improving the business environment. 
4.41.  The EU hopes for the successful implementation  of the new economic development strategy 
"Emerging Gabon" and fully supports this poli cy for growth, better governance and lasting 
economic diversification. It urges Gabon to remain steadfast its efforts to implement the economic 
reforms that are essential to achieving the goals of the new strategy. 
4.42.  The EU likewise wishes every success for Chad 's National Development Plan 2013-2015, the 
goal of which is to lay the groundwork for an emerging economy by 2025. However, the objectives of this Plan cannot be achieved in a durable manner without sustained efforts in economic and 
financial governance and in social matters with respect to the poorest population groups 
in particular. 
4.43.  Finally, the EU hopes for the rapid restoration of stability and security to the 
Central African Republic so that the country can return to its previous growth level and move 
quickly ahead in the pursuit of its objectives of building a strong and diverse economy that is open 
to the world. 
4.44.  T h e  E U  s t r o n g l y  u r g e s  t h e  f i v e  c o u n t r i e s  u n d e r  r e v i e w  a s  w e l l  a s  C E M A C  t o  t a k e  t h e  
measures necessary to boost their economic capaci ty and develop intraregional trade so as to be 
able attain their goal of becoming an emerging  integrated economic area by 2025. These efforts 
will fully bear fruit if they take place as part  of a strengthened regional integration process. 
The EPA will be the EU's preferred tool for assisting the region in achieving this aim. 
MEXICO 4.45.  I shall speak first of all about the common external tariff being applied by the 
CEMAC countries which covers only 5,493 eight-digit tariff lines. Second, there are the other tariff 
lines to which the national customs tariffs are still being applied. Besides, the CEMAC Government Report acknowledges that there are persisting disparities and distortions in the use of the common 
external tariff for most of the tariff lines to which it is applied. We urge the Members to move 
forward in effectively implementing a common external tariff and to apply other policy measures to increase trade in the subregion. 
4.46.  Indeed, the Secretariat Report states that in 2010, 95% of CEMAC exports went 
to non-African countries and 75.4% of its imports also came from non-African countries. 
Intra-regional trade represented a mere 3% of the total. 
4.47.  Naturally, one means of increasing trade amongst CEMAC countries and between those 
countries and the rest of the world is by implemen ting trade facilitation measures. In that regard, 
we would like to emphasize two types of measures – first, measures at Community level, and second, domestic measures. At the Community level, the FASTRAC Programme launched in 2009 
entails interconnecting the customs IT systems of the member countries. The system has 
admittedly been operating but, for the time being, not as well as its creators might have hoped. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.48.  At the national level, my delegation wishes to commend the Congo for its endeavours 
to implement a single customs clearance window for the integrated management of operations at the borders and for optimizing and simplifyin g customs clearance procedures, for introducing 
an e-manifest management system and for creating a risk management system. These activities 
will no doubt lead to improved cooperation between customs offices and economic operators. 
4.49.  We also congratulate Gabon on its ongoing efforts in this field, in particular, on the needs 
assessment it conducted in 2008 and on the continuation of its trade facilitation projects through 
the installation of material handling cranes at Port Owendo in 2012, the project to install scanners 
at points of import and export in 2013, and the project on a single window to facilitate import-export operations. 
4.50.  The Central African Republic has made considerable headway in the use of the 
ASYCUDA system, which has enabled it to improve customs valuation and limit discretion in the 
determination of transaction values. We do, howeve r, urge Members to do much more to move the 
trade facilitation process forward. 
4.51.  As pertains to technical barriers to trade, regulatory convergence is under way. 
In this respect, we take note of the Memora ndum of Agreement creating the Central African 
Sub-regional Metrology Organization (CEMACME T). This measure will undoubtedly make for 
regulatory unification, thereby easing compliance with technical regulations by business people 
and implementation by regulatory authorities. 
4.52.  This notwithstanding, much remains to be done. We therefore endorse some of the 
recommendations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 
whereby CEMAC should cooperate with other African countries to derive greater benefit from the 
application of technical regulations. The following are the specific recommendations concerned: 
 properly appreciate the benefits of mutual recognition agreements when it comes to the 
testing and certification of domestic products; 
 continuously assess the performance of enquiry points; 
 consider a long-term programme of assistance and modernization involving infrastructure 
improvements in conjunction with better access to voluntary standards for CEMAC countries, 
building on the pre-existing infrastructure of its regional trade agreements. 
4.53.  With regard to copyright, we wish to hi ghlight the launch of the activities of the 
Gabonese Bureau of Copyright and Related Righ ts (BUGADA) and the Chad Copyright Bureau 
(BUTDRA). The other CEMAC members could speed up their efforts in this regard and strengthen 
intellectual property rights. 
4.54.  In closing, we wish to acknowledge the efforts being made by the CEMAC countries. 
We urge them to ensure that these actions translat e to an even greater contribution to activities 
designed to improve disciplines in the area s under the purview of this Organization. 
CANADA 
4.55.  Trade relations between Canada and the CE MAC members are modest. Bilateral trade 
between Canada and CEMAC amounted to $672.9 million in 2012, 82.6% of which represented Canadian oil imports from CEMAC. By  2 0 1 1 ,  C a n a d a  h e l d  c u m u l a t i v e  a s s e t s  w o r t h  
$83 million in the mining sector in CEMAC countries. These modest relations result in part from 
a lack of export diversification in the CEMAC co untries and an unfavourable business environment. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.56.  The business environment in fact continues to be a major challenge for all the countries, 
almost all of which fall into the bottom quartile of the World Bank's Doing Business  
ranking. Canada encourages the CEMAC countries to implement the reforms needed to reverse this trend. Although the business framework varies greatly from one country to another, we would like 
to broadly outline the trade aspects that are of concern to us in this region. 
4.57.  At the institutional and policy levels, subregional economic integration is in fact still not very 
operational despite the considerable time that this process has been under way and the number 
of bodies set up. According to the World Bank, the CEMAC Customs Union is still not operating 
efficiently, intra-regional trade is minimal and the administrative stumbling blocks and arbitrary behaviour of customs officials and local authorities constitute barriers to a common economic area. 
4.58.  Subregional economic integration can play a critical role in export diversification, which 
is a major challenge to the oil-dependent CEMAC countries. Canada would like to learn more about 
the intentions of CEMAC members in this regard, more specifically regarding the revision of applied tariffs so as to align them with the CET and the tariff commitments bound at the WTO for each 
country. 
4.59.  On the subregional integration front, the commitment recently made at the 
CEMAC Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State in Li breville, Gabon to eliminate all barriers to the 
free movement of people and goods in the region  as of January 2014 is a salutary and critical 
decision for the future of the region. We hope that this commitment will become reality and be extended to other fields, in particular, the ha rmonized implementation of customs and fiscal 
policies in the area and the development of regional projects. 
4.60.  Another concern is the fact that CEMAC member States continue to lag behind other regions 
when it comes to trade facilitation. According to a 2012 World Bank study, in CEMAC countries, a businessperson needs eight documents, 35 days and $2,292 on average to export one container 
of textile products – two times the documentation and three times as long as needed for export 
within the European Union, and more than 1. 5 times the charges applied in the East Asia 
and Pacific region. 
4.61.  In this connection we welcome the constructive participation of CEMAC members in the 
trade facilitation negotiations here in Geneva. We also note the progress made by some members in the application of regulations to facilitate trade and we urge continued progress in this field. 
4.62.  T h e  l a c k  o f  i n f r a s t r u c t u r e  i s  a  s e v e r e  c o n s t r a i n t  o n  t r a d e  w i t h i n  e a c h  c o u n t r y  a n d ,  e v e n  
more so, between member countries. It is therefore important to underscore the initiatives 
to attract investments being put forward by several CEMAC countries, as this could foster infrastructure development. 
4.63.  Cameroon's recent adoption of a law on investment incentives, which is expected to help 
attract the investors the country needs to remedy  its infrastructure shortcomings is a welcome 
d e v e l o p m e n t .  S i m i l a r l y ,  t h e  r e c e n t  c o n c l u s i o n  o f  n e g o t i a t i o n s  w i t h  C a n a d a  o n  a n  a g r e e m e n t  
to promote and protect foreign investment will be a significant catalyst for our trade and will 
enable Canadian companies to seize the opportuniti es available to them in the mining, energy and 
infrastructure sectors. We encourage Cameroon to effectively implement the provisions of the new mining law. 
4.64.  The formulation and implementation of a st rategic development plan, the substantial 
increase in public investment and the creation of special economic zones to attract foreign investors to Gabon are also steps in the right direction. We urge all CEMAC members to take 
inspiration from such initiatives. 
4.65.  In conclusion, Canada wishes to underscore the determination of CEMAC Heads of State 
to place the region firmly on the path of development and trade liberalization. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  BRAZIL 
4.66.  It is a matter of great satisfaction for Brazil to participate in the first TPR of the 
Central African Economic and Monetary Community, as the relations between Brazil and the Member States of the Community have experience d very marked and positive growth over the 
past few years. Brazil's commitment to Africa is reflected in the increasing trade and in the 
intensification of technical cooperation programmes. From the inception of CEMAC, in 1999, to 2012, the trade flow between Brazil and the co untries of the Community has increased 30-fold, 
having reached more than US$1 billion in 2011. 
4.67.  The economy of the CEMAC member States has registered positive developments in the past 
few years. The region grew steadily during th e period 2006-2012, reaching an average of 4%, 
in line with the world average economic output, as a result of growing investments 
in infrastructure and productive capacity, as well as of a sustained robust increase in regional 
consumption. Inflation has remained relati vely stable, averaging 3.6% from 2006 to 2012 
while GDP per capita increased by 75%. 
4.68.  During the period under review, 2006-2012, trade flows between Brazil and CEMAC have 
expanded by 55%. There is considerable room for improvement though, given that the Community's exports to Brazil are well below their potential and can be further expanded, 
either in terms of the amount, or in terms of diversity. 
4.69.  Our exports consist mostly of manufactured goods, such as mechanical appliances, vehicles 
and articles of iron. Imports are mainly of crude oil and natural gas. It is worth noting the unique opportunity open to the CEMAC oil exporting countries to use the revenues to improve the 
non-oil economy and promote economic diversification. 
4.70.  Based on the improving macroeconomic indexes, there are certainly grounds for optimism. 
Among measures taken during the review period by the six countries, Brazil would like 
to emphasize the region's initiatives aimed at making CEMAC an emerging integrated economic 
area by 2025, which will promote the energy, mining and agriculture sectors. 
4.71.  This could help expedite economic, trade and institutional reforms and pave the way 
for sustainable growth and development, and growing investment in human resources. 
4.72.  The diversification of the economy and trade is one of the major challenges commonly faced 
by developing countries, and CEMAC countries are no exception. The fluctuation of international commodity prices, however, still leaves the country vulnerable to economic uncertainties. 
4.73.  We commend the governments of these countries for their persistent effort to avoid trade 
distortions in the implementation of the common external tariff, and to prevent the unilateral 
increasing of the rate of the VAT, the practice of double taxation and the application 
of non-trade barriers. It is equally important to recall the improvement in the interconnection 
of the customs administrations of the member States. 
4.74.  Brazil recognizes the efforts being made to enhance productivity in agriculture, 
food security, the promotion of growth and the reduction of poverty, st imulating an increase 
in trade. 
4.75.  Furthermore, Brazil stands ready to further enhance its cooperation and trade with CEMAC, 
whose commitment to the multilateral trading system as well as to regional integration 
is commendable. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  AUSTRALIA 
4.76.  Turning to the specific issues raised in the CEMAC and Secretariat reports, Australia notes 
the potential identified for greater exports of CEMAC members' rich natural resources. Institutional reform, trade facilitation measures and improved conditions for foreign investment 
will assist CEMAC to develop these resources fu rther. To this end, Australia looks forward 
to working with the CEMAC countries as part of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the African Union's "African Mining Vision" and the African Mineral Development Centre. These and 
related initiatives can boost CEMAC members' capacity to generate income and to reduce poverty 
through mining and other resource extraction. 
4.77.  T o  t a k e  a n  e x a m p l e  o f  t h i s  s o r t  o f  w o r k  a t  t h e  c o u n t r y  l e v e l ,  A u s t r a l i a  i s  p l e a s e d  t h a t  
the Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility is helping Cameroon to improve its mining tax 
administration; the Australian International Mining for Development Centre is working in Gabon 
and the Republic of the Congo, in line with wider reform efforts being pursued in CEMAC. 
Plans to harmonize the national regulations of CEMAC countries with the aim of developing 
a community mining code would further assist wi th the reform process in the mining sector. 
4.78.  The CEMAC and Secretariat reports note the potentially greater contribution that the 
agriculture sector could make to CEMAC economic growth. The high level of protection of this 
sector acts as a barrier to competition, and Australia would encourage CEMAC to consider 
liberalization, coupled with other measures as a way of fostering innovation and growth in this important sector. 
4.79.  Australia would also encourage CEMAC to develop a more functional SPS regime, 
which is necessary for meeting potential export mark et standards. In this context, Australia notes 
the valuable role that the Standards and Trade Development Facility and other mechanisms have played in supporting other members in improving their SPS regimes. 
4.80.  Australia notes with interest CEMAC measures taken to boost services trade in the 
region. Experience from other developing countries shows that developments CEMAC has experienced, such as the rapid expansion of mo bile phone networks, coupled with the absence 
of restrictions on foreign service providers, and an increasingly robust regulatory framework, have 
the potential to enable an expansion of services trade, in line with CEMAC members' objectives. Australia encourages CEMAC members to consider this as a potential area for long-term growth. 
4.81.  Australia notes that CEMAC members have identified that a number of trade policy 
challenges they are facing relate to customs administration and costs generated in the export and 
import of goods. Australia is committed to working with CEMAC members – along with the wider WTO membership – to deliver at MC9 a Trad e Facilitation Agreement which, complemented 
by development assistance, has the potential to help CEMAC members address such sources 
of trade costs. 
4.82.  There is no doubt that a strong multilateral trading system benefits WTO Members 
like CEMAC and Australia alike. Conscious of th ese widespread benefits, Australia is committed 
to working with CEMAC members, along with others  in the African Group, to deliver a successful 
outcome at the Bali Ministerial Conference. 
4.83.  Australia acknowledges the very important role of Aid for Trade in helping developing 
Members of the WTO, including those in CEMAC, build their competitiveness. The recent 
Aid for Trade Global Review has confirmed the strong interest of all Members in ensuring Aid for Trade remains at the heart of the WTO agenda. Australia will note with interest any issues 
arising from this Trade Policy Review that could be taken into account as we move into the 
next phase of the Aid for Trade initiative. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  BENIN 
4.84.  It is a fact, and one that I am pleased to  underline, that the region to which the 
five countries under review belong holds enormous potential in terms of natural and mining resources which, if developed under a well-supervised and streamlined regime will help secure 
better outcomes: these resources include wood, oil, gold, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, 
uranium, and water resources. Similarly, a considerable part of CEMAC territory lies in the Congo Basin, the world's second largest forested area after the Amazon region. 
4.85.  On the agricultural front, the subregion is well-suited to the production of a range 
of products (and cash crops) such as coffee, ba nanas, citrus, cotton, hevea, rubber, gum arabic, 
amongst others. 
4.86.  Admittedly, there are challenges to be met, in particular, when it comes to infrastructure, 
transport, production and energy supplies. 
4.87.  The forward-looking vision of the countries co ncerned and the strategic choices made by the 
authorities, both to improve the legal and institutional business environment, as well as to develop 
production and commercial infrastructure, would indicate that the factors and outcomes that 
support business development and greater competit iveness will be improved over the short, 
medium and long terms. 
4.88.  Amongst these factors and outcomes, we will mention the activities and endeavours under 
way to promote agricultural production, livestock rearing and fishing, modernize transport, customs and telecommunications systems, prom ote the development of energy sources, 
the diversification of production (to prevent contractions in revenue sources dependent on single 
products such as oil or minerals, and a shrinking tax base), and to promote industrial development 
as well as regional integration, amongst other things. 
4.89.  The CEMAC regional economic programme (REP ) provides a good framework for economic 
and commercial activities and for building physical, human and institutional capacities through 
its five strategic priorities and three programming stages over the 2010–2025 period. 
4.90.  Taken individually, the economic performances of the countries under review are positive, 
despite the repercussions of the financial, food  and energy crises and the impacts of climate 
change. 
4.91.  Indeed, for the 2007–2011 period, this group of countries recorded GDP growth rates 
ranging between 2.5% and 5.5% depending on the case, with Chad registering 13% in 2010. 
4.92.  Economic and trade flows between Benin and the CEMAC countries under review on the one 
hand, and between the CEMAC countries and those of WAEMU and ECOWAS on the other, are progressing and showing excellent prospects. 
4.93.  Benin maintains excellent relations with the countries concerned, both in inter-African 
regional organizations and in international organizations including the World Trade Organization (WTO). 
4.94.  The Benin delegation calls on the technical and financial partners of the CEMAC countries 
under review to support them in their efforts to  promote diversified and multi-sectoral economic 
and commercial activities, both in formulating trade measures in line with WTO rules and principles, adapted to their levels and needs, and in developing income and job-generating 
activities to combat poverty and attain the Millennium Development Goals. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  NIGERIA 
4.95.  Nigeria is happy to note that the trade regimes of the respective CEMAC member States 
have been stable since their last reviews between 2006 and 2007. Significant efforts have been made to improve the business climate with respect to the harmonization of business law, 
simplifying procedures, and several initiatives to combat corruption. Almost all the member States 
have amended their domestic procurement regimes since the last review. There are common banking regulations with the same establishment conditions for domestic and foreign 
institutions. The CEMAC countries have also made commendable advances in setting 
up the Common External Tariff (CET), and adopting  the necessary accompanying measures to the 
community trade liberalization scheme. 
4.96.  Nigeria further notes that the economic performance of the countries of subregion has been 
disparate and sluggish, albeit for different reasons but most especially as a result of the impact 
of the global economic and financial crisis, the progressive depletion of petroleum resources and weak oil earnings, income redistribution challenges, the landlocked status of Chad 
and Central African Republic, and the prevailing soci o-politico-military conflicts. Nigeria hopes that 
the CEMAC countries will be able to individually and collectively effectively address these challenges to enable them to optimally harness the regional resources and fully take advantage 
of the potential of the regional market of 42.5 million people. 
4.97.  In view of the present commitment by the Summit of the African Union (AU) to fast-track 
the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CAFTA), with the Regional Economic 
Communities (RECs) as the building blocks, Nigeria is concerned about the low-level 
of intra-community trade within the CEMAC. We note that all the CEMAC countries are also 
members of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), whose integration process has been slow to take off since its establishment in 1983. Nigeria would therefore 
be happy to hear how the CEMAC countries intend to positively contribute to the establishment 
of the CAFTA as planned. 
4.98.  Furthermore, the Secretariat Report indicates that international and regional trade 
is constrained as a result of excessive taxation and bureaucracy. The report recommends that for 
the five countries to realize their development ambitions and for regional integration within CEMAC to contribute to their success, they will need to pursue their various reforms, especially those 
of a structural nature, expand their multilateral commitments to the reformed regimes to ensure 
the latter's credibility and predictability, and effectively apply the measures collectively established 
at Community level. Nigeria hopes that the CEMAC countries would explain how they intend to create a business-friendly environment as well as attract the investment badly needed to exploit 
their immense potential. 
4.99.  Nigeria has excellent bilateral economic and political relations with all the CEMAC countries, 
especially Cameroon and Chad which are our neig hbours to the east and north, respectively. 
Our countries also share significant similarities in  terms of the diversity of climate, agro-pastoral 
activities, and challenges arising from desert encroachment and the drying up of water resources, particularly in the Chad Basin, which is of great importance to Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria. Nigeria remains ready and willing to continue to work with the CEMAC countries to deepen 
and strengthen the existing close ties between our brotherly countries, as well as the promotion 
of intra-regional trade and integration in Africa. 
4.100.  In conclusion, Nigeria wishes to encourage Members to provide the CEMAC countries with 
the needed technical and financial assistance under the EIF for LDCs and the Aid for Trade 
initiative in general. We urge Members to support the reforms being undertaken by the CEMAC countries to create the business-friendly environment, which should attract investment in those 
sectors that would significantly contribute to econom ic growth and diversification, as well as wealth 
creation, employment generation and poverty alle viation. Finally, given that one of the CEMAC 
countries, Equatorial Guinea, only has Observer status and has applied for accession to the WTO since 2007, Nigeria calls on the entire membership to support and facilitate its accession process 
so that the country would take its rightful place beside the other CEMAC countries during 
the next TPR. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  ARGENTINA 
4.101.  Many Members have discussed the trade policies of the CEMAC member countries in detail. 
I should like to make a few brief comments regarding these countries and the multilateral negotiations under the Doha Round. 
4.102.  Chad is a member of the "Cotton 4" group, and Cameroon and the Central African Republic 
are also cotton producers. In that regard, we wish to underscore the need to respond to the calls for more action to eliminate cotton subsidies, pursuant to the Doha mandate and the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Declaration. In that Declaration, Members committed to dealing with the question 
of cotton in an ambitious, rapid and specific manner in the negotiations on agriculture concerning all trade-distorting policies that impact the sector, as stipulated in the Doha mandate. 
4.103.  We wish to emphasize that a concrete outcome in the agricultural negotiations at the world 
level, in accordance with the Doha mandate, is of even greater importance for the CEMAC 
countries whose trade policies are under review today, given the potentially positive impacts of such an outcome on their development policies,  above all, if it addresses the pending issues 
relating to export competition. 
4.104.  We therefore urge the CEMAC members to work together with Argentina 
and other WTO Members towards fair and market-oriented agricultural trade. 
BURKINA
 FASO 
4.105.  I wish to attest to the excellent relations existing between Burkina Faso and 
the CEMAC member countries. One of the CEMAC countries, Chad, which together with Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali is a member of the group of four co-sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative 
in favour of Cotton, has on that basis even become a key partner to the three other countries 
belonging to ECOWAS (at least as far as cotton is concerned). The CEMAC countries have always provided support and solidarity to the C4 Group in the cause being pursued through 
this initiative; Cameroon and the Central African Republic, in particular, are also amongst 
the 36 cotton-producing African countries. 
4.106.  Cooperation is being stepped up in various fields between ECOWAS and CEMAC, which can 
draw on their respective experiences, good prac tices and successes to move forward on the path 
of regional and ultimately continental integration in Africa. 
4.107.  The WTO Secretariat Report also mentions CEMAC's commitment to and support for the 
process of strengthening and liberalizing the multilateral trading system. In this way, this area and 
its members attach paramount importance to the conclusion of the Doha Round. This is why in this 
phase preparatory to the WTO Ministerial Conf erence scheduled for Bali in December 2013, 
my country makes common cause with the CEMAC member countries in calling for an early 
harvest on the priority issues for develo ping countries and LDCs in particular. 
4.108.  CEMAC has a crucial role to play in building the common market and in developing the 
economic union, which are guarantees of the emerge nce of this subregion, the potential of which 
is beyond doubt. 
4.109.  After monetary integration, the institutional reform programme now being carried forward 
and the regional economic programme now being implemented, it is imperative for the CEMAC countries to consolidate the common market they are now building. 
4.110.  To this end, we encourage them to steadfastly pursue the construction of infrastructure for 
economic integration, the establishment of cent res of excellence and the adoption of common 
sectoral policies. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  SENEGAL 
4.111.  The joint trade policy review of the CEMAC countries Members of the WTO is a first and 
must be welcomed and encouraged. It is an initiative that encourages the formation of regional economic entities as vital spaces for promoting the economic and trade development of our 
small States. 
4.112.  Other regional integration communities such as the West African Economic 
and Monetary Union (WAEMU) should draw inspiration from an initiative of this kind, 
which is instrumental in better diagnosing and identifying the impediments to the effective 
implementation of economic and trade integration processes. 
4.113.  The Secretariat Report highlights numerous persistent problems facing the CEMAC 
countries, including those in the realm of fr ee movement of people, goods and services, 
even though the monetary integration aspect is in fact operating. 
4.114.  Shortcomings have also been noted with respect to notifications, this being an important 
aspect intended to favour transparency and the proper information of other WTO Members 
regarding the trade practices and policies being followed by each Member. 
4.115.  However, despite the difficulties being encount ered in the pursuit of economic integration 
and better integration into the multilateral trade system, the CEMAC Governments are making 
substantial efforts to honour all their trade commitments signed in the WTO framework 
and to place the countries on a path towards emergence. These efforts must be commended. 
4.116.  This is what inspires the regional economic programme (REP), the goal of which is to make 
the region into an integrated economic area by 2025. If such a programme is to be realized, it will 
require the support of the international community, development partners and WTO Members that 
are in a position to assist the CEMAC countries. In  so doing, they would be helping to improve the 
living conditions of several million peop le and to lift them out of poverty. 
CHINA 
4.117.  We note that the CEMAC countries generally maintained a positive average annual growth 
of around 3% in spite of the global economic cr isis during the period under review. This growth 
is mainly attributed to the external demand for their competitive products. Meanwhile, 
the CEMAC countries have made efforts to improve the business climate, which we highly commend and encourage them to continue. Howeve r, we have to admit that many challenges 
remain to be solved for CEMAC countries to fully exploit their growth potential, such as the 
diversification of their economy and exports, further improvement of domestic business climate 
and implementation of regional integration efforts.  Moreover, as the Secretariat Report indicates, 
international trade and regional trade of CEMAC countries are heavily constrained by poor 
intra-community communications, excessive taxation and all sorts of red tape. We encourage 
the CEMAC countries to enhance their infrastructure constructions and simplify various obstructive procedures at their internal borders. We furthe r encourage all WTO Members to provide necessary 
assistance in this regard to facilitate their domestic actions. 
4.118.  On the bilateral front, China and the CEMAC countries enjoy very close economic 
ties. Despite the global economic downturn, ou r bilateral trade amounted to US$10.7 billion 
in 2012, with a surplus of US$5.6 billion for CEMAC countries. Based on the statistics for the first 
five months of this year, we are convinced that this trade will reach another peak in relation 
to previous years. In addition to trade, China has an accumulated investment of US$789 million in CEMAC countries covering various areas including agriculture and energy. China will continue 
to encourage its enterprises to actively participate in the economic development 
of CEMAC countries, in particular in the area of infrastructure. 
4.119.  On the multilateral front, China shares the concerns of CEMAC countries that the 
developing countries will suffer the most from the deadlock and the failure of the Doha Round. 
China firmly believes that the Doha Round must achieve a balanced and development-oriented result so as to enable all Members, particularly the developing ones, to enjoy the benefits of free WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  trade. China looks forward to cooperating with CE MAC countries in the next few months for a small 
but meaningful package by MC9 and afterwards for a successful conclusion of the whole Round. 
4.120.  Moreover, China fully understands the diffi culties that the CEMAC countries might 
encounter in their cotton sector development and therefore signed a communiqué with 
the Cotton 4 countries during the eighth Ministeria l Conference. China has identified several areas 
for future cooperation in the next three year s, among which China will also provide ginning 
equipment to cotton processing factories in Chad and encourage Chinese enterprises to establish 
a cooperation project on the deep-processing of cotton in Chad. 
TOGO 4.121.  Despite a decade marked by a world economic crisis, each of the five CEMAC member 
States under review has made headway in their economic and trade policies with a view 
to opening up to world trade, as shown by  the growth figures they have achieved. 
4.122.  My delegation therefore wishes to commend the actions taken by the 
Government of Cameroon to join the group of middle-income countries by diversifying its economy 
despite the gradual depletion of oil resources, and to encourage it to realize the noble 
development goals it set itself in the Employment Strategy Paper (ESP) adopted in 2009. 
4.123.  My delegation welcomes the Congo's efforts over recent years in the economic sphere, 
which have enabled it to generate a trade balance surplus. My delegation hopes that this 
dynamism will be maintained through the attainment of the five trade policy goals it has set itself, namely: 
 foreign trade promotion; 
 compliance with the rules on competition and other trade regulations; 
 export promotion; 
 guaranteeing regular supplies to the domestic market; 
 support for economic operators in the trade sector. 
4.124.  As regards Gabon, my delegation notes with satisfaction the Government's efforts to open 
up its economy to trade, which is a key factor in the prosperity of nations. 
4.125.  I am especially pleased to raise the problem of tariff concessions facing this fraternal 
and friendly country since 1995. It seems to us, and this by the way is a widely held sentiment, that Gabon has made some effort, particularly in preparing new tariff concession schedules for submission to the WTO, and my delegation encourages Member States to pay special heed 
to its request in connection with the application of Article 28.4. 
4.126.  The Central African Republic has undertaken reforms in recent years in pursuit 
of substantial growth and self-sustained development. Despite a particularly difficult social 
and political context, the Government has stayed  the course in meeting the basic objectives 
arising from its WTO membership. 
4.127.  The Togolese delegation supports the Government of Chad in respect of its trade 
development strategy, its business formation process, the facilities and advantages accorded 
to enterprises under the investment charter, as well as the implementation of its trade policy. 
4.128.  Generally speaking, a study of the various reports submitted allows us to highlight the 
measures taken to improve the business climate through the membership of the CEMAC countries 
in the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), the simplification 
of certain procedures and anti-corruption initiatives. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.129.  Despite these efforts, like other African countries, the five are still grappling with the 
problem of economic diversification. This widespread problem in Africa is one of the challenges on which CEMAC must focus, having also made some accomplishments in the realm of sectoral 
and trade policies, in particular regarding import taxation and domestic taxation. 
4.130.  In this connection, my delegation wishes to recall that the multifaceted support of the WTO 
is paramount in making trade a driver of development and growth and a tool for poverty alleviation. 
INDONESIA 
4.131.  Indonesia is pleased to participate in the Trade Policy Review of CEMAC. Indonesia 
appreciates CEMAC countries' continuous support to the multilateral trading system and their role as Members and through negotiating groups such as the G-90, the ACP and the African Group. 
We acknowledge that the CEMAC countries are members of the W/52 coalition on TRIPS issues 
in which Indonesia shares the same interests. We hope that they will enhance their role in the WTO system and contribute further to bu ilding convergence among WTO Members in their 
endeavours to achieve positive outcomes at the MC9 in Bali. 
4.132.  On bilateral relations, we recognize that  the trade balance between Indonesia and 
the CEMAC countries has been growing significantly over the past five years, Cameroon and Congo 
being our two largest trading partners. Indonesi a exports various commodities to CEMAC such 
as animal products, paper, plastics and electronics. In 2012, the total value of our trade with CEMAC counties reached US$132.9 million, or 4.5% higher than in 2011 when it amounted to US$127.2 million. These figures reflect the increasing economic ties between Indonesia and 
the CEMAC countries. We have every confidence that our economic relations will continue to grow 
in the future. 
GUINEA 
4.133.  The CEMAC trade policy review bears out the dete rmination of the countries of this region 
and their commitment to transparent trade policie s in the WTO for the sake of freer and more 
stable trade. At the regional level, the Republic  of Guinea together with the CEMAC countries are 
all members of the African Union. The CEMAC me mber countries and the Republic of Guinea 
therefore share a common trade policy decided on by the various summits of African Heads 
of State. 
4.134.  Under cooperation agreements with the European Union and the United States, 
all CEMAC member countries and the Republic  of Guinea benefit from the advantages 
of preferential market access and from the AGOA  on the European and United States markets. 
4.135.  Like the CEMAC member countries, Guinea is also a member of the African Intellectual 
Property Organization. 
4.136.  Multilaterally, we are negotiating with the CEMAC countries on bound duty-free access for 
those countries. 
4.137.  In addition to Guinea, Chad and the Central African Republic are among the LDCs that are 
negotiating duty and quota-free market access under the Doha Round. We are also negotiating flexible rules of origin as well as the effective implementation of the services waiver, and have just negotiated a waiver for LDCs with respect to TRIPS and public health. 
4.138.  We also support all the sectoral initiatives being taken by these countries under 
t h e  S e c t o r a l  I n i t i a t i v e  i n  F a v o u r  o f  C o t t o n. The CEMAC LDC member s also benefit under 
the Enhanced Integrated Framework Programme, which enables those countries to build trade into 
poverty reduction strategies. 
4.139.  Together with these CEMAC LDC members, we therefore advocate for growth with poverty 
reduction. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.140.  As part of regional integration, the Republic of Guinea and the other ECOWAS members 
introduced a common passport some years ago to facilitate the movement of people and goods. W e  h o p e  t h a t  i n  t h e  f u t u r e ,  C E M A C  m e m b e r  c o u n t r i e s  w i l l  m o v e  i n  t h a t  s a m e  d i r e c t i o n  so as to facilitate subregional integration. 
4.141.  At the bilateral level, I wish to place special emphasis on the case of Gabon, with 
which Guinea maintains a historic and secular relationship. In addition to this secular and historic tie, the Republic of Guinea cooperates with Gabon in the medical and educational fields. Guinean 
teaching personnel and doctors very often go to Libreville and Lambaréné. 
4.142.  Many Cameroonian students have attended Guinean universities. 
4.143.  In conclusion, we wish to encourage the CEMAC member countries to step up their 
cooperation with ECOWAS countries in order to boost south-south cooperation as well 
as intra-African trade. 
NEPAL 4.144.  This joint group Review and Common Report prov ides comprehensive insights into different 
aspects of trade regimes of the concerned members in a single sitting. This has saved both cost 
and time, while at the same time providing a concise and comparative economic picture of the subregion. 
4.145.  The combined review report reveals that ever since the creation of CEMAC in 1994 and 
since its actual commencement in June 1999, the integration process in the subregion has moved forward in facilitating and easing trade amon g members and fostering their economic growth. 
The treaty, which was revised in 2008, has prov ided members with a broader platform for 
collaboration in improving and harmonizing their systems and procedures for achieving accelerated 
economic growth. The Regional Economic Progra mme (PER) adopted by CEMAC is found to be 
effective and supportive in fostering trade and buil ding the capacity of the members to raise their 
income and alleviate poverty in the subregion. 
4.146.  Despite heterogeneity of development levels among CEMAC countries, it is worth 
mentioning that the adoption of several common re forms, measures and instruments, both at the 
external and domestic levels, has helped members to advance their trade. The adoption 
of a comprehensive ICT Policy and the Community  Investment Charter, among other things, has 
helped members to further increase investment in the subregion. 
4.147.  The Report indicates that over the past two decades, growth in CEMAC has averaged 
4.8% per year, which can be attributed to cont inuous policy reforms undertaken by its members 
over the past decade. However, significant differences still exist among countries and especially between LDCs and others. Besides, as the economies of the CEMAC countries are in general very 
dependent on the petroleum sector - with the exce ption of that of the Central African Republic - 
this makes their growth highly vulnerable to exte rnal shocks. This underlines the need for export 
diversification to sustain economic growth. 
4.148.  The aim of making CEMAC an emerging integr ated economic area by 2025 is an ambitious 
goal. The tripling of per capita income by 2025 ba sed on three strong pillars: the Energy pillar, 
the Agriculture and Forestry pillar, and the Mining and Metallurgy pillar is an indication of strong political determination on the part of the countries concerned. Success will depend on consolidated 
partnership and collaboration among Member States and enhanced technical and financial support 
from the international community. 
4.149.  The Report draws the conclusion that po licies and programmes adopted so far and 
implemented by CEMAC with a view to promoting trade and fostering economic integration in the 
subregion are very much facilitative and in line wi th the spirit of a rules-based, transparent, open 
and liberal trading system. Continued collaboration among the participant countries will 
be essential to improve the efficacy of adopted policies and programmes and accelerate the pace 
of economic integration and trade diversification. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  4.150.  Finally, we emphasize the need to improve the TPRM in such a way that it would be helpful 
not only in examining and identifying Members' compliance with WTO Agreements but also in exploring constraints and challenges associated with trade sector development in the member countries reviewed and in suggesting the way forward for their redress. TPR reports should be the 
guiding documents for the international community and donor countries in extending and 
mobilizing technical and other capacity-building support to developing Members, in particular LDC Members of the WTO. Regu lar follow-up by the appropriate WTO body, 
the Member country and donors of the implemen tation of recommendations made in the TPR 
is equally important in this regard. 
RWANDA 4.151.  First, Rwanda welcomes the fresh momentum of the reforms under way in the CEMAC 
countries. The vision and strategic choices of the subregion's leaders intended to bring dynamism 
to the subregion and thereby transform it into an energy, metallurgical and mining power are commendable. Moreover, the export strategy designed  to transform the currently not very diverse, 
low value-added economy into a high value-added, diversified one is part of a vision for lasting 
economic growth, the creation of decent jobs and for development. 
4.152.  Since the industrial revolution, no country in the world has developed without basic 
infrastructure and without adding value to products and services. The path taken by CEMAC 
therefore augurs well for the future of this subr egion's economy and people in the decades ahead. 
CEMAC should therefore be supported in this endeavour by the various development partners, 
in particular through aid for trade. 
4.153.  The CEMAC vision and strategies are all the more encouraging, given CEMAC's central 
geographical location in the continent and considering the prospect of implementing the continental free trade area by 2017. Being as central as it is, your region will play a pivotal role 
in the growth of intra-African trade by means of  appropriate infrastructure, exports with added 
value, and trade facilitation. 
4.154.   Rwanda welcomes its ever-growing trade relations with several CEMAC members; 
these relations will continue to grow hand-in-hand with continental integration as projected 
by our leaders. 
4.155.  Finally, my delegation wishes to commend the role of the CEMAC delegations to Geneva 
in the WTO negotiations, and more specifically the trade facilitation negotiations. As we move 
towards adopting the Trade Facilitation Agreement at Bali, support for our CEMAC colleagues will 
be even more necessary as of September next. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CEMAC COUNTRIES AND ADDITIONAL 
COMMENTS 
5.1.  As we embark on the final phase of the first group trade policy review 
of the CEMAC States Members of the WTO, our delegation wishes to thank you 
personally, Mr Chairman, for your efficient guidance of the work of this session. This has been 
a time of significant exchanges and sharing of experiences with other WTO Members well versed 
in this exercise. 
5.2.  I would also like to congratulate our discussant, H.E. Ambassador Alberto Pedro D'Alotto 
of the Argentine Republic, who was good enough to share in this first experience with the subregion. 
5.3.  I wish also to thank and congratulate the members of our delegation, comprised of Ministers 
from the five Member States, Ambassadors, th e CEMAC Commission and experts, all of whom 
have done a remarkable job before our arrival, and over the past three days here in Geneva. 
5.4.  Finally, allow me to thank all the Members who in tervened during the session with questions, 
comments or recommendations regarding our subregion. We noted with satisfaction that most 
of the speakers have welcomed the new dynamism in the reforms begun in the subregion and encouraged CEMAC to continue on this path. 
5.5.  You may rest assured that all the comments, recommendations and criticisms from the 
WTO membership have been positively received an d will serve us as guidance in becoming better 
integrated into the multilateral trading system. 
5.6.  The many written or oral questions addressed by WTO Members to CEMAC and to each 
of the States of our Community can be grouped into three distinct categories. In general, 
they relate to the socio-economic environment in  the subregion, trade policies and practices, 
and sectoral policies. 
5.7.  Let me recall that CEMAC comprises six member States. You will have seen that the 
Republic of Equatorial Guinea is not here with us because it is not yet a WTO Member. Our hope is that it will become is one as soon as possible. 
5.8.  As regards the business environment in our subregion, the following are the main findings 
that have emerged from the statements by the various WTO Members: 
5.9.  By and large, the CEMAC countries have demonstr ated resilience in a context of world crisis, 
even though our various structures economic are still not very diversified. And it is precisely 
to remedy this that, in 2010, our States devised and adopted the Regional Economic Programme 
(REP). 
5.10.  It was also noted, and the CEMAC member countries are aware of this, that the business 
climate in our area is not the most attractive. 
5.11.  We would nonetheless like to inform WTO Members that large-scale action plans are now 
under way in most of our countries precisely to improve the business climate. 
5.12.  These include the gradual implementation in CEMAC member countries of single windows 
to ease company formation procedures and the customs clearance of goods. The same is true of mediation and arbitration centres being created in accordance with OHADA provisions. The countries of the Community have also taken land reform measures and revised their 
investment codes. 
5.13.  As pertains to the process of rationalizing our two regional economic communities, 
namely CEMAC and ECCAS, the Conference of Heads of State and of Government has set 
up a steering committee on the rationalization of the two communities and determined the priority 
areas on which harmonization will focus. Trade policy instruments are foremost amongst the priority areas identified. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  5.14.  With respect to the effective implementation of Community provisions, despite the 
difficulties identified, the process of building the common market is continuing, drawing on the 
following accomplishments in the harmonization of trade policy instruments: the Common External Tariff (CET), the Generalized Preferential Tariff (GPT), rules of origin, value added tax (VAT), 
and excise duties. 
5.15.  As underlined by most WTO Members in their statements, the subregion needs the support 
of our partners in its efforts to develop trade and become integrated into the multilateral trading 
system. It is in this context that the regional ai d for trade strategy (SRAC) for Central Africa was 
developed and adopted at Yaoundé in April 2013, covering all States members of ECCAS. Unveiled for the first time in July 2013 during the Fourth Global Review of Aid for Trade in Geneva, this 
strategy focuses on three key pillars, namely basic infrastructure (transport, energy and 
telecommunications), productive capacity buildi ng, and the development of trade policies and 
regulations. 
5.16.  We would also like to point to the dynamism of our trade with emerging countries, now 
indispensable partners, and we welcome current init iatives to strengthen south-south cooperation. 
5.17.  In the field of transport infrastructure, road-building is deemed a critical lever for facilitating 
the free movement of goods and people and fostering increased intra-Community trade. 
5.18.  To that end, the efforts of the region and its partners are now making it possible gradually 
to build a modern road network in the CEMAC area. Hence, since the 8
th EDF, transport 
infrastructure has remained the top priority sector identified by the subregion. 
5.19.   Moreover, Member States and the Community have launched a vast infrastructure building 
and upgrading programme in the subregion. In this process, CEMAC is also taking particular 
account of the specific situation of the two member countries that have no coastline, namely Chad and the Central African Republic. Hence, in the building of the CEMAC integration road network, 
the Douala-N'Djamena and Douala-Bangui Corridors are almost complete, and will link Chad and 
the CAR with Douala, their main point of access to the sea. 
5.20.  The low level of intra-Community trade in the Central Africa region can still be put down to 
the low level of production of tradable goods in  the Central African region, which "produces what 
it does not consume and consumes what it does not produce". It is against this backdrop that the countries of our subregion and the Community are jointly taking action to diversify our economies. The fight against insecurity and red tape, the supervision of the informal sector and the 
development of transport infrastructure will make  for the development of trade in the subregion. 
The combination of all of these initiatives seems to us to be a medium-term response to this concern. 
5.21.  On the trade policy front, although the practical implementation of the various Community 
provisions is still insufficient owing to persisting distortions, the region has launched a massive project under the Programme for the facilitation of transport and transit operations (PFTT) for the 
dematerialization of foreign trade procedures, and this should be complete in 2014. In this 
context, the single window which has been op erational in Cameroon since 2000 has helped 
significantly shorten the time needed for goods to cross borders. Meetings with the various players 
in trade (public and private sectors) have led to the drafting of a manual of simplified foreign trade 
procedures. 
5.22.  A customs modernization programme is in progress in the Congo and includes the 
implementation of the single window for the payment of duties, taxes and expenses incurred 
during customs clearance (GUD) and the installation of scanners. 
5.23.  Similarly, a single window for cross-border operations is now coming on stream, designed 
to dematerialize all foreign trade operations and thereby optimize and simplify customs clearance 
procedures. 
5.24.  In Gabon, simplification takes the form of the computerization of customs procedures 
in almost 99% of offices. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 31 - 
 
  5.25.  The long-term plan will entail dematerializatio n, the processing of declarations, the payment 
of duties and taxes, and the issuance of "cle arance vouchers" before goods arrive, as well 
as fast-track customs clearance procedures. 
5.26.  When it comes to trade facilitation, the acquisition of scanners and cranes will help shorten 
customs clearance time. Lastly, a project to implement a multimodal single window will reduce 
time-frames, costs, and import and export procedures. 
5.27.  In the Central African Republic (CAR), several reforms is have been launched to facilitate 
customs clearance procedures, including the installation in Douala of a "one-stop" window for 
transit, to handle customs formalities at the fi rst point of entry of goods bound for the CAR. 
Besides, the CAR has just purchased two scanners for the processing of containers, and has started building a customs office next to Bastos, a post on the border with Cameroon. 
5.28.  In Chad, a dry port has been set up at the Gueli customs post (main post on the border 
with Cameroon) to facilitate customs clearance procedures. This has reduced customs clearance times to 48 hours. 
5.29.  Lastly, at the Community level, the Programme for the facilitation of transport and transit 
operations (PFTT) has been under way since 2008. It entails strengthening the capacity of customs administrations via the three key components of training, computerization and the interconnection 
of the subregion's customs administ rations through the ASYCUDA system. 
5.30.  Furthermore, it has been noted that the rates applied on a half a dozen lines are higher than 
those bound by our countries. In this regard, it should be noted that these bindings were made before the introduction of the CEMAC Common External Tariff (CET), under which a great many 
products were classified below the WTO bound levels. In order to maintain cohesion within 
the Community and compliance with WTO rules, the CEMAC countries envisage renegotiating 
their WTO commitments. The observer status envisaged for the CEMAC Commission 
at the WTO should facilitate the coordination of this process. 
5.31.  In the realm of standardization and conformi ty assessment, CEMAC has launched a process 
to harmonize the policies and procedures in fo rce in Member States. One dimension of the 
standardization programme is institutional capacity building designed to enhance the quality 
infrastructure in the CEMAC area. 
5.32.  We therefore welcome the part being played by our partners in the execution of this 
important project, which will endow our subr egion with a scheme that meets international 
standards and the requirements of the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements. 
5.33.  As pertains to intellectual property rights, our countries have ratified the Bangui Agreement 
as revised in 2000, which constitutes de facto national intellectual property law. Intellectual 
property rights, including copyright and related ri ghts, are protected under the Bangui Agreement. 
As national law, the Bangui Agreement and its annexes are implemented in full by each 
CEMAC member State. Finally, each of our States has prepared or is now preparing draft strategic 
plans for the development of intellectual  property and technological innovation. 
5.34.  With respect to sectoral policies, the Regi onal Economic Programme (REP) is CEMAC's 
contribution to the effort to harmonize the policies of Member States. It incorporates, inter alia , 
the Regional Food Safety Programme (PRSA) and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which are 
designed to promote trade in agricultural prod ucts, ensure food safety and reduce poverty, 
particularly in rural areas. It also includes elements of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) conceived under NEPAD. These initiatives are being financed 
in part by the Special Regional Agricultural Development Fund (FSRDA) set up to promote food 
security. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 32 - 
 
  5.35.  Moreover, in respect of diversification, all CEMAC States have drawn up national 
development plans that include various economic sectors. Hence, Cameroon's national strategic guidelines revolve around the long-term vision (2035), one component of which is the growth and employment strategy, which covers the first decade of the vision (2010-2020). It is based 
on infrastructure development, upgrading the pr oduction system, human development, regional 
integration, trade diversification, and modernizing the financing of the economy. 
5.36.  To meet the challenge of its development, the Congo has adopted a diversification and 
industrialization strategy based on seven activity "clusters" with cross-cutting strategies for 
enhancing sectoral competitiveness. 
5.37.  This programme covers agriculture and the agrif ood chain, forestry and the wood industries, 
oil and hydrocarbons, mining, buildings and construction materials, the tourism and hotel industry, 
as well as financial services. 
5.38.  The Congo also intends to boost its industrial strategy by establishing Special 
Economic Zones (ZES) to boost investment, ensure local processing of products and increase 
exports. 
5.39.  The stated aim of the Gabonese authorities since 2009 has been to transform Gabon into 
an "emerging economy" by 2025. The "Emerging Ga bon" strategic plan therefore comprises all 
projects that develop Gabon's human, natural and mining potential. This plan revolves around 
three growth pillars called "Green Gabon", "I ndustrial Gabon" and "Service-oriented Gabon". 
5.40.  In the CAR, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) – the reference document for all 
development and poverty alleviation policies and strategies – was drawn up on a participatory 
basis for the 2011-2015 period. For the first time, it lays out a plan of the priority actions needed 
to highlight the funds raised or to be raised in implementing sectoral strategies. 
5.41.   Chad has drawn up and adopted a National Development Plan for 2013-2015. Officially 
launched in June 2013, this plan prioritizes the modernization of agriculture and livestock rearing 
as well as the development of industry and services through greater private sector involvement and infrastructure development, particularly in  the fields of transport, ICTs and energy. 
5.42.  In the mining sector, it should be noted that the five CEMAC countries members 
of the WTO are parties to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). In the Congo, this initiative has been expanded to include forestry. So far, the Central African Republic and the Congo have achieved compliant-country status. This endeavour for transparency is continuing 
in the three other countries that failed to meet all the set criteria during the initial exercise. 
5.43.  Moreover, all the countries have signed the Nagoya Protocol, which provides for access 
to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of revenue obtained from the exploitation 
of biodiversity resources. 
5.44.  In the realm of industrialization, note should  be taken of the endeavours of the countries 
in the subregion to process their raw materials, and wood in particular. The long-term aim 
is to process the entire output of logs, such that exports will consist only of high value-added 
semi-finished or finished products. 
5.45.  To that end, laws are progressively being enacted in the Central African Republic, the Congo 
and Gabon prohibiting the export of logs. 
5.46.  With regard to the cotton subsector, the region is particularly appreciative of the 
unequivocal stance taken by most WTO Members calling for the rapid resolution of this matter. To this end, we reiterate our commitment to the diligent handling of this dossier and hope 
that a favourable decision will be taken in this regard at the forthcoming Ministerial Conference 
in Bali. 
5.47.  With regard to the regional sugar market, the Community is organizing itself so as to avoid 
any monopoly or abuse of dominant position by strictly applying Community competition rules. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 33 - 
 
  5.48.  Lastly, in the services sector in general and telecommunications in particular, national 
legislations do not include any special restriction regarding national treatment for foreign providers. 
5.49.  In implementing these projects and programmes our subregion is beginning a profound 
transformation from an undiversified, low value-added economy to a strong economy relying 
on exports of high value-added, processed goods. 
5.50.  The reforms thus begun will produce the desired results only through the combined effort 
of CEMAC member countries and all the subregion's technical and financial partners. 
5.51.  I think that by and large I have replied to th e concerns raised by WTO Members. The first 
questions submitted to Member States and to the Community were answered in writing. For Members who may not have been fully satisfied, more detailed answers and further 
information will be provided in the time-frame normally allowed by the WTO Secretariat. 
DISCUSSANT 5.52.  I am honoured to share some brief closing comments with you in this trade policy review 
of CEMAC countries. This morning, I would like to comment on the main issues that have emerged 
during this review. I wish to thank Minister Me ngue Me Engouand from Gabon for the interesting 
comments he has just made. 
5.53.  First, several Members mentioned the enormo us potential available to CEMAC members, 
namely a large market of 42.5 million people in a region blessed with abundant natural resources suited to agricultural and industrial activities, in particular as regards mining and hydrocarbons. Members commended CEMAC on it s recent economic growth while underscoring 
the differences between the LDCs in the Community and others. Some mentioned the 
implementation of the Regional Economic Programme (REP), which is aimed at making the subregion an emerging integrated economic area  by 2025. Mention was also made of the stable 
inflationary situation and improved per capita GDP indicators. 
5.54.  As regards the outlook for CEMAC, I am conv inced that there is reason for optimism. 
The Regional Economic Programme 2010-2025 is ex pected to generate a threefold increase in 
CEMAC per capita GDP versus the current level and to halve the poverty rate. To achieve this, 
CEMAC envisages a profound transformation toward s a diversified economy with high value added. 
Whereas it currently relies on exports of unprocessed raw materials, it will be based on three pillars: energy, agriculture and forestry; th e mining industry; and metalworking. The aim is 
for this diversification to enhance the competitiveness of CEMAC, in that beyond the Community, 
its enterprises will have access to a market of some 260 million people to which to export electricity, synthetic petrochemical fertilisers, refined petroleum products, gas and liquefied 
petroleum gas, various metal products, and processed tropical products. 
5.55.  The CEMAC zone therefore intends to position itself, from the standpoint of international 
investors, as a competitive platform for exports to Europe and the Middle East, particularly for 
liquefied natural gas, metallurgical products and tr opical agricultural products. CEMAC will derive 
substantial resources from its forests. 
5.56.  Thus, in terms of sectoral policy, CEMAC could be a triple power by 2025: an energy power, 
a metallurgical power and a green power. 
5.57.  It should nevertheless be pointed out that Members also spoke of the lack of diversification 
of the economy and the excessive concentration of exports on raw materials, in particular hydrocarbons, and the resulting dependence on ra w materials prices. As has been pointed out, 
petroleum in fact accounts for 43.9% of Community GDP, 85.7% of its total exports, and 67.1% 
of its budgetary revenues. Most Members concurred in encouraging greater diversification, of both 
exports and the economy in general. The wish was also expressed for CEMAC countries to join 
their efforts to add greater value to local production. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 34 - 
 
  5.58.  In addition, Members referred to what remains to be done to substantially improve the 
climate for business between the CEMAC countries. Mention was made in this connection of the World Bank's Doing Business  2012 report, which, leaving aside some improvements 
to certain procedures, considers the region a difficult one owing to its cumbersome and costly 
regulations. 
5.59.  As regards regional integration, several Members indicated that CEMAC must still promote 
intra-regional trade considering that less than  4% of imports by CEMAC members come from 
the Community. CEMAC countries are therefore urge d to expand regional integration, though 
without introducing barriers to extra-Community trade. 
5.60.  One of the suggestions reiterated by Members wa s the idea of greater facilitation of both 
intra- and extra-community trade. 
5.61.  To tackle these shortcomings, Members encour aged the CEMAC countries to continue their 
work on aid for trade initiatives, and in several of their interventions, developing countries and LDCs sought assurances that financial and technical assistance to the countries will continue. 
5.62.  Similarly, it was pointed out that there are several exceptions to the common external tariff, 
in other words, not all tariff positions are subject to it, as many of them still come from national tariffs. Moreover, it was stressed that in many cases, the common external tariff levels are higher 
than the bound levels, and that some CEMAC members apply other customs duties and taxes that 
are higher than the bound ones. In addition, non- tariff barriers are on the whole not harmonized. 
5.63.  Mention was of course made of the importance of agriculture in the region, and of cotton in 
particular. Emphasis was placed on the importan ce of successfully concluding the negotiations 
under the Doha Development Round, with special reference to the subsidies that are hampering 
the production and international trade of agricultural products. We therefore thank the CEMAC countries for their support of the Cotton Four  initiative in the WTO. This notwithstanding, 
the CEMAC countries are urged to work towards a more competitive agricultural sector, bearing in 
mind the high level of protection it currently enjoys. In this context, attention was drawn to the lack of harmony at Community level when it comes to the sanitary and phytosanitary regime and 
technical regulations. It should be noted that the effective implementation of a sanitary and 
phytosanitary regime would make for better product quality, contribute to promoting agricultural exports and help induce other countries to open their markets. 
5.64.  In the realm of intellectual property, Member s also urged CEMAC countries to step up the 
fight against intellectual property infringements, including industrial property infringements. 
5.65.  Lastly, a call was made for Equatorial Guinea's WTO accession process to be expedited. 
5.66.   In closing, I sincerely wish the Members of CEMAC every success in their trade policy 
review. I applaud them for the work they have  done and the responses given to questions 
from Members. I commend the Secretariat for its support of this review. 
EUROPEAN
 UNION 
5.67.  The European Union thanks the CEMAC delegations for their answers to the questions asked 
by Members. 
5.68.  The replies to the EU's questions have received close attention. They have provided useful 
insights for better understanding the current situation with regard to trade policies in the 
CEMAC region and in each of its member States. Generally, the EU is satisfied with the 
clarifications received. 
5.69.  We would, however, like to rece ive some additional information, more specifically regarding: 
 the domestic taxation systems persisting within the CEMAC customs union; 
 the CEMAC strategy for dismantling intra-community barriers; and 
 the effective implementation of the intra-regional transit system. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 35 - 
 
  5.70.  Lastly, we are awaiting an answer from Gabon regarding our question on the wood 
subsector, bearing in mind the change in the tr ade regime on the EU market after 1 January 2014 
CONGO 5.71.  On behalf of the Republic of the Congo and on my own behalf, I should like to welcome the 
holding of this joint trade policy review of the CEMAC countries. We welcome this approach, which 
has the advantage of juxtaposing the policies being implemented in each of our States and pinpointing Community breaches, provisions and practices vis-à-vis the WTO agreements. It is also 
conducive to strengthening our regional integration and facilitating greater participation by all 
our States in the multilateral process. 
5.72.  I commend my fellow Ministers for the candid collaboration that has prevailed between 
us throughout this process. Addressing you personally, Hon. Minister of Trade of Gabon, 
by operation of the principle of the rotating CEMAC Presidency, you are now the 
President of our Council of Ministers. As for the quality of your performance, let me say here that had it been a matter of an election, we would have elected you by acclamation. 
5.73.  My thanks go to you, Mr Chairman, to H. E. Ambassador Alberto Pedro D'Alotto, our 
discussant, to the WTO Secretariat and all the officers of the various divisions that have supported us in preparing for this review. 
5.74.  Naturally, my thanks go also to the representatives of the various WTO Member States for 
their comments, recommendations and expressions of encouragement. 
5.75.  Since its last trade policy review, the Congo has set about implementing certain structural 
reforms that have enabled our economy to make considerable headway in terms of improved 
governance in various sectors of activity and aided the recovery of public finances. 
5.76.  The Congo is also engaged in a vast progra mme of structuring projects in the fields 
of transport infrastructure, energy and telecommunications, designed to bolster our national 
economy. 
5.77.  The Congo thus posted average growth of 7% for 2008–2012, sustained by a significant 
increase in public investment, which moved from an average of 11% over the four preceding years 
to 16.5% in 2012. 
5.78.  Today, Congolese debt is sustainable, the outstanding amount being less than 30% of GDP, 
well below the 70% CEMAC threshold, with debt service in relation to exports lower than 1% 
as compared to the relevant international threshold of 15%. In relation to budget revenues, 
this debt service does not surpass 2% as against a threshold of 25%. 
5.79.  On the strength of these encouraging results, the Government is continuing and completing 
the various reforms started with a view to setting the Congolese economy on a path of lasting 
growth. 
5.80.  To that end, improving the business climate remains the Government's central 
concern. Several reforms are underway in that connection, designed to improve our 
Doing Business  ranking; these mainly entail simplifying the administrative procedures involved 
in business formation, simplifying and reducing the fiscal and para-fiscal burden, facilitating cross-border trade, facilitating and securing access to land, facilitating the issuance of building permits, easing access for companies to credit and managing corporate bankruptcies, reinforcing 
the legal framework governing the performance of contracts, and investment protection. 
5.81.  The positive growth of the Congolese economy being witnessed for some years now is the 
underpinning of economic diversification and the improvement of the busi ness environment, which 
are action priorities for the Government. The special attention being accorded to the business 
sector and to creating an environment favourable to  the emergence of a thriving private sector will 
make it possible to take advantage of international trade and attain the development goals laid out 
in our 2012–2016 National Programme. This is an ambitious programme for the implementation 
of which the Congo is seeking the support of our development partners through aid for trade. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 36 - 
 
  CHAD 
5.82.  I welcome this opportunity to say a few words before this important meeting 
is adjourned. My intention is not to comment, and even less to go over the subjects dealt with by my counterpart from Gabon, who has just made a very thorough review of the various issues and 
concerns raised by the various WTO Members during this meeting. 
5.83.  I should like above all to take this opportunity to convey my gratitude to all participants 
who were good enough to offer us their sympat hy, support or criticisms, which we deem very 
constructive, as they are intended to help us better remedy the shortcomings detected in the 
application of our trade policies. My thanks also go to his Excellency Ambassador Joakim Reiter, who has honoured us by chairing this meeting. 
5.84.  I would also like to commend the insightfulness of our discussant, H.E. Ambassador Alberto 
Pedro D'Alotto of the Argentine Republic, who has made an unbiased review of our trade policies 
and practices, highlighting the progress made in our countries whilst not overlooking the challenges to be addressed if we are to reap the full benefits of international trade opportunities. 
5.85.  Mr D'Alotto did not omit to highlight the challenge of peace and security, which are 
indispensable to the economic development and em ergence of any society. Because Chad has had 
to grapple repeatedly in the past with the demons of insecurity, it is well placed to affirm the 
accuracy of this statement. Accordingly, our count ry has not hesitated to stand by fellow countries 
under threat, so as to help them restore stability. 
5.86.  By deciding to conduct the first ever group trade policy of our countries, not only has 
the WTO enabled us to evaluate the consistency of our policies with the rules of the multilateral 
trading system, but also to gauge their degree of convergence with the regional integration 
arrangements in place within CEMAC. 
5.87.  I can assure you that Chad will make good use of the recommendations offered 
by the WTO membership and the comments laid out in the WTO Secretariat Report. 
5.88.  With the Government of Chad, so firmly committed to undertaking reforms to promote trade 
development, this trade policy review is most time ly and points us in the right direction for making 
trade a lever for growth and poverty alleviation. 
CAMEROON 5.89.  Our spokesperson the Minister of Trade of Gabon has brilliantly discussed most of our 
concerns and the answers to the question s posed, and we are grateful to him. 
5.90.  I cannot help commenting on this excellent WTO initiative of conducting a group trade policy 
review of the CEMAC member States. I am certainly one of the longer-standing of my colleagues. I took part in the same exercise in 2007, when it was a joint Cameroon-Gabon review and today 
I must say that the difference is manifest. The WTO has enabled us to give direction to our 
Community and we will never be able to adeq uately express our appreciation in words. 
5.91.  We are here today because we believe in multilateralism, in the multilateral trade system 
as it is being implemented. We hope that the Doha Round will be taken to a successful conclusion. 
But this leads us to raise some concerns. 
5.92.  We are facing certain problems, which is why we are advancing in stages. This is the place 
to ask whether the time has not finally come for a sort of return to basics, to the spirit that 
prevailed when multilateralism was being put in place. 
5.93.  I am thinking of the Kennedy Round, the established aim of which was to promote 
development through trade. One might wonder whether today we are not promoting just trade 
whilst forgetting development. The focus of multilateralism was to promote development through 
trade. This is a thought that I would like to  put forward for consideration by WTO Members. 
Crucial tools had also been put in place – and here I would like to mention special and differential 
treatment in particular. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 37 - 
 
  5.94.  This being said, I should like to turn to the no less significant progress that has been made 
in improving the system. Here I think of the initiative by our Director-General launched in Hong Kong, namely, aid for trade. I think that  we should be making faster progress, working 
more assiduously and going much further so that our States can be equipped for multilateral 
cooperation, thanks to the efforts of the WTO to identify resources to help build our capacities – 
including human capacities, but above all, the capacity to be suppliers, to be present on the market. What would be the point of participating in a system if we are unable to produce or have 
a market presence? Aid for trade is one of the tools that should be put to good use. 
5.95.  Those were the comments I wished to make, though not without thanking you personally, 
Mr Chairman, for your brilliant guidance of our debates and Ambassador D'Alotto for his excellent presentation, which will enable us return to ou r countries strengthened and convinced of being 
on the right path. 
CENTRAL
 AFRICAN  REPUBLIC 
5.96.  I should like to thank the Chairman, the Mi nisters of the CEMAC States, the President 
of CEMAC and distinguished guests, as befits your respective official ranks and levels. 
5.97.  I rise on behalf of the Transitional Government of the Central African Republic 
to congratulate you on the successful outcome of this long process that has brought us today 
to the first joint trade policy review of the CEMAC States. 
5.98.  I thank the WTO for its multifaceted support, but most of all, for having allowed the work 
preparatory to this first group review to take place in Bangui in the Central African Republic, in September 2012 and March 2013. 
5.99.  M y thanks  go als o to all  the  e xpe rts who we re  pre s e nt in Bang ui in M arc h at the  he ig ht 
of the military and political crisis, including the WTO Secretariat team led by Mr Jacques Degbelo. 
5.100.  Allow me to thank the CEMAC States for their support in restoring security and peace 
to our country. I am convinced that peace and security are significant indicators in the 
development of trade and the promotion of the private sector. 
5.101.  The Central African Government is aware that the military and political crisis has to some 
extent, upset the forecasts made in respect of the trade policy of the Central African Republic, 
but the country is now acting to draw up an emergency economic recovery programme. 
5.102.  As the country that hosts the CEMAC headquarters, I should like to thank all 
Member States, the sister States in our subreg ion which, despite the situation my country has 
witnessed, have consented to keeping the Communi ty headquarters in Bangui. On behalf of my 
Government, I convey my deepest appreciation. 
5.103.  I should like to take this opportunity to commend President Moussa and his entire team for 
the new dynamism they have brought to our or ganization, and to express our gratitude and 
congratulations in that regard. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
- 38 - 
 
  6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 
6.1.  This first joint Trade Policy Review of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community 
(CEMAC) countries Members of the WTO has provid ed the opportunity to better understand their 
trade and trade-related policies and practices. I would like to thank the delegations of the 
countries under review, headed by: H.E. Mr Luc Magloire MBARGA ATANGANA, Minister of Trade 
(Cameroon), H.E. Mr Amalas Amlas HARO UN, Minister of Trade and Industry 
(Central African Republic), H.E. Mr Hamid Maha mat Dahalob, Minister of Trade and Industry 
(Chad), H.E. Mrs Claudine MUNARI, Minist er of Trade and Suppplies (Congo), and 
H.E. Mr Fidèle MENGUE ME ENGOUANG, Minister of Trade (Gabon) for their participation in this meeting and the remarkable engagement throughout this Trade Policy Review process. Let me also extend our gratitude to the rest of the delegations from the capitals and colleagues from the 
Missions in Geneva. I would also like to thank H.E. Mr Alberto Pedro D'Alotto, for his insightful 
intervention as discussant. 
6.2.  Members emphasized that the CEMAC countries have enormous potential. They all have large 
natural resources that, except for oil, remain mostly untapped. Diversification must, therefore, 
be a priority, as also recognized by the co untries under review, so as to improve human 
development, growth, poverty alleviation, reduce vulnerability to external shocks, enhance food 
security, etc. In this light, CEMAC countries were  encouraged to fully implement existing reform 
programmes, to improve infrastructure as well as to undertake new reforms aimed at, inter alia , 
facilitating trade, cutting red tape and improvin g their business environment. Combined with their 
WTO commitments to ensure the predictability, the transparency and the credibility of their trade 
regimes, such reforms should enhance the producti ve capacity of their economies, and contribute 
to attracting much needed FDIs in order to diversify their economies away from primary products. 
6.3.  Members noted that regional integration, throug h CEMAC, can serve as an important stepping 
stone to more effective integration of these countries into global trade. Within the Community, 
many achievements also have been made, for example resulting in relatively low inflation rates during the period of review, and the regional efforts are laudable. Members specifically 
commended the countries under review for setting  the ambitious aim of making CEMAC, by 2025, 
an emerging integrated economic area through th e adoption of the Regional Economic Programme 
(REP) in 2010. To achieve this aim, Members concurred with the statement by the countries under review that CEMAC must undergo a profound tr ansformation and expressed support for CEMAC's 
pursuit of this target. On the other hand, Members also noted that, in addition to CEMAC, the 
five countries also participate in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Similarly, the integration process is yet to start under this project, while the member countries 
of CEMAC are slow in implementing harmonized regimes, and in some cases, waive their regional 
commitments. Many WTO Members expressed concerns about the resulting low levels of intra-regional trade and encouraged the countries under review to ensure greater coherence 
in their policies, and more stringent implementation of the regional measures. 
6.4.  Members welcomed the five countries' strong commitment to the multilateral trading system 
and to the conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda. Some Members stressed the constructive role of CEMAC countries in the on-going trade facilitation negotiations. Recognizing that 
some CEMAC countries are also producers of cotton, a few Members recalled the priority to secure 
fair world market conditions for this product and to assist the cotton-producers to better capitalize on their legitimate comparative advantages in this sector. Similarly, some Members emphasized 
that two countries of CEMAC were LDCs, thereby standing to gain from any specific progress made 
in the WTO on the LDC priority issues. It was also  noted that one country of CEMAC was still in the 
process of acceding to the WTO and willingness to  support that country in the accession process 
was expressed. More generally, many Members highlighted the importance of Aid for Trade 
for CEMAC countries, including the assistance offered under the Enhanced Integrated Framework in favour of LDCs in the region. This being said, Members also recalled the need for all of CEMAC countries to fully meet their WTO notification requirements, as well as other 
WTO obligations. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  6.5.  Other more specific issues of interest raised by Members in their statements and questions 
include the following, and we also take due note of the very useful and comprehensive statements made by the Ministers of the CEMAC countries under review in this regard: These issues are more particularly the following: 
 Overall legal, institutional and administrative reforms: CEMAC countries were urged to 
rationalize and modernize their trade and investment regimes in order to improve the business environment with a view to making these regimes more conducive to the countries' 
economic development ambitions. 
 Border tax regime (tariffs an d other duties and charges): Members noted 
that CEMAC's tax system comprised a common external tariff with five rates (ranging from zero to 30% and averaging about 18%), as well as several other duties and charges. 
The levels of protection are high in some sectors. Also, national suspensions of import taxes 
and of VAT undermine the harmonized regime. Members also stressed that certain applied rates exceed the bound levels in most countries. They encouraged CEMAC countries to 
address the shortcomings of the common external  tariff, simplify their tax system, as well 
as to rationalize and reduce maximum rates with a view to promoting trade and investment, both internally in the region and with the rest of the world. 
 Trade facilitation: Members welcomed the positive steps taken, including at the national 
level, and the recognition by CEMAC that this was a priority, also in order to ensure the functioning of the internal market. This notw ithstanding, Members stressed the need for 
rapid improvements in this area, in light of  the remaining, and many times substantial 
impediments to transit and border clearance in the CEMAC countries. 
 SPS and TBT regimes: Some Members called upon CEMAC countries to adhere to best 
practices, mainly through the use of sci entific evidence in the development and 
implementation of new measures, and the notification of institutions in charge of 
SPS and TBT. 
 Intellectual Property Rights: A number of Members encouraged the CEMAC countries 
to set up an effective institutional framework geared at providing better protection for IPRs, 
including through the full implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. 
 Sectoral policies: While recognizing that few impediments exist to foreign direct 
investment and expressing support for the incr eased attention to sustainability and good 
governance of resource-based industries (e.g. in mining and forestry), Members 
urged CEMAC countries to rapidly take steps to further open up their trade regimes in a number of economic sectors with a view to facilitating their economic diversification 
processes. 
6.6.  Members appreciated the comprehensive responses provided by CEMAC countries to most 
questions and look forward to receiving any outstanding replies. 
6.7.  In conclusion, this Review has contributed to  deepening our understanding of the regional, 
as well as national components of the trade re gimes of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, 
Chad, the Congo, and Gabon. Members urged the five countries to increase their efforts for trade openness, ensure more effective application of the measures established at the Community level, 
as well as implement various reforms - especially those of a structural nature. This would improve 
their business environment by tackling high costs of doing business, and would attract investment. 
Such policies and programmes should provide CEMAC countries with a much needed boost to their 
competitiveness and to the improvement of the liv ing standards of their population. I would also 
like to stress - in line with what a number of Members have highlighted - that assistance from WTO Members may play a pivotal role to this end. As has become clear 
in this Review, CEMAC countries have immense potent ial, although this potential has yet to be fully 
exploited to the betterment of their citizens. Th e ambitious targets set by, and for, CEMAC set 
a clear path towards a more prosperous future. But it is a path that will be neither easy nor quick, that does not allow for any shortcuts, and those following it will surely benefit from all the help 
they can get. WT/TPR/M/285 • CEMAC 
 
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  6.8.  Once again, I thank the delegations of the countries under review, the discussant 
and Members for contributing to an informative an d interesting review. I also wish to express my 
appreciation to the five delegations for their oral and written responses, to the Secretariat for its valuable assistance and to the interpreters for their usual excellent work. This meeting 
is adjourned. 
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