WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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IV. TRADE POLICY AND PRACTICE BY SECTOR 
(1) INTRODUCTION  
1. Cameroonian agriculture has a number of natu ral assets such as the richness of its soil, a 
favourable climate and crop diversity.  Cameroon is one of the few African countries approaching 
food security.  Agriculture is the most important se ctor in the poverty reduction strategy, providing 
employment for about 60 per cent of the population and supplying local industry with a variety of inputs.  The Government intends to attract private investment, particularly through privatizations, with 
the aim of doubling production levels and raising rural incomes between now and 2015.  Apart from 
tariffs, other measures are in place to protect certain areas of activity.  For example, chicken imports 
are currently subject to authorization, quotas an d temporary price control measures;  and other 
measures have recently been implemented to stabilize the coffee and cocoa sectors. 
2. The main manufacturing segments are foodstuffs , petroleum products, beverages and forestry 
products.  Relatively high customs duties are le vied, particularly on imports of manufactured 
products, where major branches of the sector operate  with 30 per cent tariff protection levels.  The 
tariff structure does nothing to encourage invest ment or to improve competitiveness in the 
manufacturing sector.  As a fillip to the wood processi ng industry, a number of restrictions in the form 
of prohibitions or taxes and surcharges ar e applied to exports of unprocessed logs. 
3. Petroleum products are an essential element of  the economy and government resources;  yet 
oil production can be expected to decline in the me dium term as deposits b ecome depleted.  A number 
of new oilfields have come on stream recently.  The adoption of the Petrol eum Code in 1999, and 
adherence to the Extractive Industries Transpar ency Initiative (EITI) in 2005 are among the actions 
undertaken to attract new investors to the sector.  Since 2002, sale prices have been stabilized by the 
Hydrocarbon Price Stabilization Fund (CSPH), and a pproved by the Trade Ministry.  Cameroon also 
has other mineral wealth, including bauxite.  Noneth eless, the delay in exploiting the country's bauxite 
reserves is mainly explained by the geographic locati on of the deposits and a lack of interest among 
partners for this mineral;  HYDROMINE, along with its  partners, is the first company to file a request 
for an exploitation permit.  An ad valorem  duty is levied on the taxable value of products ready for 
exploitation at the pithead. 
4. Services have made a large and steadily gr owing contribution (since 1999) to Cameroon's 
GDP, which demonstrates the buoyancy of this sector within the economy.  Most restrictions on trade 
in services have been discontinue d.  Nonetheless, a State monopoly is maintained in the provision of 
services such as water distribution, fixed telephony,  or certain postal services.  The provision of 
services such as transport, where costs remain high,  electricity, which is subject to power outages 
(although these are becoming less frequent), and diffi cult access to credit, handicap the performance 
of the rest of the economy.  Cameroon has consider able tourism potential, which for the moment is 
underexploited.  It has only made specific commit ments in a small number of branches of services 
within the GATS framework, i.e. certain business serv ices and tourism and travel.  Its commitments 
relate essentially to commercial presence. 
(2) A
GRICULTURE , LIVESTOCK , FISHERIES AND FORESTRY  
(i) Overview 
5. Agriculture is an important sector in the Came roonian economy (Chapter I(1)).  Thanks to 
significant productivity gains, the sector has enjoyed strong growth, with agricultural GDP expanding 
by an average of 4 per cent in the period 1990-2005 , i.e. more than twice the rate recorded in the 
previous 15 years, and outpacing the rest of the economy.  The growth of agricultural production Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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remained above 4 per cent on average in 2001-2006 .  The share of informal activities in the 
agricultural sector is very high:  on average 99 per cent of value added by f ood crop farming, 98 per 
cent in livestock breeding, 97 per cent in fishing,  and 50 per cent in cash crop farming, and 20 per 
cent in forestry activities. 
6. The main food crops represent 67 per cent of agricultural production:  maize, sorghum, 
cassava, millet, rice, bananas (plantain and sweet bana na), pineapples, sweet potatoes, beans and yam.  
Agricultural products for export, including wood, co coa, coffee (85 per cent robusta) bananas, rubber, 
palm oil, pineapples and cotton represent 16 per cent of output and account for one third of the total 
value of Cameroon's exports.  A third group, anim al products, represents 18 per cent of production. 
7. Following a period of low growth up to 1986, food crop production really took off at the time 
of the economic crisis in 1987.  By making im ported products dearer, the 1994 devaluation made 
local food products more attractive, and output gr owth generated higher income and, to a lesser 
extent, an expansion of cultivated areas.  Noneth eless, imports of food products, mainly wheat and 
rice, represent nearly a third of total cereal c onsumption, having almost doubled between 1998 and 
2004 (Table IV.1).  Cameroon is one of the fe w African countries approaching food security;  
quantities available for consumption (2,270 cal per day per capita) are close to the minimum 
recommended level (2,300 cal).1 
Table IV.1 
Main agricultural products, 2000-2005 
(Thousand tonnes) 
 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
Total imports       
Paddy rice 237 376 311 365 410 .. 
Wheat 226 304 155 288 286 .. 
Sugarcane and sugar plants n.e.s. 394 269 298 273 143 .. 
Sugar beet 0 0 0 0 132 .. 
Palm kernel equivalent 49 26 77 194 103 .. 
Milk, full fat, fresh 55 64 31 69 73 .. 
Barley 75 73 52 93 69 .. 
Sea fish, other 56 65 65 65 65 .. 
Pelagic fish 39 52 52 52 52 .. 
Chicken meat 14 7 15 22 34 .. 
Soya beans 27 25 54 90 34 .. 
Maize 24 28 14 23 21 .. 
Grapes 10 11 5 12 15 .. 
Tomatoes 9 9 4 13 14 .. 
Cereals, n.e.s. 1 1 1 1 10 .. 
Exports of cash crops       
Cocoa 78 110 129 127 158 164 
Arabica coffee 10 9 7 5 5 6 
Robusta coffee 79 61 41 48 46 38 
Rubber 31 35 38 41 39 41 
Cotton lint 73 89 100 92 94 116 
Export bananas 238 254 238 314 278 265 
Palm oils 12 13 4 12 10 33 
Production       
C a s h  c r o p s        
Cacao 123 129van 138 142 159 174 
Arabica coffee 9 8 7 5 6 5 
Robusta coffee 78 72 62 77 50 41 
Rubber 58 54 57 59 53 58 
Table IV.1 (cont'd) 
                                                      
1 FAO (2006).  "Food availability" is defined as the sum of output, imports and changes in stocks, 
minus exports of food products. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
Seed cotton 196 204 246 233 306 .. 
Cotton lint 85 97 103 95 96 141 
Export bananas 262 254 285 314 278 249 
Palm oils (modern production) 125 87 84 81 101 106 
Food crops       
Pineapples 43 44 46 47 48 50 
Groundnuts 197 204 211 218 226 234 
Plaintains 1,164 1,200 1,930 2,019 1,315 2,212 
Sweet bananas 626 646 693 743 798 856 
Okra .. .. 34 35 36 37 
Beans/niébé 175 181 277 287 297 307 
Palm oils (traditional production) 136 144 153 162 172 182 
Yam 263 268 274 280 286 293 
Macabo/Taro 1,030 1,056 1,079 1,103 1,128 1,152 
Maize 741 813 861 912 966 1 023 
Cassava 1,918 1,961 2,004 2,048 2,093 2,139 
Melon .. .. 37 38 39 40 
Millet/sorghum 230 512 542 574 608 523 
Onions 67 69 70 72 74 75 
Watermelon .. .. 29 30 31 32 
Sweet potatoes 174 178 182 186 190 194 
Peppers .. .. 7 8 9 9 
Potatoes 131 133 136 139 142 146 
Rice 61 42 45 47 50 53 
Sesame .. .. 3 3 3 4 
Soya .. .. 6 7 7 7 
Tomatoes 350 380 389 399 408 418 
Voandzou .. .. 9 9 10 10 
.. Not available. 
n.e.s. Not elsewhere specified. 
Source : FAOSTAT.  Consulted at http://fao stat.fao.org/site/340/default.aspx;  a nd information provided by the National 
Institute of Statistics. 
8. The economic crisis of 1987, compounded by a co llapse of international prices, triggered a 
sharp slowdown in the expansion of export crop pr oduction, which fell from an average of over 5 per 
cent per year in the period 1961-1986 to less than 1 per cent between 1987 and 2005.  In particular, 
the abandonment of input subsidies and the prog ressive withdrawal of the State from productive 
activity chiefly affected export crops, which had b een the main beneficiar ies of these forms of 
assistance.  Unlike the experience of other large pr oducer countries, the coffee and cocoa crops in 
Cameroon have declined.  Moreover, the devaluation di d not have the expected effect of reviving the 
competitiveness of export activities, since Cameroon has no capacity to influence world prices.  
Growth over the last few years has been erratic, averaging 2.5 per cent during the period 2001-2006.  
Between 2000 and 2006, the share of agricultural produc ts in total exports (excluding oil) increased 
substantially in volume terms (from 32 to 46 per cen t), but their value share did not keep pace, given 
the less satisfactory trend of world prices fo r agricultural products (apart from cocoa) 
(see Chart IV.1).  In 2006, cash crops represented less  than 9 per cent of GDP (down from 11 per cent 
in 2000). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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020406080100120140160
1993/94 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006Chart IV.1
Indices of world wood, cocoa and coffee prices, 1993 -2002 and 2001-2006
Source :    BEAC, information online.  Consulted at:  http//www.beac.int/index.html.LogsCocoa Robusta
Cut wood1993/94 = 100
 
(ii) Agricultural policy 
9. Cameroonian agricultural policy has gone throu gh three broad phases.  It was particularly 
interventionist up to the end of the 1980s:  produ ction was partly in the hands of State-owned 
enterprises;  there were numerous price controls an d substantial input subsid ies;  and export taxes 
were used to finance these measures.  A radical cha nge led to the elimination of most of this State 
intervention.  At the same time, the sector (as a whole) posted vigorous growth, despite the decline of 
certain export crops, such as coffee and cocoa.  A third phase began in 1990-2000 under the Rural 
Sector Development Strategy, prepared as a co mponent of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 
(PRSP) (Chapter I(2)). 
10. The Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) is responsible for formul ating and implementing 
agricultural policy.  The Ministry of Livestock,  Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) is 
responsible for the preparation, implementation and evaluation of State policy on livestock, fisheries 
and development of animal industries.  The Gove rnment intends to attract private investment, 
particularly through privatization of the Came roon Cotton Development Corporation (SODECOTON) 
and the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), in order to increase the irrigated agricultural 
area from 30,000 hectares in 2005 to 60,000 hectares by 2015;  and to double production levels so as to raise rural incomes between now and the end of the period.  To do this, 1,500 km of rural dirt roads 
need to be repaired, and the Government aims to  provide 60 per cent of villages with a development 
plan before 2015.  Other measures are envisaged to  facilitate agricultural employment and training, 
and to improve access to credit.  The National Agricultural Extension and Research Programme 
(Programme national de vulgarisa tion et de recherche agricole ) seeks to improve technical and, in 
some cases, financial support for farmers. 
11. Agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticid es and fungicides are wholly imported.  The 
production, import, export, packaging, storage and di stribution of fertilizers are jointly regulated by WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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the Ministries of Agriculture, Trade, Envi ronment and Forestry, and Public Health.2  Although the 
programme to strengthen the fertilizer subsector ai ms at disseminating agricultural inputs, their use 
has not been subsidized by the State since the early 1990s.  Nonetheless, fertilizers are subject to a 
5 per cent customs duty, along with other duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)), which does not 
encourage their use.  According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the average 
consumption of fertilizers is 6 tonnes per 1,000 h ectares of arable land, compared to 47 tonnes in 
Australia, 215 tonnes in France and 11 tonnes in the United States. 
12. Subsidies and price support measures having b een abolished, border measures are the main 
trade policy instruments applied to Cameroonian agriculture.  According to the ISIC (Rev.2) 
definition, the simple average customs duty applie d to the agricultural sector (including livestock, 
fisheries and forestry activities) is 25.1 per cent (Table AIV.1).  The average of all duties and taxes applied to imports of agricultural products is 24. 5 per cent, not including VAT of 19.25 per cent, and 
excise duties of 25 per cent on certain products (Chapt er III(2)(iii)).  In addition, agricultural products 
are subject to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures (Chapter III(2)(vii)(c)). 
(iii) Policy by sector 
(a) Livestock farming and animal products 
13. Animal products, mainly destined for the domestic  market, consist of cattle, goats and sheep, 
along with chickens, milk and eggs.  Accordi ng to 2005 estimates, the national livestock herd 
consisted of 6 million cattle, nearly 7 milli on small ruminants, 1.7 million pigs and 
33.6 million chickens (of which 21 million are in the traditional sector).  According to a 2004 
evaluation, 62,481 households are engaged in cattle rearing;  176,850 in sheep and/or goat rearing;  
51,130 in pig breeding and 198,614 in chicken breeding. 
14. According to the authorities, three methods of  livestock breeding are used in the case of 
cattle.  The most widespread is traditional free-ra nge breeding, characterized by low yields and 
involving transhumance.  The other methods ar e ranching (practised by the Animal Production 
Development Company (SODEPA) and a number of ot her livestock breeders), and intensive livestock 
breeding (practised mainly by research centres).  Sh eep/goat breeding, mainly done in the north of the 
country, is essentially based on free grazing and achiev es relatively high productivity.  Pig breeding is 
developing little by little following the launch of the Pig Sector Development Project, but the market 
is disorganized.  Outside the Kounden plant run by MINEPIA, the local market is mainly supplied by 
small family farms.  Poultry production, in contrast , is organized;  and, apart from private farms, it 
includes large-scale operations to supply day-old ch icks and fertilized eggs to producer farms.  
Factory units have also been set up to produce feed for poultry and pigs.  According to the authorities, the main problem for poultry production is the high pr ice of inputs, which is passed on to the price of 
chicken. 
15. Imports consist mainly of poultry and milk, in  addition to cattle on the hoof (often on an 
informal basis) from the Central African Republic and Chad.
3  Poultry imports have grown 
substantially since 2000, and mainly consist of froze n chicken sold at a quarter of the price of live 
poultry on local markets.  In 2006, the Citizens' Asso ciation for the Defence of Collective Interests  
conducted a campaign to restrict imports of frozen chickens from Europe and Latin America and to 
promote the local poultry sector.4  Measures taken by the Government include a substantial reduction 
                                                      
2 Law No. 2003/07 of 10 July 2003 governing the activities of the fertilizer subsector in Cameroon. 
3 See WTO (2007). 
4 ACDIC, "Le Cameroun à la reconquête de sa s ouveraineté alimentaire", December 2006.  Consulted 
at:  http://www.acdic.net/campagne/index.php?pa ge=article.php&num=80 [28 February 2007]. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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in the number of chicken import permits, a limit on volumes imported, and the establishment of health 
control posts at the border where transit taxes are paid (foreign animals are also subject to specific 
duties).  These measures also apply to imports of cattle and small livestock.  Temporary price control measures are also applicable in the poultry sector (Chapter III(4)(iii)(b)). 
16. The average customs duty levied on imports of m eat products is 21.2 per cent (Table AIV.1), 
together with other duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)( iii)(b)).  Between them these taxes serve to raise 
the price of these products to the consumer by one th ird.  Imports of dairy products, mostly from the 
European Union, are subject to an average customs duty of 26 per cent, along with other duties and 
taxes. 
(b) Cash crops 
Coffee and cocoa 
17. The gradual disengagement of the State from agricultural activities after 1987 resulted in the 
suppression of export taxes, a substantial reducti on in support for production by State-owned 
companies, the elimination of State price and quality  controls on coffee and cocoa, and liberalization 
of the marketing of these products as we ll as the inputs used to produce them.
5  A consequence of this 
has been a reduction in the consumption of fertilizer s and pesticides.  Reduced quantities of inputs, 
combined with anti-competitive marketing practi ces, have discouraged the cultivation of these 
products and contributed to a de terioration of quality and of th e Cameroonian brand, a widening 
differential between world prices and producer pri ces, and the steady abandonment of these sectors in 
favour of food crops. 
18. Cocoa remains one of the main cash crops, and Cameroon is ranked as the world's sixth 
largest producer, with 163,701 tonnes exported in 2005 (Table IV.1), and 5 per cent of world output in 
2004.6  Cultivation of this crop employs over 600,000 people.  Producers are supervised at no charge 
by the Cocoa Development Company (SODECAO) and the Coffee-Cocoa Seed Project.  These two 
entities, in conjunction with the Agricultural Research Institute for Development (IRAD), are 
responsible for selling plants and seeds to producers.   Cocoa is fermented and dried by the producers, 
then sold in that state to private operators.  A large proportion is exported, while the remainder is 
transformed by local companies into butter, powder and chocolate.  In all, about 90 per cent of 
production is exported, mainly to th e Netherlands, Belgium and France. 
19. Coffee production was estimated at 46,470 tonnes in 2005, thus ranking Cameroon 6th or 7th 
among world producers;  nearly 90 per cent of this c onsists of the robusta variety.  The shelling and 
drying of coffee beans is done by the planters, who then sell their produce either to exporters or to 
UCAO to be turned into ground coffee. 
20. The Cocoa and Coffee Inter-Professional Counc il (CICC) and the National Cocoa and Coffee 
Board (ONCC) supervise the marketing of these pr oducts.  The CICC is responsible for organizing 
production and marketing by its members, while the ONCC supervises quality control and monitors 
exports (i.e. shipment, collection of statistics).  The Coffee and Cocoa Subsector Development Fund, 
created in March 2006, seeks to ensure financing a nd the payment of benefits to support and revive 
these sectors, to support applied research in these products, and to promote their manufacture and 
local consumption.  The Fund's resources partly come from an export levy (Chapter III(3)(ii)) and 
from the national budget. 
                                                      
5 OECD and MINADER (2006). 
6 UNCTAD (2006a). WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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21. Apart from the establishment of the Fund in 2006, a number of other measures have been 
taken since 2004 with a view to strengthening the coffee sector.7  At the beginning of the 2006-2007 
coffee harvest season, specific roles were defined for producers, exporters and manufacturers, among 
others.  Coffee must henceforth be purchased sh elled from the producer, in homogeneous batches, 
with prices differentiated by quality and set by an agreement reached between the parties.  The mixing 
of species or crops, and collusion between manufact urers or exporters to impose a single price on 
producers are prohibited.  The marketing of green coffee is reserved for producers, producer organizations, economic operators and local roas ting plants.  The concession of purchasing zones, 
allocation of quotas to operators, agreements betwee n exporters, manufacturers or collection agents to 
impose a price on producers, as well as night-time or door-to-door purchases, are all prohibited.  
Coffee can only be marketed having been shelled or hulled.  Committees are to be put in place in each 
locality, under CICC supervision, to verify the quality of products and shelling operations.  The 
producer price is negotiated and set between the pa rties on the basis of benchmark prices published by 
the subsector information system.  The vehicles used  to collect coffee must display the identification 
plate of the transport operator.  Manufacturers, exporters and their collection agents must hold a 
trader's card and certification of their inclusion in the manufacturer or exporter register. 
22. New measures require exporters  and transporters to notify the ONCC of exports undertaken 
and the weight of stocks held.  All coffee exports mu st be declared to the ON CC in advance of sale.  
Processing activities are liberalized.  Local proces sing units are free to negotiate coffee purchase 
prices with exporters, but must pay all current fees and taxes. 
23. Similar measures have been taken in the cocoa sector
8, where marketing is reserved for 
economic operators, producer organi zations and local processing units.  The concession of purchasing 
zones, allocation of reserved quotas, collusion between  independent exporters/buyers or their agents 
to impose a price on producers, and night-time or door-to-door purchases are all prohibited.  Exporters, independent buyers and agents must hol d a trader's card.  Cocoa is bought from producers 
at a price that is negotiated and set between the parties on the basis of benchmark prices published by 
the subsector information system.  Trading tak es place on organized markets, at the initiative of 
producers, their groupings, unions and cooperative en terprises, in conjunction with buyers and the 
competent administrative authorities.  The exportatio n of cocoa beans is reserved for operators that 
have signed a declaration of commercial activity and hold a trader's card.  Any export of cocoa beans 
must be declared in advance to the ONCC.  Processing activities are deregulated. 
24. Cocoa and coffee exports are subject to a num ber of fees payable to certain institutions 
(Chapter III(3)(ii)).  Product batches controlled by the ONCC and entering a local processing unit, 
including those benefiting from free-point status, are deemed equivalent to exports.  Consequently, 
the local processing unit in question has to pay al l current taxes and fees on beans of exportable 
quality.  Substandard cocoa is exempted along with grade III and triage robusta coffee and type F and 
                                                     
 
7 Law No. 2004/025 of 30 December 2004 amendi ng and supplementing Law No. 95/11 of 
27 July 1995 on the organization of the cocoa and coffee trade;  Decree No. 2005/1213/PM of 27 April 2005 
governing the packaging and marketing of green coffees;  Order No. 0005/MINCOMMERCE/CAB of 5 January 2007, establishing general conditions for marketing ar abica and robusta coffee (2006-2007 season);  and  
Circular No. 0015/MINCOMMERCE/CAB of 9 January 2007. 
8 Law No. 2004/025 of 30 December 2004, ame nding and supplementing Law No. 95/11 of 
27 July 1995 on the organization of the cocoa and coffee trade;  Decree No. 2005/1212/PM of 27 April 2005 
regulating the packaging and marketing of cocoa beans;  Circular No. 003 MINCOMMERCE/CAB 
(Organization of the 2006/2007 cocoa harvest season);  and Order No. 00018/MINCOMMERCE of 24 July 2006, setting out general conditions for marketing cocoa beans. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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triage arabica, entering local processing units.9  As a member of the Association of Coffee-Producing 
Countries, Cameroon has restricted its coffee exports in the past.  It also  belongs to the International 
Cocoa Organization (ICCO), whose members concl uded the negotiation of a new Cocoa Agreement 
on 3 March 2001, to replace the 1993 Cocoa Agreement expiring on 30 September 2001.10 
Cotton 
25. Seed cotton is produced almost exclusively by small-scale farmers.  In 2002-2003 cultivated 
areas totalled 182,000 hectares, and in 2005 total ou tput of seed cotton amounted to 260,000 tonnes.  
The production of seed cotton varies from one year to  another (albeit with an overall upward trend), 
mainly for climatic reasons.  The sector employs 3 50,000 planters.  Seeds, fertilizers and insecticides 
are supplied to producers by the Cameroon Cott on Development Corporation (SODECOTON), the 
two latter items being provided on credit.  Seed  cotton is wholly purchased from farmers by 
SODECOTON, which is responsible for ginning and processing (into cotton lint, and the seeds into 
oil).  Purchase prices are set by SODECOTON at the start of the season and adjusted for performance 
premiums by SODECOTON.  A final supplement is paid by the Cameroon Cotton Producers Organization (OPCC) if actual world prices are higher.  Cotton lint is exported or sold by 
SODECOTON to the Cameroon Cotton Company (CIC AM).  The processing of seed cotton has made 
it possible to produce about 15 million litres of oil and 51,000 tonnes of oilcake, in addition to lint, almost 96 per cent of which is destined for expor t, the remainder being processed locally by CICAM 
(section 4, below).  In 2006, 86,866 tonnes of cotton fibre were produced. 
Palm oil and rubber 
26. In 2005, Cameroon produced about 190,000 tonnes of raw palm oil (140,000 tonnes for 
enterprises and 50,000 tonnes for small-scale producers).  Apart from its role as an export crop, palm 
oil is produced mainly for food, with supplies going to local and subregional markets.  The subsector 
provides work for about 50,000 planters and a do zen agribusinesses.  It  has three branches:  
agribusiness, village-based plantations and traditional crafts.  With assistance from the World Bank, 
the Government intends to establish some 50,000 hect ares of additional plantations by 2010, with a 
target output of 250,000 tonnes.  Cameroon is the fourth largest African and eighth largest world 
producer of palm oil. 
27. The leading agribusiness enterprises of the subsect or are (State share indicated in brackets) 
SOCAPALM (27 per cent), SAFACAM (private), Pa mol (formerly Unilever) (100 per cent), the 
Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) (100 per cent), UNEXPALM (private) and Ferme suisse 
(private).  The privatization of SOCAPALM in  2000 led to an expansion of planted areas and 
production.  SOCAPALM currently controls 80 per cent of palm oil production on the Cameroonian 
market.  CDC is currently being privatized
11, although, according to the authorities, the process is 
being delayed by land ownership problems, includi ng difficulties in relation to customary rights.  
After the privatization of these companies, the land remains State property, generating an annual levy 
of CFAF 1 per m2;  the land on which factories are sited is subject to a higher fee. 
28. Raw palm oil is exported mainly to Nigeria, Fr ance, Italy, Malaysia and Indonesia.  Export 
levels fluctuate widely:  13,079 tonnes in 2001, 4,113 tonnes in 2002, and 32,875 tonnes in 2005.  Palm oil is either consumed directly as a tabl e oil, or else used in soap manufacture by local 
                                                     
 
9 Order No. 0015/MINCOMMERCE of 30 August 2006, establishing the fees payable to the National 
Cocoa and Coffee Board and the Cocoa and Coffee Interp rofessional Council and the dues to international 
cocoa and coffee organizations. 
10 Decree No. 035/2003 of 4 February 2003, ratifying the International Cocoa Agreement of 2001. 
11 CDC, information online.  Consulted at:  http://www.cdc-cameroon.com. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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industries.  The product has been in short supply since 2000, owing to poor harvests in the main 
plantations.  Ageing among palm trees partly explains  this drop in production.   Planters from village 
communities also sometimes prefer to process th eir production in a non-industrial way, which proves 
more profitable than selling palm nuts to SOCAPALM .  Palm oil imports are subject to a 30 per cent 
customs duty, in addition to other impor t duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
29. The production of natural rubber has been enc ouraged by the Government, and its export 
prospects have long been considered promising.  Yi elds are comparable to those enjoyed by the main 
Asian producers.  In recent years production h as stagnated, however, rising from 54,260 tonnes in 
2001 to just 58,483 tonnes in 2005.  The hevea s ubsector is managed by three companies:  
HEVEACAM, SAFACAM (both privatized) and CDC.  These enterprises are also responsible for 
marketing and own most of the plantations, although  some individual planters remain in business.  
Almost the entire harvest is exported, with na tural rubber exports totalling 42,000 tonnes in 2003.  
Producer prices have been deregulated since 1994,  whereas previously they were set by the 
Government.  According to the authorities, the St ate does not pay any direct subsidies to rubber 
producers. 
Bananas 
30. Banana production for export has expanded over the last decade, having grown from about 
80,000 tonnes in 1990 to over 220,000 tonnes in 1998.  It then reached a level of 262,241 tonnes in 
2000, and exceeded 300,000 tonnes in 2003, before slipping back to 248 ,840 tonnes in 2005.  Bananas 
are mainly produced by private companies with Fr ench and American capital, and are then largely 
exported to the European Union where they be nefit from preferential access under the Cotonou 
Agreement (Chapter II(3)(ii)(d)).  Three companies ar e responsible for banana exports:  the CDC, the 
Société des plantations nouvelles de Penja  (SPNP) and Del Monte.  Between 2000 and 2004, the 
share of Cameroonian exports in total supplies to  the European Union rose from 4.5 per cent to 
5.7 per cent.12  Total output of plantains and sweet bananas as a food crop, partly grown on a small-
scale non-industrial basis amounted to 3.1 million tonnes in 2005.  Technical and financial assistance 
to producers is provided by the European Unio n through State channels.  A water use tax of 
CFAF 15 per hectare is levied on production. 
(c) Food products 
31. The output of food products has grown vigorously, as shown for the main items in Table IV.1.  
The leading imports of food products are rice, wheat and maize.  Nearly 90 per cent of the rice 
consumed locally is imported, mainly from Tha iland, Vietnam and Pakistan, whereas the share 
obtained from China has shrunk since 2004.  Some 15 per cent of the country's maize needs are also 
imported, mostly from the United States, as are 100 per cent of its wheat requirements, of which nearly 7 per cent come from Europe. 
32. Since the 1990s, the State has intervened rela tively little in the production and marketing of 
food products.  State-owned enterprises formerly ac tive in the sector have mostly been liquidated 
largely owing to poor financial management.  Indus trial or commercial companies that remain active 
in the food products sector include SEMRY (rice) ;  Upper Noon Valley Project (UNVP), which 
supervises the rice sector;  CD C which produces and sells plantain s (section (b) above), and the 
Cameroon Sugar Corporation (SOSUCAM ), which produces and sells sugar. 
                                                     
 
12 European Commission press release IP/06/335, 20 July 2006.  Consulted at:  
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?refer ence=MEMO/06/335&format= HTML&aged=0&language=
FR&guiLanguage=en [28 February 2007]. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 77 
 
 
33. Some activities are regulated, including seed-rela ted activities pursuant to  the international 
Convention on Biological Diversity, which Camero on has signed.  Seed-related activity requires a 
prior declaration (for control purposes).  The im portation, production and marketing of seeds are 
subject to conditions defined in specifications set  by a joint order issued by the Ministries of 
Agriculture and Trade.13  An advisory opinion of the National Council on Seeds and New Plant 
Varieties is required on issues of production, mark eting, quality control and the certification of seeds 
and new plant varieties. 
34. The Cereal Office is a State agency responsible for the storage and distribution of cereal 
products.14  It buys and sells cereals on local markets to  ensure a buffer stock and to smooth out sharp 
and sudden cereal price increases in the north of the country. 
(d) Fisheries 
35. Fishing provides nearly half of the population's animal protein needs.  Cameroon has a 
coastline of nearly 360 km;  and large river estuar ies are favoured fishing zones, particularly for 
shrimp, small pelagic coastal species and demersal species (bass, pike, etc.).15  The year's catch in 
2005 amounted to 142,345 tonnes.  The general tre nd of the catch has been downwards, because 
stocks are being over-exploited, especially in the case of demersal species.  Nonetheless, volumes 
have started to rise again since 2003 (from a level of  47,168 tonnes in 2002).  For several years, 
Cameroon's fishery production has remained at around 120,000 tonnes, of which roughly 10,000 tonnes represents industrial maritime fish ing, 60,000 tonnes is obtained from small-scale 
maritime fishing, and 50,000 tonnes from continenta l small-scale fishing.  To combat over-fishing, a 
national unit for the control and oversight of fish ery and aquaculture activities has been created.  
Measures taken to tighten control include the insta llation of beacons on industrial fishing vessels, the 
acquisition of three surveillance launches, and the trai ning of surveillance agents as part of the South-
West Development Authority (SOWEDA) project.  Other launches are expected to be acquired. 
36. The Fisheries Ministry defines and implements  government policy on fishery and aquaculture 
development.  The main law governing fisheries is the Forestry, Fauna and Fishery Law of 1994.
16  
Any person (natural or legal) wishing to explo it fishery resources on an industrial scale must obtain 
approval by order of the Prime Minister.  Industria l fishing also requires a licence issued by order of 
the Fisheries Minister, which is valid for one fiscal  year (renewable).  Semi-industrial fishing activity, 
small-scale fishing and sports fishing require a fish ing permit issued by the Fisheries Minister.  
Foreign vessels are authorized to fish in Cameroonian  territorial waters provided they have a fishing 
licence issued by order of the Fisheries Minister .  Cameroon has signed a fisheries agreement with 
Senegal, but it has not yet come into effect. 
37. National output, most of which is exported (80 per cent of the catch is made by foreigners) is 
less than local demand, evaluated at 200,000 tons per year.  Fish needs are therefore partly covered by 
imports amounting to around 100,000 tons per year , mainly frozen, especially from Mauritania, and to 
a lesser extent Senegal.  The average customs duty applied to imports of fish products is close to 
24 per cent, with rates ranging from 10 to 30 per cent (Table AIV.1), in addition to other import duties 
and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
                                                      
13 Law 2001/014 of 23 July 2001 on seed-related activity. 
14 Decree No. 98/164 of 26 August 1998, amending certain provisions of Decree No. 89/1806 of 
12 December 1989 on the organi zation of the Cereal Office. 
15 Djama and Nna Abo'o (1999). 
16 Law No. 94/01 of 20 January 1994, defining the Forest, Fauna and Fisheries Regime, and 
Decree No. 95/413 of 20 June 1995, establishing  certain modalities for applying the Fisheries Regime. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 78 
 
 
38. Until the start of the current decade, fish and crustacean exports were dominated by shrimp.  
But shrimp exports volumes dropped, amounting to  only 74 tonnes in 2003 (compared to 901 tonnes 
in 1998).  Since then, exports of frozen sea fish (84 tonnes on average per year) have taken their 
place.  Shrimp nonetheless continues to be exported on an informal basis to Nigeria.  Frozen sea fish 
are mostly exported to CEMAC countries and to a l esser extent to the United States and Canada.  
Cameroon is not on the list of countries deemed as satisfying the conditions for recognition of 
equivalence for the health rules established by the European Union for the importation of fish 
products.17 
(e) Forestry 
39. The Cameroonian forest covers an area of 22 million hectares, of which 14 million are 
suitable for commercial operations.  This represents a potential inventory of 300 marketable species of 
which only about 60 are currently being exploited.  The five most extensively marketed species are 
Ayous, Sapelli, Azobé, Fraké and Iroko.  Wood and w ood products, and to a lesser extent logs, are the 
second largest group of export products after unrefined  petroleum, representing about one fifth of the 
country's total merchandise exports.  Around 100 enterprises are registered as exporters of forestry 
products through the port of Douala, and there seems  to be considerable foreign investment.  The 
main exports are sawn wood and logs (Table IV.2). 
Table IV.2 
Wood exports, 2001-2005 
(Tonnes and CFAF million) 
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005  
Weight Value Weight Va lue Weight Value Weight Value Weight Value 
Unprocessed wood 
(logs) (m3) 233 18,475 214 18,607 136,283 12,119 157,183 14,575 145,216 13,276 
Wooden railway sleepers 3,577 728 2,710 560 1,404 309 2 838 704 293 317 
Sawn wood 630 162,231 535 137,660 616,629 156,930 742,084 190,801 658,320 177,378 
Wood-based veneer 
sheets 24,443 19,494 23,642 19,845 26,903 24,712 26,347 24,177 27,939 27,053 
Plywood .. .. .. .. 12,443 7,357 17,124 8,793 14,185 6,744 
Builders joinery and 
carpentry of wood .. .. .. .. 2,910 1,206 1,292 592 325 526 
.. Negligible quantities before 2003. 
Source : INS. 
40. The 1994 Law defining the forest, fauna and fish eries regime, covers among other things the 
granting of exploitation licences, the fees and taxes le vied on forestry exploitation, and the export of 
forestry products.18  Two measures have been taken under th is law:  a requirement since 1997 to 
create a wood industry for each forestry management unit ( unité forestière d'aménagement ) being 
operated;  and the gradual prohibition, as from June  1999, on exporting most of the traditional species 
in log form.  Other laws imposing conditions on for estry activities relate to environmental protection 
and particularly sustainable forest ry management, among other things.19  There have been reports of 
                                                      
17 "Third Country Establishments' Lists/Listes d'Étab lissements des Pays Tiers:  Country Selector".  
Consulted at:  http://forum.europa.eu.int/irc/sanco/ve ts/info/data/listes/list_all.html#C [21 July 2006]. 
18 Law No. 94/01 of 20 January 1994, on the Forest, Fauna and Fisheries Regime, and Implementing 
Decree No. 95/531 of 23 August 1995. 
19 The other main legislation includes:  Law No.96/12 of 5 August 1996 containing the framework law 
for environmental management.  Decree No. 98/009/PM of 23 January 1998, establishing the dutiable base and 
collection modalities, for royalties and taxes on forestry activities;  Decree No. 99/370/PM of 19 March 1999, 
on the Programme to Guarantee Forestry Revenue;  Order No. 029/CAB/PM of 9 June 1999 creating a permanent committee to monitor the implementation of th e Yaoundé Declaration resolutions on the sustainable Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 79 
 
 
uncontrolled tree felling and prob lems of over exploitation.20  The National Forestry Development 
Office (ONADEF) is responsible for the regenerati on of forests.  The Forestry Directorate is 
responsible for granting concessions and other perm its for forestry exploitation purposes, and for 
enforcing forestry policy. 
41. A non-transferable licence ( titre d'exploitation forestière ) is required for tree felling and 
forestry operations.  Exploitation licences are granted only to Cameroon residents, or firms 
headquartered in Cameroon whose capital compositi on is known by the Forest and Fauna Minister.  
The latter requirement exists because certain parts of forestry activities can be reserved for nationals 
only, as decided on a case-by-case basis by the Prime Minister.  In practice, it would seem that these 
permits fetch very high prices21, since they are in short supply.  According to the authorities, the final 
decision to grant a licence is based on financial bi ds.  Decisions are taken by the Inter-Ministerial 
Commission, and signed by the Prime Minister. 
42. In principle forestry enterpri ses pay the following levies:  a felling tax (2.5 per cent of the 
f.o.b. value of the cut wood);  an annual forestry royalty (FRA), for sales of cut wood (at a minimum of CFAF 2,500/ha);  a concessions fee (CFAF 1,000/ha)
22;  an approval fee (CFAF 15/ha every 
five years);  a bond (CFAF 40/ha every five years);  a transfer fee (variable rate);  and an acreage fee 
(of CFAF 10/ha/year). 
43. Exports are governed by quotas allotted to the various enterprises.  To encourage value added 
and ensure the supply of local wood for processi ng industries, the entire log production must be 
processed on site, for example by sawing, and for many species log exports are prohibited 
(Chapter III(3)(iv)).  For the others, exports re quire a prior permit from ONADEF.  Production is 
mainly exported in the form of sawn wood (nearly 80 per cent of the total export value of wood and 
wood products in 2005), followed by veneer sheets  (12 per cent) and unprocessed wood (i.e. logs) 
(6 per cent). 
44. In addition to the stumpage charges me ntioned above, exports are subject to: 
 - A tax of 17.5 per cent of the f.o.b. va lue of log exports (unprocessed wood), and one 
of 2 per cent on other products;  and 
  - a surtax ranging from CFAF 500/m
3 to CFAF 4,000/m3 on log exports. 
 45. The average tariffs on wood industry imports is  29.4 per cent, with rates varying between 
10 and 30 per cent, in addition to other duties and import taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
                                                                                                                                                                    
 
management of tropical forests;  and Order No. 02936/MINEFI (data not available) establishing criteria and 
procedures for choosing concession holders for forestry exploitation permits. 
20 Global Forest Watch, "Cameroun:  les nouvelles".  Consulted at:  http://www.integratedframework. 
org/french/cameroon/news.htm [28 February 2007]. 
21 Inter Press Service, "Développement Cameroun:  le biocarburant à partir du palmier à huile menace 
des populations", 9 January2007.  Consulted at:  h ttp://www.ipsinternational.org/fr/_note.asp?idnews=3426 
[28 February 2007].  See also Global  Forest Watch, "Un rapport met en valeur les menaces qui pèsent sur le 
secteur forestier camerounais".  Consulted at:  http://www.globalforestwatch.org/french/cameroon/ 
news.htm#report [28 February 2007]. 
22 Article 11, Law No. 2000/08, 30 June 2000. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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(3) MINING , ENERGY AND WATER  
46. Upstream activities in the energy sector fall within  the remit of the Ministry for Mines, which 
is responsible for prospecting and extraction activities.  The Ministry for Energy and Water regulates 
oil refining, distribution and storage activities, along  with electricity and gas distribution, and water 
distribution and quality control.  Cameroon imports 50 per cent of its gas consumption and part of its 
oil needs. 
47. The Government's declared aims in the energy  sector are to increase investments to improve 
supply and access, by promoting partnership betw een the public and private sectors, and improving 
governance.  The Government sees the energy and wa ter sectors as the pillars of economic growth in 
Cameroon.  It has undertaken to est ablish an attractive climate for i nvestments.  Cooperation with the 
financial community and the business world, to which World Bank intervention is crucial, is an asset 
in mobilizing resources and increasing investment leve ls in Cameroon's water and energy sector in 
particular. 
(i) Petroleum and gas products 
48. Cameroon has proven hydrocarbon reserves esti mated at 1.27 billion barrels.  Petroleum 
products have been an essential element in its economy  and State resources over the last 30 years.  
Production began in 1997, and reached a maximum of 182,000 barrels per day in 1986.  Since 1987 
the volume of prospecting activities has diminished, partly because of the international oil crisis, 
resulting in a steady decline in production.  In 2005, output was 85,000 barrels per day;  but with new 
oilfields recently coming on stream, the production level should have been around 96,000 barrels per 
day in 2006. 
49. In 2005, thanks to the surge in world pri ces, sales of petroleum (crude and refined) 
represented about 57 per cent of the country's  total exports, amounting to CFAF 858.2 billion 
(US$1.6 billion).  This represents an increas e on the 2004 figure, despite the sharp drop in 
Cameroonian crude and a drop of nearly 8 per cent in output volumes that year.  Having retreated between 2000 and 2003 (by 10.6 per cent and 6.1 pe r cent respectively) the petroleum sector's 
contribution to GDP has been growing again sin ce 2004, and accounted for 8.1 per cent of GDP in 
2005 (Table I.1).  The leading producers are TO TAL Cameroon (62.5 per cent), followed by Shell 
(25 per cent), and Perenco (12.5 per cent) w hose production doubled between 2005 and 2006. 
50. The National Oil Company (SNH), a public enterprise, manages the State's share in the 
various petroleum projects, including gas.  SNH is required to maintain a security stock corresponding 
to 30 days of consumption;  it is also activ e in domestic distribution of petroleum products.
23  The 
adoption of a new Petroleum Code in 1999, and adhe rence to the Extractive Industries Transparency 
Initiative (EITI) in March 200524, are among the steps taken to attract new investors into the 
prospecting, exploitation and trans portation of petroleum in Cameroon. 
(a) Crude oil 
51. Under the provisions of the Code, prospecting re quires either a prospecting permit, which is 
non-exclusive for a defined perimeter and gives no  right to exploitation or appropriation of any 
resources found;  or an exclusive exploration permit,  valid for three years and renewable for a total of 
seven, except in special oil exploration zones where it is valid for five years renewable for a total of 
nine.  Both permits are granted by decree.  The Code does not discriminate between enterprises on the 
                                                      
23 SNH, information online.  Consulted at:  www.snh.cm. 
24 EITI, information online.  Consulte d at:  http://www.eitransparency.org. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 81 
 
 
basis of the origin of their capital.  It provides for concession contracts (with exploitation authorized 
through a hydrocarbon exploitation permit), and shared production contracts, which serve as 
exploration permits.  The Petroleum Code allows  companies to choose between a shared production 
or a concession contract. 
52. The concession contract entitles its holder to dis pose of the hydrocarbons extracted within a 
specific perimeter, and stipulates legal, financial,  fiscal and social conditions on the validity of the 
exploitation permit, including payment of a royalt y (in cash or kind) proportional to output.  The 
production sharing contract confers exclusive explo itation rights on its holder for a specified service 
area;  production is shared between the holder an d the State in accordance with the clauses of the 
contract.  Authorizations last 25 years in the case of solid hydrocarbons and 30 years for liquid 
products, and are renewable for one further 10-year  period.  Importation of the goods and services 
needed for petroleum operations are exempt from all duties and taxes.25  Enterprises holding 
petroleum permits are taxed on their net profits obtai ned in Cameroon (Table II.2) at a negotiated rate, 
although an exemption applies during the exploration period. 
53. In October 2003, the Chad-Cameroon Petroleum and Pipeline Project, based on the Doba 
oilfield (the "Doba Project"), recorded its first sales.  The Project also includes the building of a 
1,017-kilometre oil pipeline linking the Doba oil fields with Kribi on Cameroon's Atlantic coast;  
three interconnected pumping stations, infrastructure improvements, notably a fibre-optic cable;  and 
the construction of offshore oil transfer facilities.  The Doba Project is the outcome of a partnership 
between the Governments of Chad and Cameroon,  the World Bank, the International Finance 
Corporation, and a consortium of pr ivate developers.  The Project's terms and conditions are laid out 
in the amended 1988 Agreement on the exploration,  exploitation and transportation of hydrocarbons, 
which specifically prescribes the fiscal cond itions for the operation of the Consortium.26  To build the 
oil pipeline, Cameroon has signed an establishment agreement with the Cameroon Oil Transportation 
Company which grants VAT exemptions to this co mpany and to its contractors and subcontractors. 
54. Crude oil imports are subject to a 10 per cent cu stoms duty, in addition to other entry duties 
and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
(b) Refined products 
55. Cameroon has one refinery, Sonara, which pro cesses an average of 2 million tonnes of crude 
petroleum per year.  Crude oil comes mainly from  Nigeria (72 per cent on average) and Equatorial 
Guinea (nearly 6 per cent), while local deposits supply  the rest.  In 2005, the Sonara utilization rate 
was 87 per cent, and its turnover about €704 million.27  In 2005, 51 per cent of Sonara sales were 
exports to CEMAC countries, with a further 42 per cent going to other countries (essentially Nigeria), 
while the remainder (7 per cent) was sold locally.  The domestic market is 80 per cent supplied by the 
Sonara refinery, and 20 per cent by imports.  None theless, Sonara has reportedly been in a state of 
quasi-bankruptcy since 2000 because of financial di fficulties arising from the price-setting system.  
Price increases are currently under way.  Stor age services are provided by the Cameroonian Oil 
Storage Company (SCDP), in which the State holds a 51 per cent stake.  SCDP also coordinates supply to the various depots, ensures provisions to distributors, and provides the infrastructures needed to hold security stocks. 
                                                     
 
25 These products and services are specified in Law No. 2/92-UDEAC-556-CD-SE1 of 30 April 1992, 
and subsequent amendments, particularly Law No. 2/98-UDEAC-1508-CD-61 of 21 July 1998. 
26 The international transportation of petroleum products from third countries is governed by Law 
No. 96/14 of 5 August 1998.  See also WTO (2007). 
27 French Embassy in Cameroon – Economic Mission (2006a). WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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56. The Petroleum Code does not cove r refining and distribution activities.  Since publication in 
November 2000of the decree on liberalization of downstream activities in the petroleum sector, a dozen local operators have emerged in the distri bution market.  Nonetheless, distribution is still 
dominated by the subsidiaries of large interna tional groups operating within the Petroleum 
Professionals Grouping (GPP), which holds a market sh are of almost 95 per cent.  TOTAL has 44 per 
cent of this market, followed by Texaco (which has recently bought back its distribution network from 
Shell) with 31 per cent, and Mobil with 4 per cen t.  National operators recently created their own 
association, the Cameroonian Petroleum Grouping (GPC ) to compete with the GPP.  Following the 
liberalization of trade in petroleum products in 20 02, sales prices have been set by the Hydrocarbon 
Prices Stabilization Fund (CSPH), and approved by the Ministry of Trade.  Oil prices at the pump are 
set by an automatic adjustment scheme. 
57. The importation of refined petroleum products  is subject to a customs duty ranging from 
10 per cent to 20 per cent (average rate 10.3 per cen t), in addition to other entry duties and taxes 
(Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
(c) Gas 
58. Cameroon's natural gas reserves are estimated at 300 billion m
3, of which 186 billion m3 are 
proven reserves located in the Rio del Rey and Douala/Kribi-Campo basins.  Cameroonian gas 
remains unexploited for reasons of profitability and lack of outlets.  Nonetheless, liquefied petroleum 
gas (LPG), which is produced by SONARA as a produc t of crude oil refining, covers 40 per cent of 
domestic demand.28  Cameroon currently imports 50 per cent of its consumption of gas products.  
Natural gas imports amounted to CFAF 3.1 billion in 2003.  A new exploitation unit is set to begin 
activities in 2007 under a 25-year production-sharing arrangement signed between the State and Perenco in March 2006.  The gas produced is expected  to supply the Kribi thermal power plant, to be 
built by the electric power operator AES Sonel. 
59. On 20 March 2006, the SNH and the Equatorial Guinean authorities reportedly signed an 
agreement to undertake a study for the exportation of  Cameroonian natural gas to Equatorial Guinea, 
where there is a liquefaction factory.
29 
60. The Gas Code of 2002 governs activities in the subsector, and a 2003 decree regulates its 
application.30  Under the Code, any natural or legal pers on residing in Cameroon, whether national or 
foreign, under Cameroonian private or public law, may apply to the Ministry of Energy for authorization to engage in a downstream activity in the gas sector.  The concession contract between 
the State and the applicant specifies review and renewal conditions, as well as the concession holder's 
rights and duties in the event of an interruption to its transport or distribution network, or should it 
cease operations.  Gas transport and distribution concessions are generally awarded by tender, 
although on an exceptional basis they can also be awarded following a spontaneous bid.  The 
concession is approved by the Minister of Energy for a renewable 25-year period. 
61. The decree also organizes the allocation of pe rmits to engage in gas processing, storage, 
importation and exportation activities.  During the firs t ten years of exploitation, persons undertaking 
gas transportation, distribution, storage and pr ocessing activities are exempted from customs duties, 
taxes and fees on imports of the equipment to be a llocated and used in such  activities.  They also 
benefit from the possibility of accelerated depreciati on.  The Minister of Energy approves contracts 
                                                     
 
28 Ministry of Energy and water (2007). 
29 French Embassy in Cameroon – Economic Mission (2006a). 
30 Decree No.2003/2034/PM of 4 September 2003 establishing modalities for implementing Law 
No. 2002/0 13 of 30 Decem ber 2002 on the Gas Code. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 83 
 
 
under the same conditions between transporters and distributors and "eligible customers", the latter 
being defined as having an annual consumption of over 3 million m3, which entitles them to sign 
contracts to purchase gas with a producer, transport or distributor (Article 31). 
62. The authority responsible for regulating gas tr ansportation and distribution activities is the 
Hydrocarbons Ministry (MINIMIDT), pending the creation of a regulatory body for this sector.  
MINIMIDT is also responsible for reviewing prici ng.  Permits are granted for a renewable 15-year 
period in the case of processing and storage activ ities and five years for importation and exportation 
activities.  No company currently holds permits for foreign trade in gas, and the Government handles 
LPG imports for local consumption needs (the Hydr ocarbons Prices Stabilization Fund).  Cooking gas 
prices are set by the State. 
(ii) Mining products 
63. Cameroon is a mineral-rich country.  Substan ces currently being exploited include clays;  
laterites;  pozzolana;  sands;  precious stones such  as diamond and sapphire;  gold;  base metals and 
other mineral substances ;  and mineral waters.  Mining comp anies currently active in Cameroon 
include Afko Mining (gold), Geovic Cameroon (n ickel and cobalt), Cameroon Mining Company 
(gold, diamonds and sapphires), Ci mencam (limestone and pozzola na), and Rocaglia (marbles and 
limestones).  The Cameroonian subsoil holds major untapped reserves of bauxite, where the aluminium content varies between 43 and 47 per cent (section (4) below). 
64. Imports of mining products are negligible, a nd are subject to customs duties ranging between 
5 and 30 per cent (average rate 11.3 per cent) , in addition to other entry duties and taxes 
(Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
65. Cameroonian mining legislation, consisting mainly of the 2001 Mining Code and its 
implementing decree, covers all mi neral substances obtained from the Cameroonian subsoil, except 
for liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons (section (i) above).
31  The Code governs the activities of 
prospecting, research, exploitation, holding, movement  and processing of mineral or fossil substances.  
It makes a distinction between small-scale and indu strial mining operations.  Small-scale prospecting 
and exploitation of mineral substances, including their marketing, are reserved for Cameroonian 
nationals.  Industrial-scale activities, including the e xploitation of hot springs,  and spring and mineral 
waters, are open to all natural persons, whether Came roonian or foreign, provided they are holders of 
a mining permit and that they set up a company un der Cameroonian law to conduct their activities.  
Permits are granted preferentially to applicants  who undertake to recruit and train Cameroonian 
workers. 
66. Mining permits either give authorization for sma ll-scale operations, or else allow research or 
exploitation activities;  they are renewable in both  cases.  Applications for exploitation permits must 
be accompanied by a feasibility study containing a draft mining agreement between the State and the permit applicant.  The agreement lays down the legal, financial, fiscal and social prerequisites for the 
validity of the mining permit;  it may supplement the provisions of the Mining Code but may not 
derogate from them.  The agreement is valid for th e entire period of exploitation, as appropriate.  The 
authorities stated that just one agreement is cu rrently in force (with Geovic Cameroon, signed on 
31 July 2002).  The granting of an exploitation perm it may involve the State taking up to a 10 per cent 
stake in the operating company, although the nature  and modalities of this allocation are decided upon 
in the agreement. 
                                                     
 
31 Decree No. 2002/648PM of 26 March 2002, establishing modalities for implementing Law No. 001 
of 16 April 2001, on the Mining Code. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 84 
 
 
67. Holders of mining exploitation permits pay fixed charges for the permit itself;  royalties based 
on the surface area being worked;  an extraction tax, at  a rate which varies according to the nature of 
the substances being mined, e.g. whether ductile (clays, shingle, la terites, pozzolanas and sands) or 
hard;  and an ad valorem  tax (Title VI of the Code).  The ad valorem  tax is levied on the taxable value 
of the products (at the pithead) ready for exploitation32, and set as follows:  precious stones (diamond, 
emerald, ruby and sapphire), 8 per cent;  precious me tals (gold, platinum, etc.), 3 per cent;  base 
metals and other mineral substances, 2.5 per cen t;  and hot springs, spring, mineral and thermo-
mineral waters, 2 per cent. 
68. Under the Mining Code, holders of research permits benefit from the temporary admission 
regime in respect of materials to be used in the research, and also for professional equipment, 
machines, apparatus, factory vehicles, spares and re placement parts.  The materials and replacement 
parts needed to keep professional materials and equi pment operating, together with specific lubricants 
needed for the functioning of r esearch materials and equipment, are wholly exempt from customs 
duties. 
(iii) Electricity 
69. Activities in the electricity sector are governed by Law No. 98/022 of 24 December 1998.  
Two agencies were established in 2000-2001.  The Electricity Regulatory Agency (ARSEL) is 
responsible for technical and ec onomic regulation of the sector, encouraging competition, promoting 
investment, reviewing the prices of electrical infrastructures and protecting consumer rights.  The Rural Electrification Agency (AER) promotes rural electrification by means of some 4,000 self-
generators for industrial and commercial uses.  Decree No. 2001/021/PM of 29 January 2001 sets the 
rates and modalities for calculating, recovering and sh aring the royalty on electricity sector activities.  
The Electric Power Company (AES SONEL), which is of mixed public-private ownership (the State 
currently holds 44 per cent), has been operating si nce July 2001 under a 20- year concession contract 
with the State, following privatization of the St ate-owned SONEL.  Although the sector has been 
liberalized, AES SONEL holds a de facto monopoly on the production, transportation and distribution 
of electricity. 
70. Energy production went through a major cris is between 2001 and 2003, which meant that 
economic agents had insufficient and irregular supply of electric energy (and gas) in particular.  The 
immediate consequence was a reduction in enterp rise productive capacity, with implications for 
economic growth, where the loss was put at 0.5 per cent.
33  According to the au thorities, privatization 
has allowed for an improvement in the sector's perform ance, particularly in terms of fewer power cuts, 
and new investments in electricity generation, tran smission and distribution.  Nonetheless, regulatory 
control over the sector is still inadequate, by the Government and ARSEL alike, largely because of a 
lack of experience among the personnel in charge, and financing difficulties.  Reforms have also made 
it possible to improve transparency w ithin the electricity pricing struct ure.  Prices are currently set by 
the operator and approved by ARSEL. 
71. Thanks to its abundant rainfall, Cameroon h as Africa's second largest hydroelectric energy 
potential after the Democratic Republic of the C ongo, estimated at 20,000 MW.  Electric energy is 
currently produced by three hydroelectric dams wi th a total installed capacity of 722 MW and one 
thermal power plant with a capacity of 205 MW.  W ith a view to exploiting this potential, the 
Government instituted a 30-year development plan  for the electricity sector (PDSE 2030), for which 
foreign investors are being sought.  A mixed ow nership company, the Electricity Development 
                                                      
32 Decree No. 2002/648/PM of 26 March 2002, establishing the modalities for implementation of Law 
No. 001 of 16 April 2001 on the Mining Code. 
33 Ministry of Energy and Water (2007). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 85 
 
 
Corporation (EDC), was created on 29 November 2006,  with a mission to build and manage the entire 
infrastructure needed for energy sector development in  Cameroon.  In particular, it is responsible for 
managing public assets and promoting investment in the sector. 
72. Investment projects include the following: 
 - The Colomines hydroelectric power plant (6-12 MW), for which a memorandum has 
been signed with the private operator, and implementation is scheduled for 2008-2009; 
 - the Lom Pangar Dam, a storage reservoir and electric power plant with 
50 MW capacity; 
 - the Memve'ele hydroelectric plant, with 120/200 MW capacity; 
 - a Kribi gas power generation project, with a capacity of 150/200 MW;  and  - development of the Natchigal hydroelectric plant with a capacity of roughly 300 MW. 73. Electricity imports are subject to a 10 per cent customs tariff, in addition to other duties and 
taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
(iv) Water 
74. The availability of renewable water res ources is evaluated at  283.5 billion m
3 per year;  and 
underground stocks are estimated at 2,700 billion m3 in static reserves.34  In 2007, the Cameroon 
National Water Company (SNEC) was the sole urban operator in the water s ector, while rural water 
points and outlets are run by users (village comm ittees) supervised by the Ministry of Water.35  The 
Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (CAMWATER) was set up in 2005, mainly to promote 
partnership between the public and private sectors in developing the water sector.  Its operations are 
scheduled to start in late 2007, with the leasing of  SNEC.  Although the Go vernment has been seeking 
to attract investments into the sector and to privatize SNEC since 1999, the obsolescence of its 
productive infrastructures seems to be the main obst acle to any privatization.  According to the 
authorities, the first bidding process for concessions was declared void in 2004, because negotiations 
with Lyonnaise des eaux  were unsuccessful as the conditions were considered unacceptable.  The 
population coverage rate is still low:  30 per cent in urban areas and 40 per cent in the rural sector.  
Water prices are approved by the State. 
(4) MANUFACTURING SECTOR  
75. The manufacturing sector makes a substantial contribution to GDP, albeit limited in terms of 
employment and merchandise exports (Table AI.1).   Manufacturing activities are based mainly on the 
processing of domestically-sourced commodities (oil refining and agribusiness), although the 
nonferrous metal segment (alumini um) depends essentially on importe d raw materials.  An annual 
industry survey performed in 2004 covered 205 firms with a total of nearly 53,000 employees.  The 
results revealed that firms buy nearly half of the total value of their inputs abroad, and they export one 
third of the total value of their sales.  Consequent ly, trade policy, particularly duties and taxes and 
other measures at the border, have a significant impa ct on the sector.  The share of the informal sector 
in certain branches is still high, particularly in th e textile and garment industry, and in basic cereal 
                                                      
34 Ministry of Energy and Water (2007). 
35 SNEC, information online.  Consulte d at:  http://www.snec-cameroun.com/. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 86 
 
 
products, where informal activities generate about 80 per cent and 60 per cent of total value added, 
respectively. 
76. The main trade measures applied to the manuf acturing sector are relatively high customs 
duties, some of the most important segments (wood and wood products, food  products, beverages and 
tobaccos) having tariff protection levels as high as 30 per cent, in addition to other entry duties and 
taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b), Chart IV.2 and Table AIV.1).  The tariff structure does nothing to encourage investments in the manufacturing sector (Chapter III(2)(iii)(a)). 
77. The main branches of manufacturing, according to value added in their production in 2002, 
are food products, petroleum products , beverages and forestry products.
36  The country's fishery and 
agricultural wealth (tropical fruits, essential oils, etc.) provide the food industry with a variety of 
inputs.  Nonetheless, food industries are relatively few in Cameroon and their value-added declined 
between 1995 and 2002.37  The main manufactured foods include milk (produced by the companies, 
CAMLAIT, SAPLAIT and SOTRAMILK, among others ), sugar (produced by SOSUCAM), crude or 
refined palm oil, cocoa-based preparations (pro duced mainly by Chococam of the Barry-Callebau 
group), and soups and broths (Nestlé  has a subsidiary in Cameroon).  Following the closure of Scan 
(preserves) in 2004, owing to p oor financial management, the bulk of canned fish and fruits and 
vegetables now seems to be imported, except for products manufactured by small businesses and 
microenterprises in the agrifood sector. 
78. High customs duties do not encourage improveme nts in the competitiveness of processed 
food products;  nor does the structure of such duties.   For example, the customs duty reaches the level 
of 30 per cent on bakery, pastry and confectionery products;  cocoa and chocolate products;  and on 
canned fruit and vegetables.38  Given the persistent preference  shown by higher-income groups for 
certain of these imported products despite their h eavy taxation, the solution to the problems faced by 
the relevant local industries could al so be sought through quality improvement. 
79. The beverages subsector (major group 311 of ISIC Rev.2) is third in value-added terms.  The 
leading products, both exported and imported, are beers and carbonated beve rages (including mineral 
waters).  Unlike most other manufacturing subsector s, the beverage subsector succeeded in increasing 
its value-added between 1995 and 2002.  Local inputs  include sugar, bottles, corks and labels, and 
packaging;  whereas barley and malt (of barley) are imported.  Customs duties on imports of competing products average 27 per cent, with a 30 pe r cent rate applicable to  non-alcoholic beverages 
and mineral waters, along with other entr y duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
                                                     
 
36 UNIDO data consulted at:  http://www.unido.org /data/country/Stats/StaTableD.cfm?showAll=Yes 
&c=CMR [22 February 2007]. 
37 UNIDO data consulted at:  http://www.unido.o rg/data/country/Stats/StaTableD.cfm?showAll= 
Yes&c=CMR [22 February 2007]. 
38 CIRAD (undated). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 87 
 
 
0.05.010.015.020.025.030.035.0
111
122
210
230311313
321
323331341
351
353
355
361
369
372382
384
390Chart IV.2
Average customs duties for the main ISIC Rev.2 groups, 2006
Percentage
Source: Estimates made by the WTO Secretariat, based on data provided by the Cameroonian authorities.Avera ge 
19.1%
111 
121 
122
130
210
220230
390
311
312
313314
321
322
323
324
331
332
341342Description
Agriculture and livestock production
Forestry
Logging
Fishing
Coal mining
Crude petroleum and natural gas productionMetal ore mining
Other mining
Food manufacturing
Other food products and animal feeds
BeveragesTobacco manufactures
Textiles
Manufacture of wearing apparel, except footwear
Manufacture of leather products, except footwear and wearing 
apparelManufacture of footwear, except vulcanized rubber or plastic 
footwear
Wood and wood products, except furniture
Manufacture of furniture and fixtures, except primarily of metal
Manufacture of paper and paper productsPrinting, publishing and allied industriesDescription
Manufacture of industrial chemicals
Manufacture of other chemical products
Petroleum refineries
Manufactured miscellaneous products of petroleum and coal
Manufacture of rubber products n.e.s.Manufacture of plastic products n.e.s.
Manufacture of pottery, china and earthenware
Manufacture of glass and glass products
Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products
Iron and steel basic industriesNon-ferrous metal basic industries
Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and 
equipment
Manufacture of machinery except electrical, including computers
Manufacture of electrical machinery apparatus, appliances and suppliers
Manufacture of transport equipment
Manufacutre of professional and scientific equipment
Other manufacturing industries
Electric energy351
352
353
354
355356
361
362
369
371372
381
382
383
384
385
390
410
 WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 88 
 
 
80. Sugar is one of the products for which prices are subject to approval (Chapter III(4)(iii)(b)).  
Nonetheless, press articles in early 2007 report sharp increases on local markets (from CFAF 650 to 
CFAF 850 per kilogram, and a drop in the quality of this product.39  Supply is dominated by three 
operators:  the Cameroon Sugar Company (SOS UCAM) which cultivates sugarcane and produces 
about 130,000 tonnes of sugar per year;  and two industrial enterprises that process imported 
granulated sugar, NOSUCA, with a production cap acity of 10,000 tonnes, and SUMOCAM, which 
has a capacity of 6,000 tonnes.  Demand far outstrip s this, and there is an estimated production deficit 
of 30,000-50,000 tons per year.  Sugar produced by  SOSUCAM is partly exported informally to 
Nigeria, thereby reducing supply on local markets by a similar amount.  Sugar imports vary from 
40,000 to 70,000 tonnes depending on the year40 and are subject to quantitative restrictions.  A recent 
article refers to the "placement on the market, on 1 December last year, of 5,000 tonnes of imported 
sugar which had been authorized by the Government  in the context of Ramadan and the end of year 
festivities."41  The customs duty on sugar is 30 per cent. 
81. The textile industry has shrunk substantially over the last few years, and its value added in 
2002 was one quarter of its 1995 level.  The sector is  vertically integrated, encompassing activities of 
cotton production, ginning and oil production by  SODECOTON (see section (2)(iv) above), in 
addition to spinning, weaving and enhancement (for printing, dying or bleaching of fabrics), mainly by the Industrial Cotton Company of Cameroon (CICAM).  Small-scale cotton weaving, using ancestral techniques particularly in the north of the country, is dying out.
42  Exports, mainly consisting 
of cotton fabrics, have declined from 878 tonnes in  2000 to 215 tonnes in 2003, and just 2 tonnes in 
2005.  Imported inputs include chemi cal products and technical and packaging materials.  The main 
problems facing CICAM include contraband, the coun terfeiting of designs on printed fabrics which 
are then imported into Cameroon, and the underval uation of merchandise in customs by importers.43 
82. The reform of the wood processing industry, la unched in Cameroon in the 1990s, aimed to 
implement sustainable forest management, and to de velop the industry and make it profitable.  Two 
fundamental measures adopted under the 1994 law, namely regarding the requirement to create a 
wood industry for each forestry management un it being operated, and a progressive prohibition on 
exports in log form for most traditional species (section 2 (iii)(e)), would seem initially to have 
produced an increase in the number of factories and installed processing capacity in Cameroon.  
Nonetheless, the value added by the wood industri es apparently declined (by half) between 1995 and 
2002.  New factories have perhaps lacked financia l assistance to make the investments needed to 
improve their competitiveness.  The main products that have survived and are currently being 
exported include sawn wood, plywood and veneers.  One third of total wood processing capacity is 
located in industrial free points.  The wood processi ng industry is protected by customs duties of 
almost 30 per cent (Table AIV.1), in addition to other duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
83. The cement market is shared  between Cameroon Cement Works (Cimencam), a member of 
the Lafarges group, which holds a monopoly on local production of Portland cement;  and 
Construction and Building Industrial Complex (CICB), which imports ce ment from Europe and Asia.  
In 2005, Cimencam produced 1.8 million tonnes of cement, thereby controlling over 90 per cent of the 
market;  CICB imported 10,000 tonnes of cement in  the same year.  The Cameroonian press reports a 
                                                      
39 Foute (2007). 
40 National Institute of Statistics (2004). 
41 Sucre-Éthique, "Cameroon Tribune – mercredi 21 février 2007".  Consulted at:  http://www.sucre-
ethique.org/Cameroun-Prix-et-qualite-du-sucre. 
42 Hamman and Ossah Mvondo (2003). 
43 Afrik.Com, "Le textile camerounais menacé par la co ntrebande et la contrefaçon – Quelles stratégies 
de survie pour la Cotonnière industrielle du Cameroun?", 9 February 2006.  Consulted at:  http://www.afrik.com/article9449.html. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 89 
 
 
number of restrictions on cement imports, such as fines for failing to respect technical standards.44  
The sale price of around CFAF 80,000 per tonne is reportedly about four times that of imported cement.  The raw materials used by Cimencam are pozzolana and clinker, both of which are obtained 
from the Cameroonian subsoil. 
84. The main products of the chemical industry ar e petroleum products (section 3(i) above), and 
primary aluminium.  Cameroon also produces and e xports paints and varnis hes, perfumes and toilet 
waters, soaps and cosmetics, as well as natural rubbe r.  Except for rubber, all of these subsectors saw 
value added grow during the period 1985-2002;  and since 2000, the quantities of natural rubber 
produced and exported have also increased overa ll.  Volumes produced and exported were around 
58,483 tonnes and 41,214 tonnes respectively in 2005, compared to 58,121 tonnes and 30,886 tonnes 
in 2000.  The Cameroonian Primary Aluminium Company (Alucam), is owned jointly by the 
Canadian group Alcan Primary Metal Group and the Government, each of which have a 46.7 per cent 
share.  The electrolysis plant employs 750 people and is located at Edea in the south of Cameroon.  The bulk of the bauxite used in the production pr ocess is currently imported from the Republic of 
Guinea.  Nonetheless, the Cameroonian subsoil it self holds major bauxite reserves (section (3)(ii) 
above).  According to the authorities, the delay in  exploiting bauxite reserves is mainly due to the 
geographic location of the deposits (far from coastal ar eas) and to a lack of interest among partners to 
mine it.  HYDROMINE Inc. recently became the first company to file an application for a bauxite exploitation permit;  and the Government is holding  discussions with the company and its strategic 
partners (DUBAL, HINDALCO and Dubai Ports World) .  The project not only consists of extracting 
the bauxite ore but also envisages construction of a large aluminium refinery plant in Cameroon.  In 
January 2006, MINEFI signed a build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) agreement with HYDROMINE 
Inc. for a railway line between Edea and Kr ibi and a deep-water port at Kribi. 
85. In October 2005, Alcan announced the modernizat ion and expansion of the Alucam factory, 
raising its capacity from 87,000 to 260,000 tonnes of aluminium per year, in addition to the 
construction of a new hydroelectric plant, for a to tal estimated cost of US$900 million.  This requires 
the construction of new dams (sec tion (3)(iii) above).  Alucam c onsumes over 35 per cent of the 
electricity produced nationwide, and power shortag es have forced it to reduce output several times 
since 2000.  The Government is supporting the Al ucam expansion programme through a number of 
fiscal measures.
45  It has expressed the wish that Alcan should reserve at least 30 per cent of its 
expansion work for Cameroonian enterprises, subject to their technical and commercial 
competitiveness.46 
86. Cement imports are subject to an average tariff of 13.8 per cent, and basic metallurgy industry 
products pay rates of 12.8 per cent, in addition to other duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)). 
(5) SERVICES  
(i) Overview 
87. The services sector makes a major contribution to GDP and employment (Table I.1);  its GDP 
share has grown regularly since 1999, thus demonstrating the buoyancy of this sector.  The share of the informal sector in service activities remains high,  particularly in the case of real estate activities 
(almost 96 per cent of value added), and also in restaurants and hotels (90 per cent), repair work 
                                                     
 
44 Bonaberi.Com, "Le ministre, Cimencam et le ciment importé", 13 March 2006.  Consulted at:  
http://www.bonaberi.com/ article.php?aid=2014. 
45 Cameroon Info, "Alucam – 500 milliard pour les i nvestisseurs", 1 October 2004.  Consulted at:  
http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=15264&cid=1. 
46 Elouga (2007). WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 90 
 
 
(80 per cent), commerce (62 per cent), construction (52 per cent), and transport and communications 
(41 per cent). 
88. In the 1990s, value added contracted in nearly all service subsectors, reflecting deteriorating 
infrastructure and the poor management of public service enterprises.  Since then, some have been 
privatized and others have fallen into decline;  and certain subsectors ha ve benefited from radical 
reforms.  Thus, Cameroon has suppressed most of the restrictions on foreign trade in services, except 
in sectors that remain State monopolies such as wate r distribution, fixed tele phony, and certain postal 
services. 
89. Cameroon has only made specific commitments on a small number of service segments 
within the GATS47, namely certain business services and those relating to tourism and travel.  Its 
commitments relate essentially to commercial presence;   this is restricted by the conditions specified 
in the Certificate of Approval, including the require ment that at least 25 per cent of the value of all 
inputs used must be produced in Cameroon, and at le ast 35 per cent of the equity of an enterprise must 
be held by Cameroonian natural persons or by a legal entity established under Cameroonian law.  
Commitments also relate to requirements to cr eate jobs for Cameroonian workers within each 
authorization granted.  On market access, measures affecting the presence of natural persons have not 
been bound, except for those affecting the entry and te mporary stay of certain categories of employee.  
The schedule includes a number of horizontal restrictions on market access.  Cameroon did not participate in the WTO negotiations on basic tele communications, or on those relating to financial 
services.  Under the GATS, Cameroon listed MFN ex emptions for maritime transport (coastal 
shipping, bulk shipping and specialized cargoes).
48 
(ii) Transport 
90. The transport subsector has a crucial role to pl ay in the country's economic development and, 
consequently, in the growth of its trade, as the G overnment has recognized in its PRSP (Chapter I(2)).  
The Government issued a transport policy strategy  statement in 1996, and prepared a medium-term 
transport sector programme to be implemented in several phases.  Nonetheless, its implementation 
seems to be delayed, owing to a lack of financi ng, difficult conditions for operating the road network 
(tropical forest, mountains), and the slow pace of reforms in the civil aviation sector and maritime and 
port activities. 
(a) Land transport 
91. Cameroon has a lengthy road network, totalli ng about 51,000 km, of which 4,332 km are 
paved.  The paved and dirt road network is unevenly distributed, w ith a relatively high concentration 
in the coastal and western provinces.  Cameroon has been planning to extend and refurbish its road 
network, both inter-urban and rural, particularly since the establishment in 1999 of a highway fund to 
finance the upkeep of priority roads linking the country's main markets and connecting with other 
CEMAC countries.  Nonetheless, the resources ava ilable to guarantee the current upkeep of the 
priority network are far less than the amounts required.   A 2003 study showed that just 26 per cent of 
paved roads in Cameroon were in a good or norm al condition, compared to 43 per cent in 199949;  
26 per cent were in mediocre condition, and 48 per cent  in a bad state of repair.  This unsatisfactory 
state of the network increases road transport costs and undermines the competitiveness of export 
sectors, such as the wood industry. 
                                                      
47 WTO document GATS/SC/15 of 15 April 1994. 
48 These exemptions correspond to concessions agreed upon under bilateral or regional agreements 
(WTO document GATS/EL/15 of 15 April 1994). 
49 European Commission (2004). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 91 
 
 
92. Road transport activity (merchandise and passenge rs) is in principle reserved for companies 
established under Cameroonian law, although in prac tice some taxi services are provided by operators 
in the informal sector.  The Cameroon Urban Tran sport Company (SOTUC) was liquidated in 1995, 
and urban transport has since been deregulated.  Merchandise transport prices are freely determined 
by operators.  Urban passenger transport prices ar e negotiated between the Government and transport 
unions and then approved by the Ministry of Trade.  The automobile stock was estimated at less than 
300,000 vehicles in 2003. 
93. The main public agencies responsible for ro ad transport are the Land Freight Management 
Bureau (BGFT), the transport and competent services delegations of the Ministry of Territorial 
Administration (prefecture, sub-prefecture).  Th e BGFT management committee chairs the National 
Union of Road Transporters of Cameroon (SNTRC).  The latter also maintains informal links with 
unions from other countries and discusses rates with transporters and shippers.  Prices are currently 
established for the Douala-Chad  section.  The BG FT receives a subsidy that is the product of a 
0.62 per cent tax on transport costs, levied by the SNTRC on behalf of the BGFT.  Aware of the need 
to improve the quantity and quality of road trans port equipment, the Government is seeking to 
encourage private investments in this subsector.  According to the authorities, a new law has been 
adopted. 
94. As a result of the absence of a one-stop entr y system into CEMAC, allowing for merchandise 
customs clearance at the first point of entry into the union and free movement thereafter, Cameroon maintains a complex and costly road and rail tran sport system with Chad and the Central African 
Republic, which is subject to abuse.  The Regulati on adopting the Priority Integrated Road System 
within CEMAC provides for a priority road networ k for the purposes of the Inter-State Transit for 
Central African Countries (TIPAC) system.
50  The agreement between the Republic of Chad and the 
Republic of Cameroon reserves road transportation of goods between the two countries for companies 
registered in one or the other country, with a 65 per cent quota for Chadian companies and a 35 per 
cent quota for Cameroonian enterprises.  In the eq uivalent agreement between the Central African 
Republic and the Republic of Cameroon, the quota is 60 per cent for Central African companies and 
40 per cent for Cameroonian companies. 
95. The provision of inter-State road transport servi ces is, in principle, reserved for transporters 
(drivers and enterprises) registered in Cameroon or Chad, in the case of transit between Cameroon 
and Chad, and for transporters (drivers and enterpri ses) registered in Cameroon or the Central African 
Republic, in the case of transit between Came roon and the Central African Republic.  The 
transportation company may be foreign-owned, bu t it must be approved by the CEMAC Executive 
Secretariat, through the Ministry of Transport.  Th e BGFT is responsible for managing such transit, in 
cooperation with the corresponding administrations in the Central African Republic and Chad.  
International road transport between third countri es (other than the Cent ral African Republic and 
Chad) and Cameroon (i.e. non-conventional routes) are unregulated, but the authorities state that they 
are of no commercial interest to Cameroon.  N onetheless, tolls are levied on these sections, and 
according to the authorities, they are equivalent to those paid on conventional routes.  Coastal 
shipping is not open to foreign transporters. 
96. The rail network consists of one line (divided  into two segments) totalling 1,100 km, owned 
by the State.  Rail play a significant role in freight transport, particularly for wood, petroleum, cotton 
and livestock.  The National Railway Company was liquidated in March 1999.  The network-
operating concession was assigned to a private, mainly foreign-owned company, CAMRAIL (majority owned by the Bolloré and Comaz group) in which the Cameroonian State holds a 35 per 
                                                     
 
50 Consulted at:  http://www.izf.net/izf/Documentation/ JournalOfficiel/AfriqueCen trale/2000/REG_9_00.htm. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 92 
 
 
cent stake.  The Ministry of Transport wishes to de velop the rail network;  and feasibility studies are 
currently under way with a view to creating a ne w rail link to transport aluminium from the Alucam 
factories in the south of the country to Kribi, as well as a rail connection with Congo and Gabon.  In 2006 a committee to consider the development of ra il infrastructure was set up in the Ministry of 
Planning, Development Programming and Territorial Development, which is responsible for defining 
a rail infrastructure development strategy. 
(b) Air transport 
97. Cameroon has three international airports  (Douala, Yaoundé and Garoué) capable of 
receiving large aircraft, in addition to 15 aerodrom es.  Cameroon's commercial airports are owned by 
the State;  and in fact all airports were ma naged by the State until 1994.   Since then, Cameroon 
Airports (ADC), in which the State has a 60 per cent stake, has run seven airports under manage-
operate-and-develop concessions, of which three are in ternational airports.  The other airports are 
managed by the Ministry of Transport.  Ground assistance, including handling, falls within the 
purview of ADC.  The Agency for Air Navigati on Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) 
manages air navigation and safety services, includi ng landings and takeoffs, as well as all airport 
buildings. 
98. The Civil Aviation Law was passed in December 1998.
51  Its main objectives are to ensure the 
proper organization of civil aviation activities;  prom ote competition and private-sector participation;  
and guarantee efficient infrastructure use.  Actions intended to hamper or restrict competition in the 
sector (particularly with regard to market access and pricing arrangements) are prohibited.  The 
Cameroon Aeronautical Authority (CCAA) oversees safety and regulates air transport activities in 
general.52  Subsidies are envisaged to finance the CCAA,  but in practice, for the moment this is 
financed by aeronautical fees. 
99. Foreign air transport enterprises apply to the CCAA for landing and takeoff rights and these 
are granted on the basis of bilateral agreements.  Bilateral air agreements have been concluded and 
ratified with Belgium, Burundi, the East Afri can Community (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), the 
Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethi opia, France, Germany, Ghana, Israel, Liberia, 
Mali, Nigeria, Netherlands, the Central African Re public, Democratic Republic of the Congo, United 
Kingdom, Senegal and Switzerland.53  Cameroon has also signed open-skies agreements with Brazil, 
the United Arab Emirates and the United States.  It  is a member of the International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) and the African Civil Avia tion Commission (AFCAC).  Cabotage is only 
permitted when authorized by the competent body.  For the construction of the Yaoundé airport, a 
double touchdown requirement (at Ya oundé and Douala) in the same journey has been established, 
but is not usually enforced. 
100. Air transport services have also been deregul ated regionally.  The CEMAC Civil Aviation 
Code, which regulates the operation of the air transport services between member countries was 
adopted on 21 July 2000.54  The Code is aimed at, inter alia , promoting technical and commercial 
cooperation among the different airlines in the regi on;  establishing common security measures;  and 
preventing the adoption of any measures that could hinder air transport development in the region.  
Cameroon has also adopted the Regulation Impl ementing the Agreement on Air Transportation 
                                                      
51 Law No. 98/023 of 24 December 1998 (Civil Aviation Law). 
52 AEC, information online.  Consulte d at:  http://www.ccaa.aero/index.htm. 
53 Agreements have been initialled or signed, but not ratified, with:  Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina 
Faso, Côte d'Ívoire, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, 
Morocco, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zimbabwe. 
54 Regulation No. 10/00-CEMAC-066-CM-04 of 21 July 2000. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 93 
 
 
among CEMAC Member States.55  Under this Agreement, CEMAC Member States have in principle 
fully liberalized traffic rights for the airline companies designated by each Member, since 2001. 
101. Cameroon also applies the provisions of the D ecision Relating to the Implementation of the 
Yamoussoukro Declaration Concerning the Liberali zation of Access to Air Transport Markets in 
Africa, which entered into force on 12 August 2000 and which takes precedence over any other 
multilateral or bilateral agreement on airline servi ces between the States Parties that contains 
provisions conflicting with it.  The Yamoussoukro Decision eliminates all non-physical barriers and the restrictions on the granting of traffic rights, more  particularly those of the fifth freedom;  on the 
aircraft capacity of African airline companies, on the regulation of tariffs, on the designation of 
airlines by States, and on the operation of cargo flight s.  In general, however, air transport between 
countries in the subregion was still relatively cost ly in October 2006 and was not meeting local 
demand.
56 
102. The Government also considers that the dom estic air transport service is insufficiently 
developed, and it is seeking to encourage its e xpansion with authorization for unlimited foreign 
presence as a declared policy.  In early 2007, f our operators (including Cameroon Airlines – 
CAMAIR) were operating dom estic flights.  CAMAIR being in difficulties, a strategic partner was 
sought for its privatization.  A new entity, the Cameroon Airlines Corporation (CAMAIRCO), was 
created by a Presidential Decree of 11 September 2006 to replace the former CAMAIR.  A call for tenders was launched in January 2 006 involving the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to seek a 
private shareholder to take a 51 per cent stake in the capital of CAMAIRCO.  Discussions with 
Brussels Airlines have not led to an agreement so th e tender has been declared void.  A new tender is 
likely to be launched during 2007. 
103. Other air transport enterprises serving Cameroon (apart from the national carrier) include the 
following (the country they belong to is shown in brackets):  Africa West Cargo (Togo), Afriqiyah Airways (Libya), Air France (France), Air Guinea Cargo (Equatorial Guinea), Air Ivoire (Côte d'Ivoire), Air Service (Gabon), Avirex S.A. (Ga bon), Bellview Airlines (Sierra Leone), Benin Golf 
Air (Benin), Brussels Airlines (Belgium), Ethi opian Airways (Ethiopian), GETRA (Equatorial 
Guinea), Hewa Bora (Democratic Republic of Congo), Kenya Airways (Kenya), Royal Air Maroc 
(Morocco), Swiss International Airlines (Switzer land), Toumaï Air Tchad (Chad), Trans Air Cargo 
(Congo), Virgin Nigeria Airways (Nigeria), West African Airlines (Benin);  and four domestic 
companies that run flights on demand – Air Leasing Cameroon, Cameroon helicopters, 
CHC Cameroon, and Jet Fly. 
104. Following a decision in December 2001, CEMAC is expecting to set up a subregional air 
transport company with mostly private capital, to be called Air CEMAC.
57  In its present form, the 
project envisages Air CEMAC as a limited liability company with a capital of CFAF 21 billion, 
distributed between member States (30 per cent), a technical partner (40 per cent), private investors 
(15 per cent) and financial institutions (15 per cen t).  Brussels Airlines was appointed as technical 
partner at the meeting of CEMAC Heads of State held  in April 2007.  Air CEMAC is expected to start 
its activities in 2007. 
                                                      
55 Regulation No. 6/99/CEMAC-003-CM-02 on the adoption of the agreement on air transportation 
among CEMAC Member States. 
56 See, in particular, the address by the President of the Commission of the African Union at the 
opening of the high-level meeting of African airline companies, Tunis, 29 May 2006.  Consulted at:  
http://www.u neca.org. 
57 Additional Act No. 02/01 CEMA C-066-CE03 of 8 December 2001. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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(c) Maritime transport 
Port operations 
105. The ports reform established by Law No. 98/ 021 of 24 December 1998 and its implementing 
decrees, specifically envisaged the creation of a National Port Authority (APN);  autonomous port 
agencies at Douala, Kribi, Limbé, and Garoua;  and Consultative Guidan ce Committees within each 
autonomous port.  The largest of the four ports is the Autonomous Port of Douala (PAD).  This 
currently handles 99 per cent of all merchandise trade passing through Cameroonian ports (totalling 
6,770,748 tonnes in 2006).  About 7 per cent of merchandi se is in transit.  Considered as the main port 
of entry into Central Africa, it had benefited fro m major refitting work such as dredging, partly 
undertaken during the construction of the Doba-Kribi pipeline to transport oil from Chad.58  Quays 
and wharfs have been refurbished, the container te rminal modernized, and a control tower and offices 
built.  The number of mooring buoys has been incr eased, a new pilot vessel has been put into service, 
and a 40-tonne tug boat (named "Perform ance") was purchased by the PAD in 2001.59 
106. Several new port entities have been created  since 1998, including the National Port 
Authority (APN), based at Yaoundé, designed to be  a tool for preparing government port policy, 
codifying standards, monitoring and control of po rt performance, and environmental protection.  
Cameroon is a member of the Port Management A ssociation of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), 
which encompasses the countries of CEMAC and the Economic Community of West African States 
(ECOWAS), and seeks to improve the coordination and harmonization of port activities, services and 
equipment.  The PMAWCA provides a forum for c onsultation between port directors-general, and 
extends to landlocked countries.  It is deve loping subregional expertise in port activities. 
107. A number of new structures have also been implemented in each port, which are now 
endowed with full administrative and financial aut onomy.  For the PAD, the bulk of commercial and 
industrial activities (cargo handling, storage, consignm ent, transit, towage, boa tage, dredging, etc.) is 
done by private operators.  Nonetheless, this transf er to the private sector does not seem always to 
generate greater competition.  Stevedore services,  along with most port services, is provided by a 
cartel of companies established under Cameroonian law, the Professional Stevedores Grouping.60  A 
single company is in charge of container handling:  in July 2005, APM Terminals, a subsidiary of 
Maersk, announced that it had won a 15-year concessi on to manage the new container terminal at the 
PAD.  A single French/Cameroon-owned enterprise, Abeilles Cameroun , seems to control the bulk of 
boatage and towage activities at the PAD.  Provi sioning is handled by private local entities. 
108. The trend of tonnage handled at the PAD is s hown in Chart IV.3.  In 2006, the PAD made a 
net profit after tax of about CFAF 2.5 billion. 
                                                      
58 WTO (2007). 
59 Cameroon Info, "Le port de Douala se réorganise, pipeline oblige", 10 January 2001.  Consulted at:  
http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_ne ws.php?id=3389 [28 février 2007]. 
60 GICAM (undated). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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0.01.02.03.04.05.06.0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Up to April 2006Chart IV.3
Traffic in the Autonomous Port of Douala, 2001-2006
Millions of tonnes
Source: Cameroon Employers Group (GICAM), information on line.  Consulted at:  
http://www.legicam.org/statistiqueseconomique.html.Imports Exports
 
109. Port fees at Douala used to be high compared to those prevailing in neighbouring ports;  and 
turnaround times for containers unloading and leavin g the port averaged 19 days, compared to seven 
in other ports on the West African coast.  Cutting co sts and transit delays at the port of Douala is 
therefore a government priority (Chapter II(2)(ii)). 
Maritime traffic 
110. According to UNCTAD statistics, in late 2004 the merchant fleet registered in Cameroon had 
a total deadweight tonnage of 366,000 dwt, and is basically used to transport oil products.61  T h e  
country's only liner company, CAMSHIP, has been pr ivatized.  At the present time there are no liners 
registered in Cameroon or controlled by Cameroon capital. 
111. National preferences and cartel arrangements fo r cargo distribution having been eliminated, 
maritime transport is now open in principle to any transporter registered in Cameroon or abroad that 
wishes to serve Cameroonian ports.  Cameroon is  nonetheless a signatory of the United Nations 
Convention on a Code of Conduct for Liner Conferen ces (1974).  It is also a member of the United 
Nations Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea (1978).  In practice, the agreement between 
Europe and the countries of the west coast of Afri ca and of Mauritania as far as Angola (Europe West 
Africa Trade Agreement – EWATA), is an operating cartel by virtue of EU regulation No. 4056/86.62  
This agreement covers cargo move ments for conventional and containe rized traffic between the ports 
of Europe and West and Central Africa, including Cameroon.  EWATA distributes trade among the maritime shipping companies involved in a given type of traffic, and determines the prices.  The most 
important of the eight member groups of EWAT A are Maersk and Delmas (the Bolloré group). 
                                                     
 
61 UNCTAD (2005). 
62 EWATA, information online.  Consulted a t:  http://www.ewata.org/index.php?page=Home. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 96 
 
 
112. The Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CN CC), an industrial and commercial public 
establishment, was originally designed to defend the interests of national exporters with a view to 
obtaining the best possible freight prices.  Among other things, the CNCC had the task of ensuring loading of national vessels in accordance with the aforementioned Code of Conduct.  At the present 
time, in the absence of a national fleet, the CNCC  is working to reduce transport costs both for 
importation and for exportation;  de velop and rationalize customs procedures, and monitor them;  and 
undertake studies and provide training, information and advice for the benefit of shippers.  To finance 
these activities, the CNCC levies commissions on th e customs value of merchandise consumed in 
Cameroon, and commissions are paid by the shippi ng companies whose vessels stop over at the port 
of Douala. 
(iii) Tourism 
113. Although Cameroon has considerable tourism pot ential, at present it is mostly the nature 
reserves in the north of the country that attract tour ists.  According to the authorities, various forms of 
tourism could be developed, including cultural to urism – there are more than 250 ethnic groups with 
their different customs and historical heritage;  beac h tourism, with the country's 400 km of Atlantic 
coastline;  safari photo and hunting tourism, with its  immense national animal heritage;  ecotourism, 
which could promote the diversity of Cameroon's ec osystems and cultural heritage;  business tourism 
and congresses;  sporting tourism benefiting from existi ng infrastructures;  health tourism, including 
cures and medicinal plants;  and agrotourism. 
114. Tourism, particularly the hotel and restau rant segment, generated roughly CFAF 192 billion 
of value-added in 2005 — i.e. 2.4 per cent of GDP, a share that has remained broadly stable over the 
last decade.  In the balance of payments, the travel and accommodation account posted a deficit of 
US$24.1 million in 2005;  the deficit has nonetheless declined steadily since 2000-2001 (Table I.3).  
Cameroon recorded an estimated 176,372 tourist arrivals in accommodation establishments in 2005 
(excluding returning residents), down from the 247,578 recorded in 2001.  This is below the targets 
set for 2002 (500,000 tourists)
63, and far from those envisaged for 2007 (683,100).  Arrivals of 
residents were estimated at 977,050 (including 186, 234 resident foreigners).  The number of nights 
spent in accommodation establishments totalled 1,654,38 7, indicating a very short average stay (about 
1.5 nights per arrival).  Up to 2001, Europe was th e main origin of tourists coming to Cameroon, but 
since 2002 Africa has become the main source, with CEMAC countries alone providing 59 per cent of African tourists in 2005.  Hotel revenues approached CFAF 45 billion in 2003, and the contribution of 
tourism to the state budget through taxes on tourist activities was estimated at CFAF 55 billion (about 
US$94.5 million) (Table IV.3). 
Table IV.3 
Taxes on tourist activities, 2003 
(CFAF million) 
Type of revenue  Amount  
Visa fees 8,499.55 
Airport stamp duties 2,833.59 
Entry fees to parks 29.85 
Hunting permits and cards 157 
VAT on hotel revenues 11,718.48 
VAT on the revenues of autonomous restaurants 9,935.12 
Table IV.3 (cont'd) 
                                                      
63 WTO (2001). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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Type of revenue  Amount  
Aeronautical fees 14,879.8 
Tourism establishment operating permits 15.5 
VAT on travel agency revenues 6,854.38 
Total 54,923.27 
Source : Ministry of Tourism. 
115. In 2006, Cameroon had 272 hotel establishments,  of which 83 per cent were unclassified (no 
star), with an accommodation capacity of 10,344 beds.  In total, Cameroon had 1,591 tourism 
establishments (of all categories)64 providing 22,112 rooms and 24,598 beds.  A total of 223 potential 
tourist sites have been surveyed, of which 60 be gan to be developed between 1998 and 2005.  The 
different types of accommodation establishment, apart from hotels, are:  inns, camp sites (including for hunting), gîtes d'étapes  (staging lodges), caravan sites, and guest houses (which currently operate 
without authorization).  The authorities are also trying to promote bed-and-breakfast accommodation 
(logement chez l'habitant ).  In the 1980s, about 15 hotels were built by the State.  The current policy 
is to outsource their management under a concession;  They are currently managed by the National Investment Corporation (SNI).  In May 2007, 17 establishments (hotels and campsites) had been 
identified to be run under concession contracts. 
116. The Ministry of Tourism (MINTOUR)
65 is responsible for tourism regulation and 
development, governed mainly by Law 98/006, of 14 April 1998, and its implementing decree.66  In 
2005, 45.7 per cent of the total MINTOUR budget (CFA F 2.8 billion) was allocated to investment.  
Nonetheless, according to the authorities, the mini sterial budget has decreased (in both absolute and 
relative terms) since 2003.  The National Tourism Council was created in April 1998 to advise the 
Government on measures to promote th e growth of tourism in Cameroon.67  A national office is 
currently being set up and will be r esponsible for promotion activities. 
117. The Government's policy is to develop and prom ote tourism.  A tourism sector strategy paper 
has been prepared, for which the main lines of actio n had been defined in the PSRP (Chapter II(2)).  
The total and provisional cost of implementing the tourism strategy for 2007-2009 has been estimated 
at CFAF 163.58 billion.  Given the scarcity of funds,  actions to be undertaken to achieve the strategic 
objectives have been prioritized on territorial devel opment principles.  Priority expenses have been 
estimated at CFAF 50 billion, mainly to finance ecotourism (CFAF 18.57 billion), cultural tourism 
(CFAF 9.93 billion) and business tourism (CFAF 8.25 billion). 
118. The Investment Charter allows general tax incen tives to be agreed upon to attract investment 
(both national and foreign).  According to the aut horities, specific measures for tourism have not yet 
been adopted.  Domestic or foreign companies wi shing to operate in any tourism-related activities 
must obtain from the Ministry of Tourism an authorization or a licence, which is not transferable;  
                                                      
64 Specifically:  2 five-star establishments, 5 four-s tar, 47 three-star, 85 two-star, 133 one-star, and 
1,319 unclassified establishments. 
65 The organizational structure of the Ministry of Tourism is governed by Decree No. 2005/450 of 
9 November 2005. 
66 Decree No. 99/443 of 25 March 1999. 
67 The Council was created by Law No. 98/006 of 14 April 1998, and Decree No. 99/112 of 
27 May 1999 setting out its organization and operating m odalities.  It consists of representatives from all 
relevant administrations and from the private sector. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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companies are also subject to a fee, which is set a ccording to their category and geographical location.  
Tourist-guide activities are reserved for Cameroonians.68 
119. Despite its considerable potential, the contribut ion of tourism to the country's growth and 
hence the fight against poverty, remains insufficien t.  The tourism sector development strategy, 
published in December 200569, reveals a number of shortcomings and constraints that explain the 
uneven performance of tourism in Cameroon.  Th e main problems relate to governance, the poor 
quality of hotel management, lack of training, infr astructure, and insufficient or obsolete equipment, 
the high cost of air transport, and the ab sence of promotion and information activities. 
120. The prices of tourism services are freely establishe d by the promoters.  Hotels are classified 
by the Ministry of Tourism, in principle every tw o years.  Nonetheless, in 2005, 82.9 per cent of all 
establishments, representing 60.5 per cent of room capacity, were unclassified. 
121. Cameroon is a signatory to the Tourism Charte r, the Tourist Code of 26 September 1985, and 
the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism of 1 October 1989, drawn up by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). 
(iv) Telecommunications 
(a) Recent developments 
122. The telephone network in Cameroon has seen cons iderable development since liberalization 
of the sector and the emergence of the mobile phone (T able IV.4), bringing benefits to the economy as 
a whole.  Mobile telephony penetration grew from 0 per cent of the population in 1999 to nearly 7 per 
cent in 2005.  In 2005, fixed telephony had a 0.7 per cent coverage rate (compared to 0.5 per cent in 
1995, and an average waiting period of five-and-a-half years for the installation of a new line).  
Internet coverage (0.4 per cent) is still sparse, particularly in rural areas. 
Table IV.4 
Indicators of telecommunication services, 2000-2006 
 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Fixed telephony        
No. of lines operating  95,000  106,287  110,881  97,393  99,439  ..  .. 
Cost of a three-minute local call (CFAF)  40  40  40  40  40  30  .. 
Mobile telephony         
No. of subscribers  103,279  417,295  701,507 1,077,000 1,536,594 2,259,000  .. 
Cost of a three-minute local call 
in off-peak hours (CFAF)  ..  480  600  600  450  ..  .. 
Cost of a three-minute local call 
in peak hours (CFAF)  ..  630  750  750  690  ..  .. 
Internet        
No. of subscribers  4,000  4,400  5,500  7,000  ..  ..  .. 
No. of usersa  40,000  45,000  60,000  100,000  170,000  250,000  .. 
.. Not available. 
a Estimates. 
Source : International Telecommunication Union. 
                                                      
68 Decree No. 99/443 of 25 March 1999, on implementation of the Tourism Law. 
69 Ministry of Tourism (2005). Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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123. In the late 1990s, Cameroon made a majo r effort to reform and liberalize its 
telecommunications sector.  The 1998 telecommunica tions law specifically envisages privatization, 
and establishes a regulatory body (the Telecommunica tions Regulatory Agency (ART)), to ensure the 
sector's proper functioning and guara ntee competition among individual operators.  It also introduced 
the reform of the Ministry of Post and Tel ecommunications (MINPOSTEL), which is the government 
entity responsible for the sector.70  A general law on competition was also passed in 1998.71 
124. The reform process was undertaken in two stag es:  telecommunication operations were first 
separated from the postal service, and then rationali zed by merging the international and domestic 
services with the creation of CAMTEL in 1998.  A subsidiary providing mobile phone services, 
CAMTEL Mobile, was also established, and then tr ansferred in 2000 to MTN Cameroon, owned by 
MTN International.  In 1999 a mobile telephony li cence was awarded to SCM,  which became Orange 
in 2002. 
125. As part of its privatization efforts, the Govern ment has been trying to sell off the State-owned 
CAMTEL since December 1999.72  The first call for tenders to privatize the company was 
unsuccessful, since negotiations with the potential purch aser failed to lead to an agreement.  The 
second tender, which is competitive, was in th e bid-analysis phase in May 2007.  The CAMTEL 
privatization dossier is still being reviewed by  the Technical Commission of Privatization and 
Liquidation (CTPL), which is in charge of the process.73 
(b) Regulation 
126. Under Law No. 14 of 1998, telecommunication services are subject to a concession or 
authorization regime, except for a few services that  are covered by the simple declaration regime 
applicable mainly to private networks.  MINPO STEL oversees the preparation and implementation of 
a telecommunication sector policy;  it also approv es concessions and authorizations by decree, and it 
allocates radio frequency bands. 
127. A concession may be granted by MINPOSTEL to one or more legal entities established under 
public or private law, through agreements that sp ecify the concession holder's rights and obligations.  
The concession specifically covers the establishmen t of telecommunication networks between fixed 
points that are open to the public, the establishment of transport infrastructure for sound radio broadcasting signals, and global satellite telecommuni cations systems.  The concession must comply 
with the specifications attached to  the agreement.  These include the obligation of the permit holder to 
provide a universal service, i.e. to route telephone communications from and to subscriber points, to 
route emergency calls free of charge , and to provide information services and a subscriber directory.  
Telecommunication service suppliers are required to guarantee number portability and freedom of 
choice in selecting carriers for domestic a nd international connection providers. 
128. The Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART) is in principle responsible for regulating, 
overseeing and monitoring the activities of telecommunication services operators.  It handles 
authorization and declaration requests, and pr epares the corresponding decisions for MINPOSTEL 
attention.  It can propose the cancellation of an author ization or declaration if contrary to the general 
                                                     
 
70 Law No. 018/98 of 14 July 1998 was consulted at the web site of the Ministry of Post and 
Telecommunications at the following ad dress:  http://www .minpostel.gov.cm. 
71 Law No. 988/013 of 14 July 1998, on competition, also consulted at:  
http//www.minpostel.gov.cm/francais/loi pour cent20rel pour cent20concurr.pdf. 
72 It invited a strategic partner to take a 51 per cen t stake in CAMTEL.  In a ddition, 10 per cent of the 
equity was reserved for national shareholders and 5 per cent for CAMTEL employees. 
73 MINPOSTEL (2005c). WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 100 
 
 
interest;  and it also oversees the principle of equal treatment of users in all telecommunication 
enterprises and ensures competition in the sector.  In addition, it has the task of defining principles for 
the pricing of services.  The ART deals with disp utes between operators, in particular relating to 
interconnection or access to a telecommunications  network, the numbering system, frequency 
interference and the sharing of infrastructures.  Pursuant to the conditions set out in their 
specifications, the operators of public telecommunication services are required to publish technical bids and interconnection charges approved by the Ag ency.  Nonetheless, it is MINPOSTEL that gives 
the final ruling on such issues.  Arrangements betwee n operators in terms of interconnection, and the 
prices they set for their telecommunications services, are subject to ART approval. 
129. To promote access to information technologies and the Internet, the Government authorized 
the duty-free entry of personal computers for fiscal 2001.  These are currently subject to a 10 per cent customs duty, in addition to other entry duti es and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)).  The ART is 
responsible in principle for applying the standards for approving equipment types, but in 2005 this 
task was still being done by CAMTEL. 
130. Internet access providers have to obtain a permit issued by the ART, which specifies 
conditions and standards for their activities. 
131. Cameroon has not made any specific commitmen ts on telecommunications under the GATS.  
Several projects have been under discussion since 1999 with a view to harmonizing 
telecommunication services within CEMAC.  For ex ample, the Association of Central African 
Regulators (ARTAC), assisted by the Executive Secretariat of CEMAC, is working to harmonize the 
telecommunications regulatory framework.  The opera tional phase of the project is supported by the 
Association for the Unification of Law in Africa  (UNIDA), the International Organization for the 
French-Speaking World, the authorities responsible  for cooperation in Switzerland and France, and 
the Council of French Investors in Africa.  The objective is to finalize draft common legislation on telecommunications, for approval by the CEMAC Council of Ministers in 2007.
74 
(v) Postal services 
(a) Overview 
132. While very dynamic, the Cameroonian postal servi ces market is disorganized in terms of the 
supply of services, numerous private structures having appeared following the demise of the public operator during the 1980s and 1990s.
75  For example, many inter-city passenger transport companies 
are also offering postal and money transfer services.76 
133. The current public operator, Cameroon Postal  Services (CAMPOST) emerged in 2004 from 
the merger, following an unsuccessful attempt at coha bitation on the same network, by the two former 
companies set up in 1999 (Cameroon Post Office  and Cameroon Post Office Savings Bank).  
CAMPOST is a publicly owned company, in which the State is the sole shareholder.77  Under its 
articles of association, it is specifically respons ible for promoting national savings;  managing the 
funds entrusted to it through the postal networ k and its branches;  providing a national and 
international service for all forms of mail;  issui ng and selling postage stamps;  supplying services 
relating to means of payment and fund transfer , asset management and insurance products, in 
                                                      
74 "Infohada".  Consulted at:  http://www.ohad a.com/infohada_detail.php?article=799 
[16 February 2007]. 
75 MINPOSTEL (2005b). 
76 MINPOSTEL (2005a). 
77 Decree No. 2004/095 of 23 April 2004. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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compliance with the rules on competition;  and holdi ng stakes in national or foreign postal companies.  
CAMPOST continues to struggle with a cash crisis, since savings funds (estimated by the authorities 
at CFAF 70 billion) are not liquid.  Its sales leve l has been below CFAF 3 billion since 2002, while it 
employs around 1,500 people.  In July 2005, a provisional administrator was appointed to head 
CAMPOST, with a mission to turn the enterprise around. 
134. Delivery times in the case of normal mail are long:  two weeks on average inside the country 
and three weeks or a month for deliveries abroad, with significant risks of loss.  Customers often 
make use of express mailing services, an activity that is increasingly dynamic and competitive, 
whether for documents, merchandise or money transfer (section (b) below).78  Numerous public and 
private foreign operators (mainly DHL, Bolloré, Chr onopost and UPS) are competing in this market.  
Local customers for express letter and parcel servic es are mainly private enterprises, in addition to 
official and international bodies.  There are few private individual customers.  Some analysts report that autoparts and computer equipment are among the products most frequently received through this 
medium.  In terms of exports, the health sector ma kes regular use of courier services (sending samples 
for laboratory analysis, dental impressions for prostheses sent by dentists, etc.).  The leading 
destinations or sources are in Europe and Africa.
79 
(b) Regulation of postal services 
135. Postal services are the responsibility of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.  Law 
No. 2006/019 of 29 December 2006, on postal activity (which repealed Law No. 99/002 of 1999), is the main law governing postal services and ha s been supplemented by several implementing 
decrees.
80  The law envisages a concession regime in which CAMPOST is the sole operator, and a 
regime of authorization applicable to all private operators of networks and postal services apart from 
the concession holder, except for a few services that are provided simply under a declaration regime.81  
According to the authorities, no private operator curre ntly holds such authorization in Cameroon.  A 
postal fee is in principle payable by operators, ot her than the concession holder, in particular to 
finance the development of postal services.82 
136. Under the concession regime the State can gran t to any legal entity established under public 
or private law, exclusivity in public postal services including the collection, routing and distribution, throughout the national territory, of letters wei ghing less than 1 kg sent by normal mail, and of 
national fast mail items.  In 2007, CAMPOST in principle had exclusive rights over the domestic 
market for normal mail services (less than 20g) and local express mail services.  The concession is 
established through an agreement and specifications  setting out the concession holder's rights and 
obligations. 
                                                     
 
78 French Embassy in Cameroon – Economic Mission (2006c). 
79 French Embassy in Cameroon – Economic Mission (2006c). 
80 Law No. 2006/019 of 29 December 2006, govern ing postal activity;  D ecree No. 2005/124 of 
15 April 2005, on the organization of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications;  Law No. 2003/01 of 
21 April 2003, establishing a minimum service in th e postal sector;  and  Decree No. 2002/2171/PM of 
19 December 2002, establishing modalities for regula tion and oversight of postal service networks. 
81 The following activities are subject to declaration only :  operation of internal networks;  operation of 
independent networks in which the departure and arrival points are less than 1,000 m apart;  and the routing, by natural persons on an individual basis, of mail and/or printed matter, when the aggregate number of the mail 
and/or printed items is between 10 and 29. 
82 Decree No. 2004/110 of 10 May 2004, on the cr eation and operation of the Special Treasury 
Allocation Account for the Development of Postal Activity. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
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137. As concession holder, CAMPOST is the operator required to provide universal service:  i.e. a 
range of basic, quality postal services, provided permanently to customers, at affordable and 
standardized prices, and, as far as possible, thro ughout the national territory.  This service includes 
collection, sorting, transport and distribution of mail items of up to 2 kg;  collection, sorting, transport 
and distribution of parcels weighing up to 10 kg;  services relating to registered dispatches and those 
with a declared value;  and the handling of compla ints.  The Bureau of Postal Activities Standards and 
Oversight regulates the sector.83  Nonetheless, in practice, access to the domestic and international 
courier markets, express or otherwise, is more or less free, in an environment characterized by the absence of rules and regulation. 
(vi) Financial services 
(a) Banking services 
Overview 
138. In addition to the Bank of Central African Stat es (BEAC), which is the supranational issuance 
body for the six member countries of CEMAC, the Cameroonian banking system consists of 11 commercial banks;  public saving and loan orga nizations, such as the Post Office Savings Bank 
(Caisse d'épargne postale (section (v) above), the Société nationale d'investissement , and the Crédit 
foncier du Cameroon  (a mortgage bank);  a collection agency, – , the Société de recouvrement du 
Cameroon  (SRC);  and other financial institutions (Table IV.5). 
Table IV.5 
Leading banks and credit institutions, July 2007 
 Total capital 
(CFAF million) Foreign capital
(%) Total balance 
sheet 
(CFAF billion) 
2004 State share in 
capital 
(%) 
Commercial banks subject to COBAC     
Société générale de banques au Camer oon (SGBC)  6,250  58.1  387,592  25.6 
Banque internationale du Cameroon pour l'épargne et 
le crédit (BICEC)  3,000  10.5  389,668  23 
Crédit Lyonnais Cameroon S.A. (CLC S.A.)  6,000  65  264,614  35 
Standard Chartered Bank Cameroon (SCBC )  7,000  100  149,057  .. 
AFRILAND FIRST BANK (FIRST B ANK)  6,300  47.45  283,093  0 
AMITY BANK Cameroon (AMITY)   4,000  ..  52,668  0 
CITIBANK N. A. Cameroon (CIT IBANK)  5,684  100  66092  0 
Commercial Bank of Cameroon  (CBC)   7,000  17.2  182,207  0 
Union Bank of Cameroon PLC  (UBC Plc)  5,000  ..  55,149  .. 
Ecobank Cameroon S. A. (EBC)  2,500  81.6  103,482  .. 
National Financial Credit Bank  3,686  ..  15,424  .. 
Other banks and credit institutions     
Crédit foncier du Cameroon  6,000   ..  75a 
Caisse d'épargne postale  ..  ..  ..  .. 
Société nationale d'investisseme nt du Cameroon  22,000  0  ..  100 
Société de recouvrement des créances du Cameroon  500  ..  ..  100 
Table IV.5 (cont'd) 
                                                      
83 Decree No. 99/151 of 13 July 1999, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 2000/185 of 
14 July 2000. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
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 Total capital 
(CFAF million) Foreign capital
(%) Total balance 
sheet 
(CFAF billion) 
2004 State share in 
capital 
(%) 
Société financière africaine  1,500  20  ..  0 
Africa Leasing Company  1,000  ..  ..  
Pro-PME Financement SA  950  ..  ..  20 
Société Cameroonaise d'équipement  302  ..  ..  0 
.. Not available. 
a CNPS:  20 per cent;  CAMPOST:  5 per cent;  and the Cameroonian State:  75 per cent. 
Source : Information provided by the Cameroonian authorities. 
139. Of the 11 commercial banks, four are wholly locally owned, whereas the others have major 
foreign participation in their capital.  The Cameroon banking system is also highly concentrated, with 
the three leading banks in terms of deposits (BIC EC, SGBC and Standard Ch artered Bank) accounting 
for about two thirds of lending to the economy and pr ivate deposits.  Over 80 per cent of funds arise 
from short-term operations (custo mer deposits and savings).  Banks  only lend to a small number of 
creditworthy customers;  and, in general, access to  finance is viewed by firms and especially small 
and medium-sized businesses as the key factor constraining their development. 
140. The postal and savings funds, which used to pl ay a key role in mobilizing savings among low-
income population groups, were ba nkrupt in 2000 (section (v) above ).  As a result, a parallel 
microcredit industry has developed outside the le gal and regulatory framework.  In 2000, it was 
estimated that there were over 900 microcredit in stitutions in Cameroon.  At the present time, 
431 microfinance structures are reportedly serving a total of 200,000 customers.  Microfinance accounts for less than 5 per cent of deposits and loans. 
141. Express fund transfer activity has been developing strongly in Central Africa over the last 
ten years, and numerous fund transfer companies (bot h domestic and foreign) ha ve started to operate 
in the region (e.g. Western Union, Money Gram).   There are also local express money remittance 
companies, which make fund transfers in just a few minutes.  Operators of public postal service, 
microfinance or banking institutions, inter-city bus  companies and specialized companies are all 
competing on this market. 
Regulation 
142. In Cameroon, as in the other five CEMAC countries, the activities of lending institutions are 
subject to the common CEMAC regulations set fo rth in the Agreement Establishing the Central 
African Banking Commission (COBAC).
84  COBAC monitors the opera tions of lending institutions 
and ensures that they are financially sound. 
143. Cameroon's Minister of Finance approves lending institutions on the advice of COBAC.  The 
minimum capital required for a bank is CFAF 1 billion;  and the terms and conditions for 
establishment are the same for both foreign and do mestic banks.  Foreign banks must be locally 
registered to engage  in banking operations85, and may perform the same ope rations as domestic banks.  
                                                      
84 Consulted at:  http://www.banque-france. fr/fr/eurosys/telechar/zonefr/zfax0102.pdf 
[14 November 2006]. 
85 Ordinance No. 85/002 of 31 August 1985 (regarding the exercise of the activity of credit 
establishments), Article 5. WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 104 
 
 
Foreign financial institutions may have a representati ve office in Cameroon, but  their managers must 
be nationals and reside in the country. 
144. In November 2000, the CEMAC Ministerial Committee adopted the "Single Authorization".86  
The latter was to become effective in 2002, making it possible for a bank authorized in one Member 
State to open branches or agencies in the othe r Member States without having to repeat the 
administrative approval procedures in each country, particularly the provisions governing the legal form of credit institutions, their capital compositi on and the procedures for appointing managers.  The 
single authorization was intended to facilitate the bank establishment process and thereby correct the 
fragmentation of the region's banking system, as well as to stimulate competition.  It would seem, in 
practice, that the single authorization has not been  implemented.  Banking and financial activities in 
Cameroon are under the overall responsibility of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC).  Banks 
set interest rates within the limits set by the BEAC. 
145. To mobilize household savings and channel them toward productive investments, as well as 
to ease the terms of access to credit for SMEs, th e authorities in conjunction with the World Bank 
have set up a programme to reinforce the system of  microfinancing.  All ope rations of microcredit 
institutions are subject to an approval process and to supervision by the Central African Banking 
Commission (COBAC).  Approval is granted by the Minister of Finance, subject to a statement of conformity from COBAC.  A microfinance supervision unit, created within the Ministry of Finance, 
carries out a census of all institutions and processes their requests for approval. 
(b) Insurance services 
Overview 
146. The number of insurance companies in Cameroon has almost doubled over the last ten years, 
but concentration in the sector has hardly diminish ed.  In 1997-1998 there were 14 private insurance 
companies operating;  12 of them only provided  non-life insurance services, while two companies 
provided life insurance.  The insurance market was highly concentrated, with four companies 
accounting for 73 per cent.  Two of these enterpri ses were owned by the State:  the Agricultural 
Mutual Insurance Company ( Assurances mutuelles agricoles du Cameroon  – AMACAM) and the 
National Reinsurance Fund ( Caisse nationale de réassurance  – CNR). 
147. The robust growth of the Cameroon insurance mark et has been accompanied by an increase in 
the number of companies:  today 25 companies, 52 brokers and 48 general agents share a market that 
was worth CFAF 94.2 billion in 2005 (in terms of premiums issued) (Table IV.6).  In 2005, the life 
insurance branch accounted for 17 per cent of the market.  Among the 25 insurance companies 
established in Cameroon, the leading five in 2005 (all private companies – Chanas, Axa, Saar, AGF 
and Activa) held around 72.5 per cent of the overall ma rket, with the first two controlling 35 per cent 
of the overall market and nearly 60 per cent of the market for industrial and large commercial risks.  
The two State enterprises (AMACAM and CNR) have  been liquidated.  Cameroonian interests are 
also present in foreign insurance companies:  for example, SAFAR was created in Chad in 2001, 
partly with private Cameroonian capital, CICARE , a reinsurance company common to the member 
States of the Inter-African Conference on Insuran ce (CIMA) has existed since 1981;  the member 
States have shares in it.  Reinsurance activities recorded losses of over CFAF 16.9 billion in 2005. 
                                                     
 
86 Regulation No. 01/00/CEMAC/UMAC/COBAC instituting the single authorization for credit 
establishments in the Central African Economic and M onetary Community, 27 November 2000.  Consulted at:  
http://droit.francophonie.org/doc/html/znac/loi/lgcm/fr/2000/2000dfznaclgcmfr5.html. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 105 
 
 
148. Features of the insurance market include low c overage of industrial risks, very low household 
coverage, and a life insurance sector that is still underdeveloped.  According to certain sources, only 
one household in ten, and one car in every two are insured.87  Insurance expenditure per capita was 
estimated at around CFAF 5,000 in 2002.  According to the authorities, most of the major risks are re-
exported.  By branch, the automobile sector account s for about 27 per cent of global insurance sales.  
Nonetheless many insured vehicles are in circulati on despite mandatory third party liability (see 
below).  Health insurance sales have been growing strongly, at a rate of increase of over 8 per cent 
since 2002. 
Table IV.6 
Premiums issued and profitabilit y by type of insurance, 2003-2005 
 Premiums issued (PE) 
(CFAF billion) Net financial products (PFN) 
(CFAF billion) Rate of return (PFN/PE) 
(%) 
 2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 2005 2003 2004 2005 
Life 13.3 14.8 16.0 1.9 1.8 3.2 14.6 12.5 31.9 
IARDT 71.4 75.0 78.2 2.6 3.6 5.1 3.7 4.8 4.1 
Total 84.7 89.7 94.2 4.6 5.4 8.3 5.4 6.1 8.8 
IARDT: Fire, accident, miscellaneous risks and transport. 
Source : Ministry of the Economy and Finance (2006), Rapport sur le marché camerouna is des assuran ces, Exercice 2005  
(Report on the Cameroonian Insurance Market, Fiscal 2005), December. 
149. All insurance companies belong to the Camer oonian Association of Insurance Companies 
(ASAC), headquartered at Douala, which was created  in 1973 and is recognized by the CIMA Code.88  
The ASAC is part of the Federation of Insura nce Companies Established under National Laws in 
Africa, based at Dakar, which encompasses the national associations of CEMAC and WAEMU countries.  At the continental level, the Organiza tion of African Insurance Companies, whose offices 
are at Douala, heads the group of African organizations. 
150. In 2000, brokers created the professional Associ ation of Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers 
(Apcar).  Some 20 insurance brokerages are authori zed in Cameroon.  The market is dominated by 
two major players, Gras-Savoye Cameroon (a subsidiary of Gras-Savoye France) and ACC (Assureurs Conseils Cameroonais , Ascoma group, Monaco), which absorbs about 40 per cent of 
insurance company business and 90 per cent of ove rall brokerage sales.  These two alone control 
nearly 80 per cent of industrial and major commercial risk insurance. 
Regulation 
151. The exercise of the insurance profession, supervi sed by the Ministry of Finance, is governed 
by the CIMA Insurance Code (CIMA) of 1992.
89  The Insurance Code, attached to the treaty creating 
CIMA, entered into force in 1995 and aims to standa rdize, organize and develop the insurance sector.  
The treaty strengthened the application of prudential rules by operators, in terms of the establishment 
of companies and their activities.  It also defined the roles of agents and brokers, who have had to 
submit to a new authorization procedure.  CIMA has a council of ministers, a regional insurance 
oversight commission (CRCA) a nd a general secretariat. 
                                                      
87 French Embassy in Cameroon – Economic Mission (2006b). 
88 ASAC information online.  Consulted at:  http://asac-cameroon.com. 
89 Signed in July 1992, the treaty establishing CIMA applies in the following countries:  Benin, Burkina 
Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, the 
Central African Republic, Senegal and Togo (CIMA, onl ine.  Consulted at:  http://www.cimaonline.net/Traite/ 
Code/traite7.htm). WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 106 
 
 
152. Under the Code, only nationals of a CIMA member State can practise the professions of 
general agent, although the insu rance brokerage profession is open to all.  Insurance companies 
(irrespective of the origin of their capital) cannot  start operations in Cameroon before obtaining 
authorization from the Minister for Finance,  following a favourable opinion from the CRCA.  
Applications for approval must contain, inter alia , a list of the types of insurance that the company 
intends to cover;  and, where applicable, an indica tion of the countries in which the company plans to 
operate.  The application must also contain a pr ogramme of activities, including two copies of the 
charging structure for each of the segments for which approval is being sought.  Since April 2007, the minimum capital required under the CIMA Code to set up an insurance comp any has been set at 
CFAF 1 billion for limited liability companies, and CFAF 800 million for mutual companies. 
153. Unless explicitly waived by the Minister respons ible for insurance, risks located in Cameroon 
must be covered by locally authorized companies.   Applications for appr oval submitted by foreign 
companies (i.e. headquartered outside Cameroon) mu st provide evidence that the company maintains 
a branch where it has elected domicile in Cameroon (Article 328 of the CIMA Code).  Foreign companies can nonetheless provide reinsurance services on an unauthorized basis.  Transfers of 
reinsurance abroad involving over 75 per cent of a ri sk located in the territory of a CIMA member 
State is subject to authorization from the Minister  responsible for insurance, except for insurance 
relating to vehicles and rail, air and maritime tran sport, for which authorization is not required. 
154. Risks located outside CIMA member countries can be insured by companies resident in 
Cameroon.  Risks located in Cameroon must be in sured by companies authorized in Cameroon.  
Natural or legal persons resident in Cameroon may not enter into direct insurance or life annuities 
contracts that are not denominated in CFA francs (Ar ticle 3), except where authorized by the Minister 
of Finance.  Since 1 January 2002, insurance co mpanies have been required to separate their life 
insurance from other activities (fire, accident, misce llaneous risks).  They must therefore establish 
separate companies, each with minimum capital of  CFAF 1 billion, for limited liability companies and 
CFAF 800 million in the case of mutual companies. 
155. Under the CIMA Code (Book II), only automob ile insurance (third-party liability) is 
compulsory.  Premium rates for third-party motor vehicle liability must be at least equal to the minimum approved by the oversight commission for each member State.  This minimum rate is based on the following criteria in particular:  the geogra phical registration area, vehicle characteristics and 
use and the socio-professional status and characteris tics of the usual driver.  In practice, a single 
standard minimum rate for third-party liability is applied throughout CIMA;  this is fixed by the 
Minister for Finance in conjunction with operators and is subject to CIMA approval.  The companies 
are free to set premiums for other types of insuran ce;  oversight is exercised only at the time when a 
new company starts activities or adopts a new policy. 
156. The CIMA Code is supplemented by national legisl ation.  According to the authorities, freight 
insurance is compulsory in Cameroon, as are works risks in construction projects costing more than 
CFAF 100 million.  A 1975 law made it mandatory to  take out freight insurance with a Cameroonian 
company if the amount of the merchandise imported is CFAF 500,000 or more.  Hotels and most 
liberal professions must also ta ke out third-party insurance. 
(vii) Professional and business services 
(a) Overview 
157. Professional services cover a wide range of ac tivities.  In 2005, the value added by these 
two groups of services amounted to 2 per cent of total GDP. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 107 
 
 
158. In comparison to other sectors, the group of workers engaged in supplying professional 
services is small, but highly qualified.  Thanks to its relatively low salary levels and bilingualism, 
Cameroon seems to have comparative advantages in the provision of a number of professional 
services that have export potential. 
159. At the international level, Cameroon has ma de commitments on professional services within 
CEMAC, but not within the WTO.  As most trade in professional services and business services 
largely depends on the movement of natural pers ons, professional service providers are particularly 
affected by regulations restricting such moveme nt (Mode 4 in the GATS terminology).  The treaty 
creating CEMAC also establishes both the principle of free movement of persons (currently achieved 
in four CEMAC countries including Cameroon), and a single market for workers originating from 
CEMAC countries, which is likely to facilitate trade in professional services. 
160. The most common restrictions at present concern the procedures for establishing a 
commercial presence for professional service suppliers .  Incorporation is prohibited in many 
provinces, and only sole proprietorship or part nership is allowed for legal, accountancy and 
architectural services.  Incorporation is authori zed in the case of engineering services.  A minimum 
percentage of local directors is required;  a major ity or at least 50 per cent of the directors of the 
company established must be Cameroon residents. 
161. All professionals wishing to practice in Came roon must be licensed or accredited by a 
professional body.  Each professional body sets its  own rules, regulations, and standards of 
professional practice.  While Cameroon citizenship is  not required for membership in a professional 
body, some professions apply residency require ments.  Residency obligations may prevent 
professionals from providing cross-border professional services or staying temporarily in Cameroon, even if they hold valid professional qualifications in their home country. 
(b) Accountancy and audit services 
162. There are several accounting firms established in  Cameroon, practising in the following areas:  
accountancy, studies, audit, legal and tax advisory ser vices, training, and representation.  International 
consultancy firms present in Cameroon also in clude the Mazars Group (France) and FIDAFRICA 
(PriceWaterhouseCoopers Group). 
163. There are three major professional accountancy  titles in Cameroon:  certified accountant 
(comptable agréé  – CA), certified public accountant ( expert-comptable agréé ), and auditor 
(commissaire aux comptes ).  Each title is protected by current legislation and is represented at the 
national level by the National Association of Certif ied Public Accountants a nd Auditors.  To practise 
one of the accountancy professions, it is necessary to be a member of the Association and to be licensed by it. 
164. Decision No. 22/99/UEAC-10-C-CM-02, concerning  the approval in the liberal professions, 
instituted a single accreditation system for certifie d public accountants and certified accountants, and 
also for accounting firms within the CEMAC.  Free dom of movement includes the right to perform, as 
necessary, all accounting activities in the host Stat e.  Certified public accountants or certified 
accountants may also establish main or secondary offices in any other member State, provided they satisfy the requirements of the competent authorit y in the host State for practising the accountancy 
profession. 
165. No nationality conditions are imposed with resp ect to membership of professional bodies and 
licensing.  Nonetheless, residency in Cameroon is required for accreditation as a public accountant.  
The professional accountancy qualifications generally i nvolve university studies, practical experience WT/TPR/S/187 Trade Policy Review 
Page 108 
 
 
as an intern, and the passing of professional exams.   Foreign accountants holding qualifications from 
certain foreign accounting bodies may be exempted from some or all of the requirements following a review of their dossiers by a professional association. 
(c) Legal services 
166. Legal services in Cameroon are provided by lawyer s, notaries and foreign legal consultants.  
The legal framework governing these activities consis ts of Law No. 90/59 of 19 December 1990 on 
the organization of the profession of lawyer;  Decree No. 95/0 34 of 24 February 1995, on the status and organization of the profession of notary;  in ad dition to cooperation agreements in the case of 
foreign legal consultants.  Activities exercised by lawyers include the provision of advice and 
representation of clients, particularly in relation to  national and international law.  Some of these 
activities are shared with notaries.  Activities relati ng to real estate, wills and marriage contracts are 
mostly performed by notaries.  In late 2005, Cameroon had some 1,500 registered lawyers and 
52 notaries.
90 
167. Under the terms of Law No. 90/59, lawyers are represented by a professional association or 
Bar ( Ordre des avocats ) and are supervised by the Minister of Justice.  The association sets its own 
rules, ethical standards and code of conduct.  Its structure consists of a general assembly 
encompassing all registered lawyers, and a Bar C ouncil which is a small body.  To practise law in 
Cameroon requires being a member of the Bar.  To be admitted to this, it is generally necessary to have completed at least three years' university stud ies resulting in a degree in law or a "Bachelor of 
Laws" diploma, or a diploma recognized as equivalent by the competent authority at the time of filing 
the dossier.  Bar members must be Cameroonian residents.  Lawyers' fees are unregulated. 
168. Lawyers from other countries may practise their profession or plead before a Cameroon 
jurisdiction under certain conditions.  Authorization to plead requires reciprocity between the foreign 
lawyer's country of origin and Cameroon;  prior authorization from the President of the respective 
jurisdiction, who must notify the Office of the Attorn ey General of such decision within 24 hours;  
notification, by the foreign lawyer, of the President of the Bar and the lawyer of the opposing party;  
and election of domicile at the office of a lawy er established in Cameroon.  The possibility of 
applying or practising is subject to the existence of  an agreement and authorization by the Minister of 
Justice, following an Opinion by the Bar Council.  Nonetheless, lawyers who were practising before 
Law No. 90/59 came into force may continue to practice their profession.  Having fulfilled these 
conditions, a foreign lawyer or applicant can apply or practice on an equal footing with a 
Cameroonian lawyer.  In 2007, there were five fore ign lawyers registered at the Cameroonian Bar.  
According to the authorities, however, other fore igners are employed as heads of offices, in 
professional partnerships (SCPs) but are not counted. 
169. If the foreigner holds a Certificate of Aptitude  for the Legal Profession (CAPA) and intends 
to practise as a lawyer, his or her title will be validat ed by the Ministry of Justice upon presentation of 
the CAPA.  Nonetheless, if the foreigner aims to apply and is the holder of a diploma that requires 
recognition of equivalence, this must be validat ed by the National Commission for Evaluation of 
Training Obtained Abroad
91, which meets twice a year.  Recognition of equivalence must be 
sanctioned by an order from the Higher Education Mi nister.  Attorneys' offices may be established in 
Cameroon as individual enterprises, partnerships, or professional civil partnerships, following an 
agreement from the Bar Council.  In the latter case, lawyers must also notify the Attorney General of 
                                                      
90 Xinhua, "Le barreau du Cameroun va élire son nouveau chef", 3 June  2006.  Consulted at:  
http://www.french.xinhuanet.com/french/2006-06/ 03/content_261707.htm [16 November 2006]. 
91 The Commission was instituted by Decree No. 93/633/ PM of 17 September 1993, and is chaired by 
the Minister for Higher Education. Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 109 
 
 
the jurisdiction in which they live.  Only locally qua lified lawyers can own or invest in such firms.  
Foreign equity shares in attorneys' offices is unlim ited.  Inter-jurisdictional legal practice is governed 
by agreements or conventions;  there is no specific mechanism for this.  Nonetheless, the Ministry of 
Justice is responsible for internationa l legal cooperation on various issues. 
170. A Justice Cooperation Agreement betw een Cameroon and France, signed on 
21 February 1974, provides (Article 2) that "nati onals of each of the two States may apply for 
registration at the bar of the other State, subject to  satisfying legal requirements for registration in the 
State where registration is being requested.  They  have access to all the duties performed by the Bar 
Council except those of President of the Bar." 
171. Foreign legal consultants who are qualified to practise law in a country other than Cameroon 
may provide legal advice in Cameroon, on the laws of the country in which they obtained their qualifications, on matters of interna tional law, and, where necessary, also on Cameroonian law if they 
have the relevant knowledge. 
172. Notaries are represented by the National Professional Chamber of Notaries, the organization 
and operation of which is established in the Chambe r's stable.  The Chamber consists of a general 
assembly encompassing all currently active notaries and bureau headed by a President elected by 
his/her peers.  There is no law authorizing foreigners to practise as notaries in Cameroon. 
 Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 111 
 
 
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chicken, wine, sugar and pasta), Cameroon Tribune , 18 December.  Consulted at:  
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International Monetary Fund, IMF (2006a), Annua l Report on Exchange Arrangements and Exchange 
Restrictions, 2005, Washington D.C.  IMF (2006b), Cameroon: Enhanced Heavily Indebt ed Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative – Completion 
Point Document and Multilateral Debt Relief  Initiative (MDRI), May.  Consulted at:  
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Foute (2007), "Prix et qualité du sucre: inquiétant !" (Sugar price and quality: a cause for concern), 
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 Groupement Interpatronal du Cameroun , GICAM (Cameroon Employers’ Association) (undated), 
Trafic au port autonome de Douala  (Traffic in the autonomous port of Douala).  Consulted at:  
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August.  Consulted at:  http://siteres ources.worldbank.org/INTAFRSUMAFTPS/Resources/ 
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Guichet Unique des Opérations du Commerce Extérieur , GUCE (External Trade One-Stop Shop) 
(undated), What are the missions and duties of the One-Stop Shop ?  Consulted at:  
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Cameroun septentrional" (Ancient and traditiona l textile technology in Northern Cameroon), Nyame 
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Cameroon), Yaoundé. 
 Kanté, N. (2002), "Les contraintes de la privati sation des entreprises publiques et parapubliques au 
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Page 114 
 
 
Revue Internationale de Droit Économique  (International economic law journal).  Consulted at:  
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Ministre d'état, Ministre de la planificati on, de la programmation du développement et de 
l'aménagement du territoire (Speech  by the Minister of State, Mini stry of Planning, Development 
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d'étape de mise en œuvre du document de stra tégie de réduction de la pauvreté au 31 décembre 2005  
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docman&task=doc_downloa d&gid=2&Itemid=46. 
 
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Agenda 2007 de la Commission technique  de privatisation et de liquidations  (2007 Agenda of the 
Technical Commission for Privati zation and Liquidation), Yaoundé. 
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énergie, Termes de référence  (Preparation of the development st rategy for the water and energy 
sector, Terms of reference), March, Yaoundé.  
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 Cameroon WT/TPR/S/187 
 Page 115 
 
 
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en vente au Cameroun  (Malaria: fake drugs on sale in Cameroon), 3 May.  Consulted at:  
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interactions entre les politiques macroéc onomiques et le développement agricole  (Analysis of the 
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(1999-2004) (Activity report for the first stage of the CEMAC economic integration process 
(1999-2004)).  Consulted at:  http://www.ce mac.cf/cemacweb/Rapports/BilanQuinquen.doc. 
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at:  http://www.sgs.com/cameroon_data_sheet.pdf.  
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au Cameroun (National business survey 2006 on corruption in Cameroon), February.  Consulted at:  
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l%20cretes_EntreprisesFINAL.pdf.