From October 19 to 22, the German-Cameroonian Business Forum took place in Yaounde, Edéa and Duala. The forum was met with high interest as seven Cameroonian ministers welcomed the largest German business delegation to the African nation to date.

"Africa has become safer and those who still neglect the continent will miss great opportunities," Reinhard Buchholz, German Ambassador to Cameroon told Daily Cameroon Tribune during the forum.

Enlarge image Alamine Ousmane Mey, DG of Afriland First Bank and Philipp Kreutz, CEO of DEG (© CAA-Cameroon) The delegation arrived and immediately travelled from Yaounde to Edéa to visit ALUCAM's aluminium melt were German company Siemens is involved in an extension.

Running concurrently with the Edéa visit, the Goethe Institut and the German Technical Cooperation (gtz) introduced themselves to the public in Duala. At the information stands the organisations mounted, Cameroonians could receive information on study opportunities in Germany.

On October 21 and 22, the actual Business Forum took place in Duala. Cameroonian Minister for Industry, Mining and technological Development, Badel Ndanga Ndinga officially opened the two-day event.

The main activities of the forum were:

• Panel discussions on “How to increase German investment in Cameroon”
• Exchange of experiences between Cameroonian and German businesses
• Working groups to address the topics: the role of Cameroonian diaspora for investment opportunities, mutual expectations between Germany and Cameroon, funding opportunities of projects

The numerous participants from Cameroon showed great interest in strengthening economical ties between the two countries.

"I foresee a dynamic and sustainable economic partnership between Cameroon and Germany; there is a strong signal that the Germans are interested in planting indelible economic ties here. I am convinced the outcome will pay off, judging from the historical links between the two nations, the peace that reigns in Cameroon and the fact that the country is located at the heart of Africa”, Patrick Reuter, leader of the German business delegation, said.

On the final day the German Investment and Development Bank (DEG) and the Afriland First Bank signed an agreement for a 10 million Euro loan.

Based on participants' high interest, organisers plan to hold the meeting annually, alternating locations between Cameroon and Germany.