France has officially expressed concerns regarding the handling of debts owed to French companies operating on behalf of the Cameroonian government. Nicolas Forissier, the French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, highlighted this issue as a sensitive point during his meeting with the Cameroonian Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze.
"We have an important issue, I said it, which needs to be resolved if we want to bring in other companies or have other partnerships, and that is the fact that, sometimes, there are payment delays," Forissier stated. This statement highlights a recurring difficulty for French companies operating in Cameroon: the late payment for services performed under public contracts. According to French authorities, these delays undermine investor confidence and make the business environment less transparent.
A Cameroonian Ministry of Public Works official acknowledged that the state owes several tens of billions of FCFA to a French company involved in urban and interurban road projects. These arrears fuel the concerns of economic operators, especially since investment needs remain significant. Beyond simply managing commercial debts, France views faster settlement of public claims as an essential lever to improve the business climate in Cameroon.
Nicolas Forissier advocated for strengthened technical cooperation with Yaoundé, particularly in accounting performance and administrative management, to reduce payment times. France has stated its readiness to offer its expertise to improve the attractiveness of the Cameroonian economy and encourage more French companies to invest in Cameroon.
In addition to payment delays, Paris has also highlighted other weaknesses in the Cameroonian investment environment, including uncertainties related to predictability, transparency, and clarity of regulations. France insists on the need for greater regulatory security in administrative management and corporate taxation, calling for a more stable and transparent business framework.
France remains a major economic partner for Cameroon, ranking as its sixth-largest trading partner. More than 200 French companies operate in Cameroon, employing over 20,000 people. In 2023, trade in goods between the two countries reached nearly 1,000 billion FCFA (approximately 1.5 billion euros), a 9% decrease compared to 2022, but a 57% increase compared to 2015.
The Cameroonian government owes approximately €274 million to French creditors, raising concerns in France about Cameroon's ability to meet its financial commitments. France seeks to maintain a strong economic relationship with Cameroon while achieving concrete improvements in payment times, administrative security, and regulatory visibility, conditions deemed essential to encourage French companies to invest more in Cameroon.
