Cameroon leveraged the 2026 International Agricultural Show in Paris to highlight its agricultural wealth. From February 21st to March 1st, the country showcased its products and expertise at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles.
The Cameroonian delegation, led by experts from the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forests (CAPEF), included approximately ten exhibitors from the Institute for Agricultural Research and Development (IRAD), the National Council of Cameroonian Shippers (CNCC), and representatives from producer and processor associations. The Cameroonian stand, decorated with national colors, attracted numerous visitors. Key products included Penja pepper, wild nutmeg, wild laurel (Ojom), ginger, and squash oil. Purter, a company based in the Paris region, also presented its cocoa-derived products, sourced from its own plantations in Kribi.
In parallel with this agricultural showcase, Cameroon has intensified its trade cooperation with Italy and Saudi Arabia. On March 6, 2026, the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, met with S.E. Natalia Sanginiti, the new Italian Ambassador to Cameroon, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and the challenges of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), scheduled to take place in Yaoundé from March 26 to 29, 2026. Both parties emphasized the importance of WTO reform and the inclusion of the plurilateral Agreement on Investment Facilitation.
Previously, on March 4, 2026, the Minister also received S.E. Ibrahim Hamed Alghamedi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Cameroon. They discussed strengthening economic relations, noting that trade had reached US$103 million in 2024. The Saudi Ambassador invited Cameroon to participate in the 2030 Universal Exhibition in Riyadh.
Separately, on the occasion of International Women's Day, the CEO of Afriland First Bank, Célestin Guela Simo, reaffirmed his institution's commitment to the economic empowerment of women, a key lever for the development of Cameroon and Africa.
