On the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Yaoundé, the think tank The Okwelians has released a statement calling on African nations to strengthen their organization and coordination to increase their influence in global trade.
The statement, signed by researchers Dr. Faty Mandou and Thierry Roland Tabi, offers a critical analysis of Africa's position in global trade. The authors argue that Africa's weak standing at the WTO is due less to a lack of resources than to a lack of coordination and strategic preparation. "It is not in our genes or in our geography that the cause of our commercial marginalization lies. It is in our choices," they state.
The Okwelians propose courses of action, including protecting traditional knowledge within the framework of TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights), strengthening regional integration, and better involving the private sector in trade negotiations.
Cameroon, the host country and chair of this MC14, is at the heart of this dynamic. Although the statement is not official, it contributes to structuring the African debate at a crucial moment in the discussions, according to Pierre Thibault Bata, a researcher at The Okwelians' LaB'.
The statement emphasizes that "Africa does not have little power because it has few resources [...] it has little because it too often arrives unprepared, without coalition and without conviction." It remains to be seen whether this call from The Okwelians will translate into more coordinated African positions during the ongoing negotiations.
Founded in February 2020, The Okwelians is a think-do tank that promotes a culture of social innovation in Cameroon. Co-founded by business lawyer Jacques Jonathan Nyemb, it was recognized as one of the top 100 think tanks to watch in 2025 by the organization On Think Tank. The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference is taking place in Yaoundé from March 26 to 29, 2026.
