Cameroon Mobilises Exporters for Duty-Free Access to China’s 1.4-Billion-Consumer Market

Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana and Chinese Ambassador Xu Yong held talks in Yaounde this week on the implementation of China’s new zero-tariff regime for African exports.

Cameroon is among the countries eligible for the scheme, which grants duty-free access to the Chinese market for all products originating from African states that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing. The policy took effect on May 1 and is accompanied by measures aimed at facilitating market access for exporters.

The initiative was at the centre of discussions during a meeting held on June 16, as both sides reviewed ways to ensure Cameroonian businesses can benefit from the new framework. According to Cameroon’s Ministry of Trade, the arrangement opens up opportunities across several strategic sectors, including cocoa, coffee, processed timber, cotton, fruits, spices, vegetable oils, dried cattle horns and handicraft products.

China has also introduced trade facilitation mechanisms known as “Green Corridors”, designed to speed up the entry of African products into the Chinese market through simplified customs procedures and adjustments to certain non-tariff requirements, particularly those linked to sanitary and phytosanitary controls.

Chinese Ambassador Xu Yong said Beijing wants Cameroon to benefit from the programme in the short term, noting that the initiative is intended to support production and exports across African economies while creating opportunities for producers, including smallholder farmers and organised producer groups. During the discussions, Cameroon was also highlighted as one of China’s key partners on the continent.

The meeting comes days after the Ministry of Trade launched a campaign to inform economic operators about the procedures required to access the Chinese market under the new arrangement. In a statement issued on June 12, the ministry called on businesses operating in the targeted sectors to contact either the ministry or the Economic and Commercial Service of the Chinese Embassy in Yaounde for guidance on registration with China’s customs platform.

Registration is a prerequisite for exporting under the framework. Authorities say measures have already been put in place to assist Cameroonian companies with the administrative procedures required by Chinese customs authorities.

During the meeting, Mbarga Atangana said the government had begun sensitising and mobilising businesses to ensure exporters are aware of the opportunity and able to complete the necessary formalities. He added that support mechanisms were being deployed to facilitate registration and compliance with Chinese market requirements.

According to information shared during the discussions, several African countries have already begun benefiting from the arrangement, including Benin through pineapple exports, Kenya through avocados and South Africa through apples.

Both sides concluded the meeting by pledging to strengthen cooperation and awareness efforts to ensure Cameroonian producers and exporters are able to take advantage of the duty-free access and trade facilitation measures now available under the scheme.

Mercy Fosoh