Locked Out of AGOA, Cameroon Seeks Alternative Access to the U.S. Market

Cameroon steps up efforts to help small and medium-sized businesses reach the U.S. market. That is the goal of the Export Readiness Program, launched on May 28, 2026, in Douala by Achille Bassilekin III, Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts.

Led by the American Liaison in Africa (ALA) platform, the initiative aims to help local businesses meet the compliance, operational, and competitiveness standards required to sell goods and services in the United States. Over two days, about 100 business operators are receiving training on key aspects of exporting, including business structuring, logistics, product standards, traceability, commercial partnerships, and legal protection. After Douala, the program is expected to expand to other cities across the country.

According to ALA founder Emilie Siewe, the program is designed to provide companies with the tools, compliance knowledge, and practical strategies needed to compete in international markets, with a particular focus on the United States. ALA believes the opportunity is real, but says success will require better awareness of trade opportunities and stronger preparation for the standards demanded by U.S. buyers and regulators.

The initiative comes as Cameroon remains outside the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the U.S. trade program that grants eligible sub-Saharan African countries preferential access to the American market. For Minister Bassilekin, the Export Readiness Program should help strengthen commercial ties between Yaoundé and Washington. The government hopes the initiative will produce a larger pool of export-ready Cameroonian businesses capable of entering the U.S. market. Officials are also counting on support from public and private sector partners to provide exporters with the information and resources they need.

The economic stakes are significant. Despite steady trade relations, commercial exchanges between Cameroon and the United States remain modest relative to the size of the American market. According to data from the Office of the United States Trade Representative, U.S. imports of goods from Cameroon reached $287.7 million in 2025, while U.S. exports to Cameroon totaled $169.3 million.

For Cameroonian businesses, access to a market of nearly 350 million consumers will depend on far more than identifying commercial opportunities. Companies must also meet strict requirements related to quality standards, documentation, traceability, certification, logistics, and international trade regulations.

The question now is whether the Export Readiness Program can evolve beyond a short-term training initiative and become a practical roadmap for exporters. To achieve lasting growth in exports to the United States, businesses will need support well beyond awareness campaigns, including certification assistance, access to financing, product adaptation, market prospecting, distribution agreements, and guidance through their first export transactions.

Frédéric Nonos