Cameroon has placed its return to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) among its priorities for an economic dialogue with the United States scheduled for August 27 in Yaounde. The government is also seeking US cooperation on a standards and quality laboratory and a planned commodity exchange.

Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana presented the priorities during talks on August 10 with John G. Robinson, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Yaounde.

The meeting was held in preparation for the bilateral economic dialogue initiated by Washington. According to Cameroon’s Ministry of Trade, the US side sought to identify Cameroon’s trade priorities and expectations ahead of the talks.

Robinson said the dialogue will focus on three areas: the business climate, trade opportunities and investment opportunities. Mining, technology and fintech are among the sectors expected to feature in the discussions, while the two countries are also seeking greater private-sector participation in bilateral economic relations.

For Cameroon, one of the main issues is its return to AGOA. Cameroon lost its eligibility for the US trade preference program on January 1, 2020. The US government said at the time that the decision followed an eligibility review and was based on the human rights criteria contained in the AGOA legislation. The Office of the United States Trade Representative currently lists Cameroon as ineligible.

Mbarga Atangana told the US delegation that Cameroon wants the issue addressed as part of the bilateral economic discussions.

The government is also seeking technical assistance alongside any return to the program, particularly to support financing for domestic production, local processing and exports.

“We want to return to AGOA, but we want AGOA with technical assistance focused on financing production and the local processing of our products for export,” Mbarga Atangana said.

AGOA grants eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US market for more than 1,800 products, in addition to more than 5,000 products covered by the US Generalized System of Preferences, according to USTR.

The program was reauthorized by the United States in February 2026 through December 31, 2026, with retroactive effect to September 30, 2025.

Goods trade between Cameroon and the United States reached $457.1 million in 2025, according to USTR. US exports to Cameroon stood at $169.3 million, while imports from Cameroon reached $287.7 million, leaving the United States with a goods trade deficit of $118.4 million.

Standards laboratory among projects presented to US

Beyond AGOA, Cameroon is seeking US cooperation on infrastructure intended to support trade and exports.

The Ministry of Trade has presented a project to construct a standards and quality laboratory. The proposed facility is expected to strengthen national capacity for product control, certification and conformity with international standards.

The government plans to use the facility to support local businesses seeking to meet requirements in export markets. Cameroon has also presented its planned commodity exchange to the US side.

The Ministry of Trade has completed a feasibility study for the project and is seeking partners for its implementation.

Under the government’s plans, the exchange would connect supply and demand and give producers access to information on prices, market movements and demand. It is also intended to improve transparency in commodity transactions.

Artificial intelligence is another area Cameroon has proposed for cooperation. Technology and fintech have also been identified by the US side among the sectors to be examined during the August 27 dialogue.

The talks are expected to cover business climate reforms, trade and investment opportunities, with AGOA eligibility, technical assistance for production and processing, standards infrastructure and the proposed commodity exchange among Cameroon’s priorities.

Source: Business in Cameroon