Administrative authorities and foreign trade actors of the North region massively showed up at the invitation of the CNSC on 17 May at the Shalom Hotel conference hall in Garoua.

The seminar themed "Mastering trade and customs clearance procedures at the northern borders" was officially launched by Mr. Ali Garga, representative of the Governor of the Northern Region. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the relevance of the seminar for the professionalisation of foreign trade actors and, consequently, the optimisation of cargo clearance procedures. 

Mrs. Asmahou ABDOU, Mayor of the City of Garoua, a strategic point along the Douala-Yaoundé-Ndjamena corridor, urged participants to pay keen attention to the proceedings of the seminar, anchoring on the fact that trade is one of the major factors in the development of every city. She also applauded all the initiatives already taken by the CNSC in Garoua, one of which is the imminent creation of a CNSC regional branch in the North.

The General Manager of the Cameroon National Shippers' Council was represented at the opening ceremony by CNSC's Director for Shippers' Assistance, Mrs. Claire Onana Takouchop. Speaking at the seminar, she presented, among other points, the importance of the AfCFTA for Cameroon and particularly for the northern part of the country which shares borders with neighbouring Nigeria, Chad and the Central African Republic.

The seminar featured experts from the Cameroon Customs, the General Delegation for National Security, the National Gendarmerie, the Group for Economic Operators of the North Region (GOPEN), and a freight forwarder.