The Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC) organised a workshop on Rules of Origin in Douala from 29 June to 2 July 2026. At the end of the four-day workshop, the expert trainers were received at CNSC's head office by its General Manager, Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda, for an assessment meeting also attended by Mrs. Claire Takouchop, CNSC Director for Shippers' Assistance.

Experts from the World Customs Organisation (WCO), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Customs Department (DGD) seized the opportunity to commend this initiative by the CNSC aimed at promoting international trade.

Impressed by the number of public administrations and SMEs in attendance, the experts commended the participants' level of mastery and their active engagement in the discussions. “This first training-of-trainers course has laid the foundations for future work, to be further enriched through more in-depth sessions,” emphasised Mr. Guillaume Gerout, expert working in the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa programme.

Owing to its rich repertoire, the CNSC was able to mobilise participants and coordinate the programme, acknowledged Dr Jacob Kotcho Bongwaha, Director of the ECCAS Common Market, with satisfaction. As for Mr David Umbatta, Sub Director of International Cooperation at the DGD, this workshop offered further insight into the preferential regimes provided for under free trade agreements.

Whilst advocating for debriefing sessions within the administrations that took part in the workshop, Mr Auguste Mbappe Penda warmly thanked the WCO, ECCAS and the DGD for their multifaceted support in ensuring the success of the workshop. The parties mutually agreed to organise two additional training sessions before the end of 2026.