The Minister of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Mr. Achille Bassilekin III, officially launched the national workshop on Import Substitution organised by the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC) in Yaoundé today, 2 April 2025.

The event, which brought together approximately 500 participants, most of whom were entrepreneurs and foreign trade actors from across the country, had as theme “Import substitution: a key factor for the structural transformation of Cameroon's economy and the CEMAC sub-region.”

“This national workshop seeks to build the capacities of local players and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to enable them take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the import-substitution policy advocated by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Biya”, declared CNSC's General Manager, Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda, in his keynote address.

The opening ceremony was immediately followed by a scoping lecture from Professor Henry Ngoa Tabi, an expert and university lecturer specialised in economic issues. Other experts from various public administrations and organisations involved in the advancement of the import-substitution agenda (MINEPIA, MINEPAT, MINADER, GECAM and CEMAC) contributed to the success of Day 1 of this national workshop holding in Yaoundé.