Cameroon and French Development Agency Strengthen SME Partnership
On July 16, 2026, in Yaoundé, Cameroon's Minister of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy, and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA), Achille Bassilekin III, met with officials from the French Development Agency (AFD) to solidify their ongoing partnership. The meeting marked a new phase in the collaboration between MINPMEESA and AFD, focusing on continued support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), crafts, and the social economy. During the audience, the outgoing AFD Country Director for Cameroon, Virginie Dago, who concluded four years of cooperation, presented her successor, Jérôme Notebaert, whose tenure begins at the end of August. Discussions reviewed past joint projects such as TRANSFAGRI, SEPTENTRIONES, and SECAL, and outlined future collaborative efforts. Both entities aim to enhance their support for SMEs, cooperatives, artisans, and social economy stakeholders. Key priorities include developing the wood sector through PAD-Bois, improving rural SME access to finance, modernizing processing equipment, and establishing a joint monitoring and evaluation system to assess program impact on business competitiveness. This renewed commitment underscores the desire of both institutions to foster a lasting cooperation aimed at local transformation, job creation, and strengthening Cameroon's entrepreneurial landscape.
This collaboration between Cameroon's MINPMEESA and the French Development Agency (AFD) exemplifies a common development finance model aimed at bolstering local economies through SME support. The focus on specific sectors like wood processing and rural finance, alongside modernization and impact measurement, suggests a strategic approach to address identified bottlenecks in Cameroon's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Looking ahead, the success of these initiatives will hinge on effective implementation, transparent governance of funds, and the ability of local SMEs to adapt to evolving market demands and technological advancements. The partnership's long-term viability will also depend on aligning funding priorities with Cameroon's broader national development goals and ensuring that economic growth translates into sustainable job creation and equitable wealth distribution.
AI-generated to prompt reflection — not editorial opinion, not advice, not a statement of fact. How this works.