
Under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) umbrella, the Minister of Commerce of Cameroon, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, played a pivotal role in the initial shipment of aluminium ingots at the Douala port. This significant event, which saw the historic consignment of a modest quantity (approx. 100 tonnes) of aluminium ingots packed into containers, is a testament to the government's support and Cameroon's growing export capabilities in the aluminium industry.

Produced by the Cameroon Aluminium Company (Alucam), the ingots are en route to Alfilect, an Algerian firm specialising in electrical cable production. This pivotal export not only underscores Cameroon's growing influence in the aluminium sector but also highlights the potential of AfCFTA to bolster intra-African trade.
Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana said, "This is the culmination of negotiations that began in Egypt in November 2023 at the Intra-African Trade Fair between the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNCC), which hosts the ad-hoc subcommittee responsible for monitoring and operationalising the guided trade of the unified African market in Cameroon, and Alfilect."
"The government official noted that this marks the first containerized export of Cameroonian goods to Algeria under this new regime, aimed at strengthening trade between the two countries."
Despite the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA, intra-African trade volume accounts for only 17 per cent of a market with an estimated 1.3 billion consumers. According to a 2023 report by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Cameroon's foreign trade, CFA358.6 billion (12.7 per cent) of Cameroon's total export revenue of CFA2,988.6 billion came from African trade partners. To encourage local economic operators to increase intra-African trade, the CNCC ensures that Cameroonian shippers capitalise on this preferential regime, eventually enabling them to trade across the continent without paying customs duties on 90 per cent of exchanges.
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