The current situation and the diagnosis of trade facilitation in Cameroon can be approached from the following three angles:
– situation of trade facilitation;
– analysis of Cameroon’s trade facilitation performance;
– analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
SECTION 1- SITUATION OF TRADE FACILITATION
The assessment and diagnosis of trade facilitation also requires an analysis of Cameroon’s legal and institutional trade facilitation measures and a diagnostic analysis of Cameroon’s trade facilitation situation in relation to relevant international indices.
I-Legal Framework for Trade Facilitation in Cameroon
Cameroon has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 13 December 1995 (and has been a member of the GATT since 3 May 1968). It is also a member of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa. On 24 May 2016, Cameroon notified the WTO of the TFA Category A measures. Cameroon has ratified the main international legal instruments on trade facilitation, including:
– the UNCTAD Convention of 8 July 1965 on Trade of Landlocked States;
– the amended Convention to Facilitate International Maritime Traffic, known as the IMO FAL Convention (10 April 1997);
– the amended International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (03 February 2006);
– the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (30 November 2018).
At the regional and community level, Cameroon applies several instruments containing provisions related to trade facilitation. These include the following instruments:
– Regulation No. 09/00/CEMAC-067- CM-04 adopting the CEMAC Integrating and Priority Road Network;
– Regulation No. 07/10-UEAC-205-CM-21 adopting the Regulation on the Community Transit System and Single Security Mechanism;
– Regulation No.14/06-UEAC-160-CM-14 adopting the regional programme for the facilitation of transport and transit in the CEMAC region;
– the CEMAC Community Customs Code;
– the CEMAC Community Merchant Shipping Code;
– the CEMAC/DRC Inland Navigation Code;
– the Community Highway Code;
– the Convention on Multimodal Interstate Freight Transport.
Bilaterally, Cameroon has signed two Conventions with Chad and CAR, two neighbouring landlocked states whose goods transit through Cameroonian ports. These are respectively the Convention of 13 April 1999 on Road Transport and the Convention of 22 December 1999 on Inland Freight Transport.