Cameroon-Brazil: Seeking to redress trade imbalance

Trade between Cameroon and Brazil has witnessed an imbalance on the side of Cameroon. From 2000-2015, Cameroon's import from Brazil totalled about FCFA 660 billion (1.2 billion USD) while Brazil's import from Cameroon was about FCFA 59.5 billion (108.3 million USD) within the same period.

Cameroon exported natural rubber, wood, charcoal, plywood and other things, while Brazil exported mostly aluminium, chemical products, machines, nuclear reactors, salt, papers, sugar and other basic products to Cameroon.

Trade exchanges rose between 2000 and 2010, with Brazil's export to Cameroon rising from 7 million to about FCFA 60.5 billion (110 million USD). Within that period, Cameroon's export to Brazil increased from FCFA 2.7 million (5,000 USD) to more than FCFA 35.2 billion (64 million USD).

In spite of the evolution, exchange between the two countries remains quantitatively weak and with a limited range of products.

Trade exchanges between the two countries have generally dropped since 2012. Volume of Cameroon's import from Brazil dropped to -21.20 per cent between 2013 and 2014, as well as from -19.31 per cent between 2014 and 2015.

The volume of Brazil's import from Cameroon also dropped from -34.67 per cent between 2013 and 2014, as well as from -56.39 per cent between 2014 and 2015.

In order to redress this imbalance, the two countries organised an Economic Exchange Day at the Akwa Palace May 31, to disseminate information and give directives on how to approach the private sectors of the two countries. While opening the event, Governor Samuel Ivaha Diboua of the Littoral Region underlined the yet huge growth potential for the country in the coming years.

Ambassador Nei Futuro Bitencourt of Brazil to Cameroon said the meeting was a follow up of a 2014 seminar in Cameroon between the two countries, whose main purpose was to strengthen bilateral cooperation, as well as open up new cooperation windows.

Cameroon is represented by the Investment Promotion Agency, the Chamber of Commerce business executives and companies.