The Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, has paid an official visit to Cameroon, heading an Emirati delegation, as part of the UAE's continuous efforts to enhance bilateral relations with high-growth African economies. The two sides discussed a wide range of opportunities aimed at expanding the scope of economic ties between the two countries. Al Zeyoudi conveyed the greetings of the UAE's wise leadership to the Prime Minister of Cameroon, Joseph Dion Ngute, and wished Cameroon's leadership and people further prosperity, progress, and well-being. Al Zeyoudi and the Emirati delegation participated in the 'UAE-Cameroon Trade and Investment Day' activities and in meetings focused on exploring cooperation prospects across various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy, finance, and communications. The discussions during these bilateral meetings centered on the available opportunities to increase trade and investment flows between the two states and on mutually beneficial partnerships between the business communities that can accelerate economic growth. Al Zeyoudi expressed his optimism about the outcomes of the visit and meetings, stating that they show the huge growth prospects in the economic relations between the two countries, affirming that both sides can generate exceptional opportunities by leveraging their strengths and shared resources, and that the UAE is committed to remaining a trusted partner for sustainable development in Cameroon. The visit highlighted the rapidly growing economic ties between the UAE and Cameroon, where non-oil foreign trade witnessed a remarkable growth over the past few years, its value exceeding $1.24 billion in 2024, reflecting a 2% increase compared to the previous year and a significant jump of 116% compared to 2022. Furthermore, the value of non-oil trade continued its upward trajectory during the first nine months of 2025, rising to $1.14 billion, which represents a 25.4% year-on-year increase. The increased cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries paves the way for long-term partnerships that serve the interests of both parties, as the UAE invests in Cameroon's infrastructure, benefiting from its strategic role as a gateway to Central Africa. Non-oil trade between the UAE and African countries reached $112 billion in 2024, marking a substantial increase of 34% compared to the previous year. The UAE, as a leading global investor, has allocated over $110 billion to Africa since 2019, underscoring its commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships that drive sustainable growth.
