Central Africa - Promote 2022 international trade fair in Central Africa fills up with Italian companies

On 19 February 2022, the day dedicated to Italy at the Promote exhibition took place in a fantastic way.

This year, PROMOTE 2022 promoted the theme of 'l'industrialisation de l'Afrique, une clé de l'émergence du Continent'.

The Promote is an event that takes place every year in Cameroon (Central Africa). Promote is an economic fair dedicated to companies, SMEs and entrepreneurship.

This year was an excellent opportunity taken masterfully by the Italian Embassy to promote an economic forum within this important Central African event. The event was opened by the new Ambassador Scammacca del Murgo and the Minister of Economy, Planning and Land Management, Alamine OUsmane Mey.

Other important guests included:

• Director of the Investment Promotion Agency Marthe Angéline Minja

• The President of the Gigam Confederation of Entrepreneurs, Celestin Tawamba

• The President of the Council of United Municipalities and Cities of Cameroon

• The Mayor of Yaoundé, Augustin Tamba.

This year, thanks to the work of the Italian Embassy, more than thirty Italian companies were present in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, at this eighth edition of Promote, which was held on 21 February and ended on the 27th.

At the Casa Italia, the space that hosted the tricolour presence, several companies from various sectors, in particular construction and architecture, agribusiness, health and medical industry, mechanics, renewable energy, oil & gas, as well as a representation of associations from the Cameroonian diaspora in Italy, took turns.

The decor of the Krystal Hotel in Douala, first five-star hotel in the Cameroonian capital Douala, the renovation of the Hotel Franco and the almost complete construction of the Olembé Stadium are examples cited by the ambassador as 'very clear evidence of Italian quality and finesse'.

Italy, says Scammacca, "can be an ideal win-win partner for Cameroon".. The 'doing together' and the transfer of know-how are the elements that characterise Italian entrepreneurship worldwide; moreover, the Italian economy is also very much characterised by SMEs, "could be very useful for a Emerging country like Cameroonallowing an appropriate transfer of knowledge and technology'.

Another testimony of the positive link between Italy and Cameroondiaspora returned to Cameroon after studying in the our country in a very dynamic way and contributing to the nation's development.

Elisabetta Merlino, director of the Ita (Ice) office in Luanda (Angola), responsible for Cameroon, emphasises the importance of the Promote event for both Italian and Cameroonian companies and for the entire Central African Economic Community (Cemac) area. "The remarkable presence of Italian companies, despite the advent of the pandemic, demonstrates the great interest that the Cameroonian market represents for the Italian market"he emphasised in his message to the participants. The Ita agency, through the Luanda Ice officein the context of strengthening and enhancing Italian exports, Italian exports, organised the participation of over 30 Italian companies.