Events like the Cameroon international business trade fair that ended in Douala yesterday, are avenues for companies to display what government assistance has helped them achieve.
Government has remained steadfast in its drive to create an enabling environment for local companies and promote the 'Made in Cameroon' label, introducing new initiatives and innovations year in, year out. Besides facilitating procedures for the creation of enterprises through reduction of prior administrative authorisations and creation of an enterprise creation facilitation agency, the State is equally taking measures to ensure that once created, the enterprises' survival should be guaranteed.
The creation of institutions such as the Investment Promotion Agency, the Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises Bank, the Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises Promotion Agency, the National Competitiveness Committee and the Cameroon Business Forum among others, are well calculated moves by government to make business easy for local companies.
The ongoing payment of internal debts, an exercise which trims the debt by FCFA 32 billion, according to the Director General of Treasury, Financial and Monetary Cooperation, Moh Sylvester, is equally intended to buttress trust between government and small and medium-sized companies.
Last year, government equally held a meeting with SMEs to establish rules of engagement for sub-contracting, in order to smoothen the progress of their participation in giant projects being implemented across the country.
The concrete results of such initiatives often go unnoticed to the public and perhaps to other stakeholders in the business community. It is apparently for this reason that the Ministry of Trade organised the Cameroon International Business Trade Fair that ended in Douala yesterday.
The event offered 500 companies the opportunity to showcase what they have achieved with the multifaceted support government is offering local companies. Placed under the distinguished patronage of the Head of State, the two-week event was equally a platform for businessmen to, among other things, review their balance sheet, meet like-minded professionals, and build awareness on their companies and products. Expositions, from a broader perspective, help companies to know their competitors and suppliers leading to improved competitiveness.
