Cameroon, Great Britain negotiate
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has committed to negotiating new agreements with non-EU countries bound by a trade agreement, including Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). This is to avoid disrupting trade with its partners when it eventually leaves the European Union within the framework of Brexit. The UK has therefore started negotiations with the Government of Cameroon in order to conclude a bilateral EPA. To this end, a workshop held on 8 May 2019 to consider and validate a draft final report of a study on the commercial, economic and financial impact of a Cameroon-United Kingdom bilateral EPA. The workshop focused on talks between the negotiating group set up by Cameroon and Great Britain. The ultimate goal is to reach a free trade agreement that is beneficial to both parties. Such actions demonstrate the UK's desire to ensure continuity of trade with partners. These actions that aimed at preparing for Brexit include the signing of EPAs for continuity with three ACP regions, and the unilateral introduction of a generalised preference system that enables countries like Cameroon to enjoy preferential access to the UK market. In the last five years, the United Kingdom was the 11th largest export market in Cameroon with 2.1% of total exports and 18th among Cameroon's suppliers with 1.4% of total imports.
(Source: culled from Cameroon Tribune No.11842 April 2019)