Türkiye and Cameroon explore economic opportunities at Istanbul roundtable

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat hosted Cameroonian Economy, Planning and Regional Development Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey at the Turkish Exporters Assembly headquarters in Istanbul on Tuesday for a bilateral business roundtable aimed at deepening economic ties between the two nations.

Strategic market potential

Bolat described Cameroon as a strategic gateway for investors from Türkiye seeking access to Central African markets, noting the country's membership in regional economic communities and its abundant natural resources. "We view Cameroon as a market that offers significant opportunities for the Turkish business community, thanks to its strategic geographic location, membership in regional economic communities, and rich natural and mineral resources," he said on social media platform NSosyal, adding that the roundtable brought together business leaders from both countries.

The minister outlined specific sectors where bilateral collaboration could expand in the coming months, pointing to infrastructure development and agricultural modernization as priority areas for joint ventures. "During our meeting, we listened to our business leaders' plans and discussed new cooperation areas, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, mining, food industry, and tourism," he added, emphasizing that Ankara and Yaoundé would maintain close coordination to facilitate deeper commercial engagement.

Bilateral cooperation framework

Bolat noted that both governments are committed to institutionalizing regular economic consultations to ensure sustained growth in trade volumes, with the private sector in Türkiye increasingly viewing West and Central Africa as vital export destinations. The Turkish Exporters Assembly has recently intensified its outreach to African markets through similar high-level business forums in several regional capitals.