In keeping with its primary objective to promote trade with the private sector in the United States, The AmCham in conjunction with the US Embassy Yaoundé welcomed the Illinois Trade Mission to Cameroon. Sam Ntum, a native of Cameroon and Trade Specialist for the Department of Commerce Illinois and Office of Economic Development, lead a 10 company delegation to West Africa. They first stopped in Nigeria before making their way to Cameroon.
Members of the Board of Directors and Secretary organized a meet and greet cocktail March 17th to kick off the event which turned out to be an agreeable surprise according to Ntum who had not expected the ceremonial welcome. As the evening progressed members of the trade mission expressed their eagerness to meet with AmCham members the following day to commence what hopefully would turn out to be a long and solid friendship between enterprises.
The two day event continued at the Embassy Branch Office residence. President Philip Horchler welcomed the delegation and emphasized that all present take advantage of this unique networking platform as opportunities abound with AmCham. Next, Lisa Peterson, Deputy Chief of Mission encouraged AmCham and the Commercial Section for collaborating on this event intended to stimulate trade between the two entities. Petersen also reminded AmCham of the Embassy’s assistance in furthering trade relations.
Keynote speaker, Sam Ntum shared Illinois’s trade statistics and the potential it represents for local companies seeking entry into the US market.
Delegate companies represented manufactures of medical, dredging, and construction equipment, CAT and MACK trucks and EX-IM financing. At the end of the presentations, attendees were treated to champagne and Middle Eastern cuisine to celebrate the new alliances between Cameroonian, American and foreign entities who shared a common interest.
by Charmian Penda