Yaounde, the political capital of Cameroon, will host the 14th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference.
The decision was made at the close of the 13th Ministerial Conference in March 2024, when WTO Trade Ministers endorsed Cameroon’s candidacy. The bid was submitted by President Paul Biya and supported by the African Union.
During a Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Yaounde on October 30, 2025, the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, provided an update on the conference preparations. He announced that the Yaounde conference is scheduled to run from March 26 to 29, 2026.
The Minister remarked that Cameroon will become “the capital of the world” for the event, with an expected 4,000 delegates. These will include WTO trade ministers, ambassadors, senior WTO officials, representatives of international institutions and NGOs, journalists and observers.
Minister Atangana stated that as part of the preparations, the WTO Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, undertook a working visit to Cameroon from May 25 to 27. This visit culminated in the signing of a framework agreement outlining the obligations of the Cameroonian Government and the WTO Secretariat.
He outlined Cameroon’s commitments, which include: Easing visa procedures; Exempting from customs duties any equipment imported by the WTO for the conference; Ensuring accommodation for the WTO Secretariat and delegations from Least Developed Countries; Providing adequate hotel accommodation for all delegates at reasonable commercial rates.
Other Cameroonian commitments involve: Providing the event venue and all necessary amenities; Implementing visual communication on and off the event site; Configuring the site to suit the event’s scale; Establishing accreditation centres for participants, journalists, and NGOs; Arranging internal transport for participants; Supplying high-level ICT infrastructure at airports and hotels; Providing printing equipment; Ensuring the security and medical coverage of all participants.
The Ministry of Finance has already fulfilled the payment of a stipulated sum, which was due 90 days after the signing of the framework agreement.
Minister Atangana disclosed that an organising committee, comprising all relevant administrations, has been established. This committee holds daily online meetings with the WTO Secretariat to fine-tune conference-related issues.
Regarding the key element of delegate accommodation, the Minister confirmed that the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure (MINTOUL) is handling this. He noted that the renovation of the Mont-Fébé hotel, a prerequisite set by the WTO Secretariat, has seen little progress despite the event’s proximity. However, thanks to the interpersonal skills of the Minister of External Relations, an international firm, CAROSSEL Finance S.A., has offered to secure the necessary funds from the Emirates Investment Authority in the form of a donation for the renovation.
As a condition for this gesture, the United Arab Emirates will be made an official partner and granted privileged access to investments in the country, beginning with the hotel sector through the construction of six luxury hotel and residential projects. Minister Atangana said CAROSSEL Finance S.A. is expected to be formally mandated to raise the funds for the hotel renovation in the first phase, with a possibility of extending its mandate to other tasks in a second phase. He added that the matter has been referred to the hierarchy for final approval.
On security, he stated succinctly that during consultations, the Cameroonian side, represented by the General Delegation for National Security, has presented security arrangements for the guests to the satisfaction of the WTO security team. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is currently refurbishing the Yaoundé Conference Centre in preparation for the event.
The Minister reported that work on the Ministerial Conference logo is ongoing. Graphic designers from the WTO and Cameroon, represented by the Ministry of Arts and Culture (MINAC), reviewed logo proposals from both parties. “There was a convergence of views on the need to simplify the visual design and to incorporate the distinctive insignia of both parties, including the Reunification Monument,” he said. The final design is expected to be presented at the WTO General Council meeting on December 16, 2025, in Geneva.
Minister Atangana informed the Cabinet Meeting that subcommittees have been established to determine the event’s overall cost, with appointed leaders for each. The subcommittees are: Administration and Coordination (headed by the Ministry of Trade); Scientific/Negotiations (headed by DELECAM Geneva); Transport and Logistics; Health; Security; Accommodation/Catering; Reception/Protocol/Ceremonies; Digital/Communication; Culture and Leisure.
Background Information:
The WTO was established on January 1, 1995, as the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) under the Marrakesh Agreement. It is founded on principles such as raising living standards, achieving full employment, increasing production and trade, sustainable development, non-discrimination, and the promotion of fair competition.
Cameroon is a founding member of the WTO, having joined GATT on May 3, 1963. If the 1995 Marrakesh conference in Morocco—where the WTO was launched—is not counted, Cameroon will be the second African nation to host the Ministerial Conference, following Kenya in 2015.
By Nformi Sonde Kinsai