The Entrepreneur - Cameroon's Premier Economic & Business Journal

Cameroonian invents Coffee pulping Machine

By Bright Lokenge

A Cameroonian born technologist, Piam Fokam has invented a coffee pulping machine. The coffee pulping machine has the capacity to pulp 30 tons of coffee daily. It was presented to the public at the Chamber of Agriculture in Yaounde, December 28, 2009. The invention and a series of other agricultural machines are expected to revolutionise the rural setting in Cameroon. Cameroon is aiming to double its coffee production in the next few years. At its peak during the 1960s, According to Michael Ndoping, general manager of the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, Cameroon produced 120,000 tonnes of coffee each year but that level has fallen to around 40,000 tonnes today. “ By 2013, we want it to be at 80,000 tonnes" (Read Coffee News). Mr Fokam's invention is therefore timely in contributing to Cameroon's new vision for the coffee sub-sector. Most of Cameroon’s coffee is grown by small landowners on plots of two to 10 hectares, and nearly all of it is grown in mixed-cropped farms. Its unique profile comes from the rich volcanic soil as well as from the benefits of growing in a diversified crop environment. More about Cameroon Coffee . © The Entrepreneur Newspaper 2010. All Rights Reserved . Follow The Entrepreneur News on Twitter. See Our Events in Face Book.

Drame: Le marché central de Douala dévoré par un incendie

L’impressionnant déploiement mobilisé pour y faire face s’est avéré très impuissante, et l’on estime les dégâts matériels à plusieurs milliards de Francs CFA.

Par Pierre Alexis Kaptchouang

C’est la veille de Noël ; et comme d’habitude, c’est déjà l’effervescence dans les marché où commerçants et acheteurs se battent chacun pour tirer son épingle du jeu. Mais hélas, cette effervescence s’est subitement convertie en scandale malheureux hier pour les milliers de commerçants qui ne savent déjà plus à quels saints se vouer. En effet, jusqu’ici, il est difficile de dire avec exactitude l’origine d’un incendie qui s’est déclaré hier au marché central de Douala, et a consumé plus de 4 blocs de l’est du marché.   Selon des sources concordantes, c’est aux environs de 14hrs ce mardi 15 décembre que les premières que les premiers cris de détresse se sont faits entendre dans les grands bâtiments de ce marché réservé aux vêtements et aux chaussures prêt-à-porter.

Cameroon's Minister of Higher Education Launches Entrance into School of Translation

The Minister of Higher Education has launched entrance examinations for the selection of 20 pupil interpreters and 70 translators into the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters of the University of Buea , to read for an MA in Interpretation and an MA in Translation. The entrance examination will be written on 3 and 4 September 2009 in Buea only.

Cameroon Economic Outlook, 2008 - 2010

Cameroon's Real Economic Growth accelerated to 4.1 per cent in 2008, up from 3.4 per cent in 2007, thanks to good results in the oil sector, ongoing infrastructure work, increased energy supply and programmes to boost agriculture, livestock and fisheries. It is expected to slow to 3.1 per cent in 2009 due to the global recession pushing down prices and demand for the country’s main commodities exports (chiefly oil, wood, cotton and rubber) and to electricity supply problems resulting from severe drought, but should pick up again in 2010 to reach 3.4 per cent. In view of the economy’s extreme – and growth-compromising – dependence on oil, a major challenge facing the government in 2009 is to increase revenue from the non-oil sector...MORE

Philemon Yang is Cameroon's New Prime Minister

By Ben Nakomo

The President of the Republic of Cameroon has appointed a new cabinet. The Cabinet comprises of recycled older members of previous ministerial appointments. The appointments provide an indication that the President is already strategising for the 2011 presidential race or succession. Having dropped a seasoned economist Chief Ephraim Inoni as Prime Minister, the President is seen playing chess as he appoints Mr Philemon Yang to pacify the more vocal rulling CPDM party officials and boisterous opposition politicians, all from the northwest region, from where the new Prime Minister hails.

Nine Cameroonian 'Bushfallers' Arrested for Fraud

A group of nine Cameroonians have been arrested for cheating a Chinese woman out of more than 267,000 yuan (US$39,265) in a "black money scam," Shenzhen police said yesterday. The nine people persuaded the woman, surnamed He from Fuzhou, Fujiang Province, into paying more than 267,000 yuan to purchase a "magic" chemical fluid that would restore US$5 million in bank notes that had been dyed black so they could be smuggled into China, police said.

Sept morts dans une attaque de coupeurs de route

par Pierre-Alexis Kaptchouang

Le convoi des commerçants a été attaqué dans le village Belel Dibbi, alors qu’ils se rendaient dans un marché de la localité.La région de l’Adamaoua était récemment sous le choc du drame qui s’est produit lundi dernier autour de 10hrs sur l’axe Ngaoundéré – Meïnganga. La scène était plus qu’effroyable. Un convoi de dix voitures de commerçants se rendant au marché de Kognoli, une petite localité située entre Ngaoundéré et Meïnganga, et connu pour son marché de bétail florissant, est tombé dans une embuscade tendue par les coupeurs de route, alors qu’elle était sous escorte des éléments du bataillon léger d’intervention (BIR).

Cameroon's Fibre Optic Cable to Revolutionize Communication

By Ernest Molua

Following discussions at a Cabinet meeting on December 28, 2009, members of government were briefed on the progress of installing fibre optic cables. Some business managers have welcome the initiative, and hope the ongoing work will be completed soon. Fibre optic cables will enhance business communication in Cameroon and reduce transaction costs, Apart from applications in the field of telecommunications, fibre optic technology is of great importance in the industrial market sector which Cameroon is building. While it brings high transmission capacity, low cable attenuation and No crosstalk for basic telecommunications, these features are also required for Cameroon's industrial sector given its attractions of zero susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, electrical insulation between transmitter and receiver and Small cable diameter. This project is expected to provide great services for international telecommunications traffic, especially the internet. It will also provide alternative lines for international telecom network, as well as upgradable transmission facilities in support of internet, e-Commerce, video, data and voice for the Cameroon landscape. Some observers hope it will increase Cameroon's economic potential as business hot-spot and hub in the Central African subregion.  Download Press Release © The Entrepreneur Newspaper 2009. All Rights Reserved

Health amid a financial crisis: a complex diagnosis

WHO Bulletin

The global financial crisis could have profound implications for the health spending plans of national governments. Unless countries have safety nets in place, the poor and vulnerable will be the first to suffer. Jane Parry and Gary Humphreys report. Dr Suwit Wibulpolprasert, senior adviser on disease control at Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, remembers the last time the wheels came off the global economy. “There was less travel and purchase of cars and motorcycles. Sales of alcohol – as well as tobacco – were reduced. These factors resulted in fewer deaths and injuries in road accidents,” he says.

"...the impact of the financial crisis on our economy could be limited in the short term...."President Paul Biya of Cameroon

Fellow Cameroonians,

My dear compatriots,

At the beginning of the year now drawing to an end, we had every reason to believe that the time was ripe for us to devote our efforts to the attainment of our set objectives, namely the consolidation of our democratic institutions and the revival of our economic growth. In fact, the legislative and municipal elections had resulted in large and homogeneous majorities and furthermore, our economic recovery prospects were encouraging.