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Country Commercial Guides for FY 2000: Cameroon Report prepared by U.S. Embassy Yaounde, released July 1999

CHAPTER IX:   BUSINESS TRAVEL

U.S. Business travelers are encouraged to obtain a copy of the "Key Officers Of Foreign Service Posts: Guide For Business Representatives" available for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402; Tel: (202) 512-1800; Fax: (202) 512-2250. Business Travelers to Cameroon seeking appointments with U.S. Embassy Yaounde officials should contact the Political/Economic/Commercial section in advance. The P/E/C section can be reached by telephone at: (237) 23-4014 or (237) 22-25-89; Fax: (237) 23-07-53.

A.   BUSINESS CUSTOMS

Although Cameroon has the largest private sector in French-speaking Central Africa, its business community does not have a fixed western pattern of behavior. Cameroonians appreciate an opportunity to "get to know" a potential partner before beginning concrete discussions. It is helpful in Cameroon to supplement written communications with as many face-to-face encounters as possible. Adherence to western standards of punctuality is not the norm; patience and persistence are needed to do business in Cameroon. Mitigation of culture and language barriers may be addressed by a visit to the American Business Services Centers of the Embassy.

B.   TRAVEL ADVISORY AND VISA

Visas and return tickets are required for entry into Cameroon. Visas can be obtained from the Cameroonian Embassy in the U.S. (2349 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, tel. 202-265-8790) and in France (17 bis, rue Longchamps, Paris 75016). Visitors who arrive without a visa may be required to leave the country on the next available flight, particularly if they are coming from a country where there is a Cameroonian Embassy. For passengers arriving from countries without Cameroonian diplomatic representation, airport visas are usually available.

Americans considering travel to Cameroon are urged to consult the Department of State's latest Consular Information Sheet (CIS) for Cameroon. The CIS, which is updated periodically, may be obtained by calling the State Department's Citizen's Emergency Center at (202) 647-5225 or (202) 647-0900. American citizens residing in Cameroon are urged to register with the Consular Section of the American Embassy in Yaounde.

C.   HOLIDAYS

The following Cameroonian national holidays are scheduled on fixed calendar days: January 1 (New Year's Day), February 11 (Youth Day), May 1 (Labor Day), May 20 (National Day) and December 25 (Christmas Day). Cameroon's Christian holidays fall on different dates of the year and include Good Friday, Ascension Day and Assumption Day. Muslim holidays falling on unspecified calendar days include Ramadam and Tabaski. Holidays falling on Sundays are observed on Mondays. When a working day intervenes between two recognized holidays, the working day is almost always declared a public holiday. Sunday is the only week day considered officially as a non-working day.

D.   WORK WEEK

The Cameroonian work week is generally Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm; half hour break between 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm. The Cameroonian workweek does not include Saturdays even though businesses are open that day. Government offices are officially open from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm without interruption. Businesses generally are open from 8 am to 6 pm with a brief closing for lunch.

E.   BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE

Good roads connect Cameroon's southern cities. Its main business centers, Yaounde and Douala, are easily accessible from Bamenda (North West Province) and Bafoussam (West Province) and from Cameroon's two main seaside towns of Kribi and Limbe. A paved 510-kilometer road links the three major northern cities of Ngaoundere, Garoua and Maroua to each other, but they are cut off from the southern cities by long stretches of unpaved road. Regular bus service is available between Yaounde, Douala, Limbe, Bafoussam and Bamenda, but comfort is often minimal. As accidents are frequent, bus travel, especially at night, should be avoided when possible. Car rental is available in Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere and Garoua. Visitors to most of the country's towns and cities can also hire taxicabs.

Cameroon's railway and airline service links the southern and northern zones at a northern terminal in Ngaoundere. Railway service between Douala and Yaounde has deteriorated, as delays and derailments are common. Cameroon National Railways Authority (REGIFERCAM) was privatized and in early 1999, and CAMRAIL took over amidst hope that the service will improve in the coming years. Air flights are available, if unreliable, between Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, Garoua and Maroua. There are two carriers for in-country service, Cameroon Airlines (CAMAIR), the national carrier, and Air Affaires Afrique (AAA), a charter carrier with plans to become scheduled. The open skies initiative has raised hopes of increased competition in the air service. Already two companies have been granted licenses to operate. There are sometimes delays, cancellations and overbooking of CAMAIR flights. Passengers should arrive at the airport early to improve their chances of receiving a boarding pass. Cameroon imposes an airport departure tax of 10,000 CFA francs (USD 16.67) for international flights and 500 CFA francs for domestic legs.

French is the dominant business language in Cameroon although approximately 20 percent of the population and much of the business community speak English, Cameroon's other official language. English can also be used in the two English-speaking provinces and the larger cities. Pidgin is a local lingua franca in half of the provinces of Cameroon. The staffs of major hotels and restaurants are usually bilingual. Several hotels of international standing operate in Douala and Yaounde.

There are many restaurants in Douala and Yaounde that serve a variety of cuisine including Cameroonian, French, Chinese, Italian, Lebanese, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Indian and Japanese. Special precaution should be taken by American visitors to drink only bottled or boiled (and filtered) water in restaurants and hotels. A number of European and American credit cards are accepted in many restaurants and hotels in Douala and Yaounde, but generally cash is required. To the Embassy knowledge, there are no accommodations in Cameroon likely to assist a traveler in getting cash upon presentation of a credit card.

All visitors entering Cameroon are required to present evidence of a yellow fever vaccination received within the last ten years on a valid World Health Organization (WHO) international health immunization certificate. The certificate must be presented upon arrival and departure from Cameroon. Medical evacuation insurance is recommended for all travelers visiting Cameroon. Vaccinations against tetanus, typhoid, polio, meningitis, and hepatitis A and B are recommended. Cameroon has chloroquine- and fansidar-resistant malaria. Americans are urged to take appropriate malaria prophylactic medication and to use insect repellents.

Cameroon and the United States have a direct telephone link via satellite. The country code for Cameroon is (237). All telephone numbers have six digits, and there are no city or area codes. Cameroon has fax and telex services, and it was the first country in Central Africa to launch a cellular phone service in 1993. Internet service was established in Cameroon in 1997, and there are now even Internet coffee houses connected in Douala and Yaounde, as listed in Chapter XI.

Many streets in Cameroon do not have names or numbered addresses. Consequently, most businesses, hotels, restaurants, government offices and individuals do not have street addresses. Mail is generally sent to a "boite postale" (B.P.) or post office box (P.O. Box). International Organizations and renowned private businesses often use express mail services (including Federal Express and DHL Worldwide Express representative), despite the greater cost.

Villas and houses are available for rent in most towns in Cameroon. Apartments are available for rent in Douala and Yaounde. Rates have dropped considerably since 1992 but are trending upward, particularly in the two main cities. While real estate brokers (or "agent immobilier") may help in securing housing for American visitors, a good local contact may be more useful. Many newly arrived U.S. businesspersons establish temporary housing and office space at one of the well-known hotels.

F.   TEMPORARY ENTRY OF GOODS

Temporary entry of goods is allowed, provided the traveler can justified that it is a personal effect. In this case, no custom duty would be accessed on the item. The only exception is with the temporary import of a motor vehicle, which follows a pre-establish set of procedures. In reality, it is difficult to show that a personal vehicle is a personal effect.