Cameroon-France Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $1.50B total volume •Cameroon surplus: $375.90M

CameroonFrance

$937.07M

Exports (2023)

FranceCameroon

$561.17M

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$375.90M

Surplus for Cameroon

Total Trade

$1.50B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Cameroon and France. Green line shows exports from Cameroon, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Cameroon-France commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

CameroonFrance Exports

$937.07M
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Specialized Focus
Market Share:
62.1% top product
1Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas
$581.66M
62.1% of exports
2Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude
$149.25M
15.9% of exports
3Cocoa: butter, fat and oil
$54.19M
5.8% of exports
4Aluminium: unwrought, (not alloyed)
$33.96M
3.6% of exports
5Fruit, edible: bananas, other than plantains, fresh or dried
$31.48M
3.4% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

Cameroon's export portfolio to France demonstrates strategic specialization, with petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

FranceCameroon Imports

$561.17M
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Concentrated
Critical Imports:
15.3% concentration
1Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
$86.12M
15.3% of imports
2Cereals: wheat and meslin, other than durum wheat, other than seed
$47.46M
8.5% of imports
3Malt: not roasted
$33.81M
6.0% of imports
4Wine: still, in containers holding 2 litres or less
$17.45M
3.1% of imports
5Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10
$15.31M
2.7% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

Cameroon's import pattern from France reveals significant dependencyin medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

Cameroon demonstrates competitive strength in exportingpetroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas to France, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 5+ Categories
🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsstrongcomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Specialized Exchange
📈

Growth Potential

The $1.50B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Significant Partnership

Executive Summary: Cameroon-France Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $1.50 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Cameroon maintains a surplus of $375.90 million
  • Export Focus: Cameroon's primary exports include petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas, oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, cocoa: butter, fat and oil
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from France include medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale, cereals: wheat and meslin, other than durum wheat, other than seed, malt: not roasted

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationConcentrated
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $1.50B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Cameroon leveraging its comparative advantages in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Cameroon's specialization in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gascomplements France's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $1.50B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationMedium
Market DependencyModerate
🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $1.50B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $1.50 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Moderate
🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas and medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Specialized
⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

Cameroon's trade surplus of $375.90 million strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Export Advantage

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Cameroon and France represents a total trade volume of $1.50 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Cameroon, with exports exceeding importsby $375.90 million.

Export Strengths

Cameroon's exports to France total $937.07 million, with competitive advantages in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas, representing $581.66M or62.1% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from France amount to $561.17 million, highlighting economic interdependence in medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale, with Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale comprising15.3% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Cameroon's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Cameroon and France in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023