During the ordinary general assembly of Gecam on 23 June 2026 in Douala, Célestin Tawamba addressed the obstacles to investment in a country like Cameroon.
At the Gecam ordinary general assembly, Célestin Tawamba, president of the employers’ organisation, took a broad look at the current dire state of the economy. “In a world where economies compete fiercely to attract capital, talent, and technology, the quality of governance has become a major factor of competitiveness,” the business leader explained.
According to him, investors look at infrastructure. “They look at energy supply and its cost. They look at taxation. But above all, they look at a country’s ability to decide, to execute, and to honour its commitments. Investments go to a country that decides, not to one that waits. It is on this ground that a large part of Cameroon’s economic future will be played out. And it is on this ground that Gecam will continue to make its contribution with responsibility, independence, and patriotism,” he continued.
For him, the question is no longer about what needs to be done. “The real question now is: How can we move faster? How can we do better? And especially, how can we achieve measurable results? The time for diagnosis must gradually give way to the time for execution. The time for intentions must give way to the time for achievements, and the time for promises must become the time for results,” added the Gecam president.
He also argued that Cameroon is currently experiencing a unique situation characterised by a form of wait-and-see attitude that ultimately affects the entire economic life. “Structural decisions are rare. Arbitrations take time. Projects, when they exist, move more slowly than they should. Administrations often favour caution over initiative, and business operators operate in an environment where visibility becomes more difficult every day. This situation has consequences both on investor confidence and on the morale of business leaders,” he concluded.
