On the morning of February 27, Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), led a CIETAC delegation to visit the Cameroon Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Crafts (hereinafter referred to as the "CCIMA") in order to strengthen the communication and cooperation in dispute resolution between the business communities of China and Cameroon and to promote the healthy development of China-African  economic and trade cooperation. The delegation engaged in discussions with business leaders and arbitration experts, including Christophe EKEN, President of the CCIMA; ABUNAW Gilbert, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the CCIMA and Barrister; Anne Audrey EKONGOLO, Chair of the Technical Committee of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the CCIMA; Gaston KENFACK DOUAJNI, President of the Association for the Promotion of Arbitration in Africa; SHOLA Oshodi-John, CEO of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators; and Charles AKOH, Head of Concierge at the CCIMA, etc.

(Scene of the Symposium)

Secretary-General Wang Chengjie expressed gratitude to the CCIMA for its strong support of the inaugural "China-Africa Arbitration Day". He noted that as China-African economic and trade cooperation continues to deepen, the number and complexity of commercial disputes have also been increasing. CIETAC has consistently placed high importance on providing diversified dispute resolution services for Chinese and African parties. To this end, CIETAC has established communication platforms such as the "China-MENA Arbitration Summit" and "China-Africa Arbitration Day" to promote collaboration between the arbitration communities and business sectors of China and Africa.

President Christophe EKEN highly appreciated CIETAC’s significant role in serving enterprises and advancing China-African economic, trade, and legal development. He provided a brief overview of the CCIMA’s history, development, and services to enterprises, particularly its efforts in fostering collaboration between Chinese and African businesses. He hopes that CIETAC would play an even greater role in promoting China-African dispute resolution and economic development, offering a more robust platform for resolving disputes and supporting the operation and growth of enterprises in Cameroon and across Africa.

(Secretary-General Wang Chengjie in Discussion with President Christophe EKEN)

Subsequently, participants engaged in lively discussions on practical needs related to resolving disputes between Chinese and African enterprises. Topics included enhancing the capability to resolve China-African trade disputes, increasing the participation of African arbitrators, and promoting Africa’s involvement in international arbitration governance.

The two sides reached broad consensus on strengthening cooperation. Attendees expressed their willingness to participate in the 

Brad Wang, Deputy Secretary-General of the CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Center, and Li Xuefei from the CIETAC Business Development Department accompanied and attended the meeting.