Since the 90s, the private sector became the muscle of the Cameroonian economy. In a view to reinforce it, several 1 measures were taken, notably the adoption of a new investment code and the implementation of a vast programme for the privatisation of public companies.
Since then every physical or foreign corporate body no matter his place of residence can carry out economic activities in the country. It can, individually or in association with others exercise this activity, either under common law or on one of the special regimes instituted by laws and regulations in force. In any case, it benefits from the full protection of Cameroonian law.
To this effect, it receives an equal treatment as that of Cameroonian physical or corporate bodies, in the respect of legal and regulatory provisions concerning the companies of strangers as well as provision of treaties and agreements arranged between Cameroon and their respective countries.
It also enjoys, in the respect of laws and regulations in force, rights of ail nature concerning property, concession, and administrative authorisation.
No expropriation, nationalisation or requisition of a regularly established company or its goods can take place without the State having hired prior to that, the procedure of declaration of public utility, justifying it and without prior compensation, just and equitable, based on an adequate evaluation of the company or its goods, object to such an act by an independent third party.
ln the same light, every physical or corporate body regularly established in Cameroon can, in respect with laws and regulations in force, conclude and execute every contract it judges useful for its interests, notably on financial and commercial issues, determine its production, distribution and trading policy and, in a general manner, accomplish every act of management conform to rules of business practice in Cameroon.
To exercise an economic activity, it enjoys the freedom of hiring and firing which is done in respect with social legislation and work in force.
The State guarantees every investor, physical or corporate body regularly established, to its partners and leaders, to its foreign staff holder of a duly signed employment contract, as well their legal families, entry, stay and free circulation and exit from the national territory.
It thereby issues every necessary administrative document to them. It also guarantees every physical or corporate body non resident in Cameroon the right to freely transfer revenue of ail kind form invested capital, and in case of cession of activities, the liquidation product or cession of investment, while waiting that it should be in order with tax administration.
It also guarantees, in respecting the laws and regulations governing banking and exchange operations, the freedom to transfer out of the national territory, funds corresponding to normal and current payments for supplies and effective services, notably in the form of rights or other remunerations.
Every authorised investment benefits from the guarantee of non commercial risks on conditions of article 15 of the treaty to institute the multilateral agency for investment guarantee, ratified by Cameroon.