Dominating trade flows with the Gulf, Abu Dhabi establishes itself as a key partner, despite still modest financial transfers.
Over the last decade, the United Arab Emirates has risen to become Cameroon’s top trading partner in the Gulf, accounting for an average of 50.3% of export revenues to the region. Far behind, Kuwait (27%) and Saudi Arabia (18%) complete this strategic trio.
However, the trade structure remains poorly diversified. In 2023, wood dominated Cameroonian exports to the Emirates, representing 82% of volumes, before sharply dropping to 17% in 2024. Gold, which still accounted for 7% in 2023, almost completely disappears from flows the following year. These variations reflect a strong dependence on a few primary products and marked volatility in markets.
At the same time, remittances from Gulf countries remain limited. Between 2022 and 2025, they amount to about 11 billion FCFA per year. The United Arab Emirates account for nearly two-thirds of these transfers (63.8%), far ahead of Saudi Arabia (13.6%), according to the National Institute of Statistics.
This contrast between commercial weight and low financial flows highlights an still unbalanced partnership, driven more by raw material exchanges than by investments or diasporas.
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