ECA Subregional Office for Central Africa and the CEMAC Commission are among the instigators of the Douala Consensus adopted on September 29, 2017 in Douala, Cameroon at the close of the 33rd session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (CIE) of Central Africa under the theme: "Made in Central Africa: from vicious circle to virtuous circle". 

The Douala consensus was in response to the call by CEMAC heads of state at the November 2017 extraordinary summit in Yaoundé.

In line with its recommendations, ECASROCA has supported CEMAC in setting up the Master Plan for Industrialization and Economic Diversification in Central Africa (PDIDE AC). It provides a reference framework for the industrial development of the sub-region's economies through upmarket regional value chains and new-generation special economic zones.

To take full advantage of the AfCFTA, CEMAC countries have set up national implementation strategies, with the support of ECASROCA. However, almost a year after the start of the operational phase of the AfCFTA, CEMAC's participation in terms of exports is the lowest.

It is against this backdrop that CEMAC and ECASROCA have agreed to hold a retreat in Malabo on July 1-4, 2024 to identify areas of cooperation critical to the implementation of the PDIDE AC and the AfCFTA Regional Strategy. In connection with these issues, the development of SEZs and the challenges of quality infrastructure will feature prominently in the exchanges between the two institutions. The retreat will be preceded by a series of technical consultations aimed at identifying the expectations of the CEMAC Commission's top management and departments.

The overall aim of the Retreat is to strengthen the foundations of a framework for partnership and multi-faceted collaboration between the ECASROCA, CEMAC and their member countries, in order to contribute to the operationalization of the Douala Consensus, which aims at economic diversification and industrialization in Central Africa.