Twenty-four leaders of Cameroonian business associations and chambers of commerce assembled in Limbe, Cameroon, for five days to sharpen their association management and policy skills. From April 30 to May 5, they participated in CIPE's Business Association and Chamber of Commerce Management Training Program.
"The training succeeded in preparing the participants and their respective organizations to deal with the global challenges posed within Cameroon's transition economy," said Sam Poku of the Institute of Economic Affairs in Ghana. Senator Fred C. Whiting of South Dakota and Sam Poku led the training program and helped the participants address the key issues of strategic planning, membership development, advocacy, the role of business associations in democratic society, international trade, and community economic development.
Participants arrived at the training program with various goals. Some wanted to improve their management skills, while others wanted to network and share ideas with other association leaders. One participant wrote that he came to the training program to learn "how to be more pro active advocating policy issues in Cameroon." Despite the diversity of goals, all participants left the training program satisfied.
The "transition economy" of Cameroon that Sam Poku spoke of is currently being transformed by the authorities from public sector-dominated to private sector-led. Business organizations are increasingly called upon to contribute to the economic and political transition. However, before many of the business organizations can play more active roles as advocates for change, they need to go through their own transitions to become viable institutions capable of responding to the new political and economic responsibilities. With this in mind, CIPE developed the curriculum to help participants improve their management skills, while they learn the valuable role business associations can play in a democratic society. CIPE develops the curriculum for each training program with the particular needs of the country in mind.
The participants of the Cameroon training program join over 1,700 other alumni that have benefited from CIPE's training programs worldwide since 1983. For more information on CIPE's training programs, email Jean Rogers at jrogers@cipe.org.