(Business in Cameroon) - The African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (ACCI) is launching a national consultation on January 16, aiming to formulate a strategy for Cameroon to become a regional power between 2025 and 2035. In this op-ed, Guy Gweth, the President of ACCI, sheds light on the dynamics of this project.

Cameroon: Crafting a strategy for regional power

Called "Puissance237," the national consultation initiated by the African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (ACCI) under the theme "Building a Regional Power Strategy for Cameroon 2025-2035" kicks off on January 16, 2024, engaging local press professionals. The proceedings will last for a year, taking place both in the Cameroonian capital and abroad.

Aiming for continental leadership

Amid a multidimensional competition on the African continent, centered on innovation, influence, and diplomacy, Puissance237 aims to identify key resources within Cameroon. It plans to engage stakeholders in assessing their observations, analyses, and recommendations while energizing the state within a coordinated power strategy.

During Puissance237, ACCI experts will initially present the ongoing power strategies in Africa. Subsequently, representatives from public and private sectors, including civil society and the diaspora, will scrutinize the strengths and weaknesses of their respective domains compared to the continent's best practices and forthcoming challenges. Finally, they will put forward ideas for improvement based on the principles of hard power, soft power and smart power.

Formalizing an immediately actionable strategy

In response to the escalating international competition, Cameroon possesses numerous strengths across various sectors. To propel them toward continental leadership, it is crucial to identify, acknowledge, and activate these strengths under strategic state direction. ACCI aspires to provide the necessary framework and neutrality to lay the foundation and key components of such a strategy for the 2025-2035 decade.

Structurally, Puissance237 has a triple objective. Firstly, to unite stakeholders around the concept of power. Secondly, to gather their diverse contributions in this context. Thirdly, to deduce and formalize an actionable power strategy immediately, both at the sectorial and national levels, accessible to all stakeholders.

Submit the report to the authorities and share key findings with the public

At the end of this consultation, Cameroon will possess an unprecedented White Paper, presenting a clear and precise strategy for becoming an African power between 2025 and 2035. This work will be published in bilingual format (English/French). Through this initiative, ACCI aims to deliver the final report to the Republic's authorities for decision-making and the substance to the public for awareness.

In total, the Puissance237 national consultation will take place from January 16 to December 5, 2024. The consolidated report will be submitted to relevant authorities on December 10, along with a 'Who's Who' of national human capital icons. A public presentation will occur during a press conference on December 12, 2024, followed by the Gala of Cameroonian Stars, attended by the national elite from the homeland and the diaspora.

Mobilizing a strategic intelligence framework

As a leading pan-African institution in competitive intelligence strategy, training, certification, and the establishment of monitoring and economic intelligence systems in Africa, ACCI has chosen to employ a strategic intelligence framework to construct the regional power strategy of the host country, Cameroon.

Legalized in Yaoundé on August 3, 2015, ACCI is an independent, non-political, and non-profit organization active in 38 countries worldwide. Its references include public entities such as the Presidency of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and Togo, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Benin and Tunisia, the National Oil Company of Congo, Togo Invest, and private entities such as Mauritius Commercial Bank, Marsa Maroc, Trimetys, Boissons du Cameroun, Banque Zitouna, Chanas Assurances, Togo Invest, Afriland First Bank, Loukil Group, Axys, etc. Additionally, it collaborates with national and international associative organizations.

*Guy Gweth holds a Doctorate in Public Affairs. He is the Executive President of ACCI and leads the Puissance237 initiative.