![Cameroon [shutterstock]](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Cameroon-e1555940327990-2502x1406.jpg)
International Travel Information
What you need to know before you go: visas, Embassy & Consulate locations, vaccinations, etc.
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December 20, 2019
U.S. Relations With Cameroon
Highlights
May 20, 2021
U.S. Relationship
U.S.-Cameroon Relations
The U.S. established diplomatic relations with Cameroon in 1960, following the independence of the French-administered part of the country. Cameroon plays a key role in regional stability and remains our strongest regional partner in countering terrorism in the Lake Chad Region. The U.S. and Cameroon are closely engaged in issues that address democracy and governance, regional security, environmental protection, health, and economic development.
U.S. Assistance to Cameroon
USAID runs a number of programs in Cameroon, mainly through its regional office in Ghana, and primarily in the health sector. The CDC also has activities in Cameroon, mostly in HIV/AIDS prevention. Peace Corps volunteers work in maternal child health, youth empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods. Through several State Department and USAID regional funds, the embassy also provides funds for biodiversity protection, refugees, democratization, human rights, countering violent extremism, and education.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Cameroon is eligible for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and also qualifies for textile and apparel benefits. The U.S. and Cameroon signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty in 1986 that came into force in 1989. Cameroon is currently the United States’ 124th largest goods trading partner.
![Cameroon flag: Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; the vertical tricolor recalls the flag of France; red symbolizes unity, yellow the sun, happiness, and the savannahs in the north, and green hope and the forests in the south; the star is referred to as the "star of unity." Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia.[CIA World Fact Book]](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cameroon-flag.gif){kind=small}