The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) has abundant natural resources and strong potential in agriculture, mining, forestry and renewable energy. Investment, taxation and competition are regulated at the regional and national levels, and Vision 2025 together with the Regional Economic Programme promotes diversification. However, heavy reliance on hydrocarbons exposes the subregion to global price volatility, weighs on growth and complicates debt sustainability. Infrastructure gaps and the dominance of informal employment also constrain competitiveness. While private investment has been rising, FDI inflows remain unstable and have not returned to their pre-COVID-19 levels. To better unlock non-oil opportunities and enhance sustainable and inclusive growth, additional reforms are needed.

In this context, the Investment Policy Review (IPR) of CEMAC, conducted at the request of the CEMAC Commission, aims to support and strengthen the impact of ongoing efforts. The IPR analyses the legal, policy and institutional barriers that limit FDI attraction and hinder local private sector development, and it provides concrete, targeted recommendations based on UNCTAD’s Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development. It also proposes options to inform the reform of the CEMAC Investment Charter, with the objective of attracting more diversified and sustainable investment.

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