Cameroon-United States: American Corner Deepens Partnership

T he American Corner Douala is set to deepen its contri­ bution to educational de­ velopment, entrepreneur­ ship and commercial relations bet­ ween Cameroon and the United States following the renewal of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States Em­ bassy in Yaoundé. The agreement was renewed on November 6, 2026, at the Douala Regional Linguistics Centre, which hosts the American Corner, in the presence of the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, John G. Robinson, amongst other digni­ taries. Speaking during the signing cere­ mony, the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, John G. Robinson, des­ cribed the two-year agreement as a results-oriented partnership that advances American interests while creating opportunities for the people of Douala. He said the collaboration, which began in March 2021 with the establishment of an American Shelf, evolved into the official Ame­ rican Corner in August 2023. Since its launch, he went on, the corner has become an important channel for American public diplo­ macy, providing students, entrepre­ neurs, journalists, educators and young professionals with access to information on American institutions, higher education, culture, foreign policy and technological develop­ ments. According to the US diplomat, between October 2025 and Sep­ tember 2026, American Corner Douala recorded 12,478 visits and organised 39 programmes attended by 1,967 participants. He noted that beyond these figures, the ini­ tiative was helping participants ac­ quire knowledge, build professional networks and develop practical skills. He revealed that business English training was one of the programme’s notable achievements as two co­ horts had already benefited from the training, with participants re­ porting improvements in their pro­ fessional and business practices. He equally mentioned collaboration with the American Chamber of Com­ merce in Cameroon (AmCham), which brought together local entrepreneurs and business operators in September to discuss business expectations and opportunities for cooperation with American companies. He further announced that activities over the next two years would focus on three priority areas such as business and e...