This report delves into the potential for economic empowerment of refugees in the six Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) countries—Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. By harnessing the power of private sector engagement through the Private Sector for Refugees (PS4R) framework, the report reveals how refugees can contribute to regional growth in essential sectors like agriculture, wood processing, textiles, and services.
Highlights:
- Outlines pathways for refugee economic integration across agriculture, textiles, wood processing, and services in each of the six CEMAC countries.
- Identifies specific barriers to market access and proposes policy reforms, tailored financing solutions, and targeted training to overcome them.
- Provides strategic recommendations for strengthening infrastructure and enabling sustainable development, benefiting both refugees and local communities.
With over 4 million forcibly displaced persons across these nations, refugees often arrive with valuable skills and ambitions that can boost host economies if integrated into local value chains. In agriculture, opportunities for refugee-run agribusinesses or refugee employment can transform local food systems and improve self-sufficiency. In textiles, traditional craftsmanship and garment production have the potential to thrive with support for refugee skills and refugee-led enterprises. The wood industry—essential for Central Africa’s exports—stands to gain from new labor and skills, especially as refugees integrate into sustainable forestry and agroforestry projects. Finally, the service sector, from hospitality to construction to logistics, offers flexible pathways for refugees to contribute to and grow within urban economies.
Despite this potential, significant barriers remain: limited access to financing, regulatory obstacles, and challenges in obtaining formal work rights. This report proposes a set of actionable strategies to bridge these gaps, including policy reform to streamline refugee work permits, partnerships with financial institutions to improve credit access, and infrastructure upgrades that connect refugee communities to markets. By tackling these issues, CEMAC nations can empower refugees to move beyond aid dependence, fostering resilience for themselves and their host communities.
This comprehensive report underscores the transformative potential of refugees as economic contributors across Central Africa, driving not only local prosperity but also regional stability and cohesion.