
Theme: "Our role in a context of import substitution from the perspective of the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)”
The 5th African edition of the Economic Forum of Christian Managers, Executives and Leaders, under the theme ". "Our role in a context of import substitution from the perspective of the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)” was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon by the Association of Christian Leaders and Entrepreneurs of Cameroon (ALECC), a full member of the International Christian Union of Enterprise Executives (UNIAPAC), affiliated to the Holy Seat. This report is summarizes the activities of Tuesday 10 September (I), Wednesday 11 September 2024 (II) and concludes with the 17 recommendations taken at the end of proceedings (III).
Tuesday 10 September 2024
The 5th African Edition of the Economic Forum of Christian Executives, Managers and Leaders began at 08h00m with a thanksgiving mass at the Monastery of Benedictines of Mont Febe in Yaoundé celebrated by Father Etienne Mbas, op, Spiritual Advisor to ALECC and Prior of the Convent of Saint Dominique Elig Essono, Yaoundé. This was an opportunity for the celebrant to bless the important resolutions that will result from these proceedings and highlight the need for entrepreneurs and Christian executives to get to know each other in order to give meaning to the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC). After the Eucharist, the President of ALECC recommended the intercession of the Virgin Mary for a smooth run of activities . Before a hundred fold of believers , the Vocal Ensemble "Duc In Altum" (Avance au Large) was performed the liturgy with warm fervour.
At exactly 10.00 am, the opening ceremony of the forum was held at the Palais des Congres in Yaoundé, Chaired by Mr Naséri Paul BEA, Governor of the Centre Region, in the presence of Mr Grégoire OWONA, Minister of Labour and Social Security, and several other representatives of administrative and traditional authorities. After singing Cameroon's national anthem, followed by that of UNIAPAC, created for the occasion by the "Duc In Altum" (Avance au Large) Vocal Ensemble. Seven speeches were recorded during the ceremony.
Lord Hyacinthe DIONE, Representative of the Holy Seat (Dicastery for Evangelisation), Mr Marc René TCHUITCHEU, President of ALECC, Mr Jacques Daniel NDAO, Representative of the President of UNIAPAC Africa, Mr Carlos Bruno BOBONE, President of UNIAPAC International, the message read from the Vatican to the participants of the meeting, Professor TOUNA MAMA each in turn for the inaugural lecture, and finally the Governor for the opening speech.
Overall, the 5th Economic Forum of African Christian Executives, Managers and Leaders held in Yaoundé was applauded and the speeches during this formal phase all converged on the idea of the relevance of the theme, which tackles the major human and socio-economic challenges faced by African societies today.
In the inaugural lecture that preceded the Governor's address, Professor Emeritus TOUNA MAMA gave a thoughtful presentation on the theme of "Import-substitution put to the ethical test". Tracing the industrial origins of import substitution, the Professor pointed out the two main phases of its implementation: local production of the consumed product and the export of products to foreign markets. He ended his speech by urging the players in the economic world to make ethics and the values of the Gospel a faithful companion on the road to meeting the challenges of import substitution.
In his opening speech , Governor Naséri Paul BEA highlighted the context of this Forum, which is a sprint towards the emergence of African countries. He hoped that all participants would be involved in the debates so that they could pave the way for the emergence of our different African countries.
After the protocol phase, the thematic presentations occupied the panel space.
The first panel, moderated by Mr Christophe Mien Zok, General Manager of the Palais des Congrès, featured four presentations.

The first presentation focused on Christian leadership. It was presented by Mr Lucas KAMDEM, Chairman of the MTA Group. Drawing on the sapiential experience of the late patriarch Samuel KAMDEM, who constantly asserted that "to succeed in life, you must be a real man", the speaker based his presentation on the acronym "ERAR", which highlights the useful values of Christian leadership. These are ; Exemplarity, short for "E"; Seeking the Way or Vision, short for "R"; Alignment or Discipline, short for "A"; and Accountability, short for "R". These are the values that guarantee efficiency, reliability and loyalty in the Christian leader called upon to put his faith into action.
The second presentation dealt with Corporate Social Responsibility and the Social Doctrine of the Church. Abbé Professeur François NDZANA, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC), presented the Church's Social Doctrine (CSD) as a science that proposes a set of values of human dignity, the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity, necessary to meet the challenge of import-substitution with a human and evangelical fibre. These are the same values that make a company responsible for the challenges facing society and human communities.
The presentation on the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) was made by Mr Narcisse Aimé ESSELEM, diplomat, representative of the Ministry of External Relations. The African Union's 2063 Agenda was explained as the pan-African framework for the continent's main economic growth and development programmes. This Agenda identifies several major projects to accelerate intra-African trade and strengthen Africa's position on the world market. The Government of Cameroon has given concrete expression to this perspective in its National Development Strategy (NDS) 30. This includes the deployment of traditional diplomatic channels to boost the attractiveness of African countries, as well as the need to promote the "made in Africa" label on the international stage.
The fourth and final presentation focused on support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is one of the missions of the Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (ASME). This was confirmed by Mr Jean Marie Louis Badga, Managing Director of the eponymous structure, who went on to specify the non-financial nature of the support. However, the details of this support can be summed up as capacity building for entrepreneurs, SME competitiveness, facilitation and technical assistance, with the aim of creating decent jobs.
At the end of these presentations, an interactive phase gave way to a question and answer session. Summing up the questions asked by Forum participants, the following concerns emerged:
How can the Church's Social Doctrine be widely disseminated to better equip Christian entrepreneurs?
How can we speed up the urgency of the African Union's Agenda 2063, given the urgency of development issues in Africa?
How can we ensure that the Church, Mother and Teacher, is the first to put into practice the teachings proposed?
How can we persuade Christian leaders to give precedence to the values of the DSE in order to reduce the social divide that exists between a relatively wealthy society and individuals who are genuinely poor?
A number of answers to these questions emerged in the proposals and recommendations phase.
The afternoon panel on the first day was moderated by Dr Serge Christian ALIMA ZOA, Principal Civil Administrator, lecturer and researcher at the University of Yaoundé II and UCAC, and also Vice-President of ALECC.
Mainly interactive, this contribution was based on two presentations.
The presentation on the Mission of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. Unveiled by Lord Hyacinthe DIONE, representative of the Holy Seat this theme made it possible to retrace the origins of the Dicastery, with a view to identifying its objectives and enabling Christians to apply charity in their social interactions. Broadly speaking, this Dicastery deals with everything to do with evangelisation (monitoring relations between the Curia and the various dioceses; support for missionary activity; creation of dioceses; appointment of bishops). Through its institutes and universities, it is also involved in theological training and postgraduate studies in the humanities. The aim of the comprehensive systematic training provided is to forge a new vision of the world that is more just and more in line with the DSE. This can change attitudes that are contrary to the Gospel, so that communities become havens of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace.
The second and final presentation dealt with Youth Employability - Challenges and Opportunities. Jacques Daniel NDAO and Giscard DEBE from UNIAPAC Afrique Jeunes. The co-panellists shared with the audience the experience of their respective countries (Senegal and Burkina Faso) in terms of youth employability. They emphasised the need for young people to focus on training (setting up projects, taxation, work placements) in order to commit themselves to service, because it is by serving that opportunities open up.
Activities on Tuesday 10 September ended with a series of audiences granted to the President of UNIAPAC and some members of the Government of Cameroon, namely the Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Minister of Lands, Cadastre and Land Affairs and the Minister of Secondary Education. A gala evening organized in the residence of the President of ALECC, attended by a host of VIPs, further enhanced the convivial nature of the event.
Carlos Bruno BOBONE, Président of UNIAPAC International
Activities on Wednesday 11 September 2024
Activities on September 11 2024 began at 8am with a mass at the Dominican Convent in Elig Essono. It was celebrated by its Prior, Father Etienne MBAS, op and the mastery provided by the Vocal Ensemble "Duc In Altum" (Avance au Large). The homily emphasised that Christian entrepreneurs and managers must not forget that man was created in the image of God. We must therefore humanise our relationships by applying CSR through its four principles: human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity and the common good.
Back at the Palais des Congrès in Yaoundé, the programme included four stations: the workshop on the creation of the Incubator, the panel on advice for success as a Christian entrepreneur, the workshop on the Forum's resolutions and the closing ceremony in the afternoon.
The workshop for the presentation and creation of the Incubator was moderated by Reverend Pastor AMADOU SAIBOU, Youth Chaplain of the Council of Protestant Churches of Cameroon (CEPCA). A number of practitioners and theoreticians took part in the panel. These included Dr Pierre Caroll MBOUEL MBOUEL from the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA), Josué BIKOUN, Head of the SME Development and Restructuring Division and Josué Alain MOUICHE, Business Engineer/BDS ASME Expert , Mrs Delphine NGO BAYIGA, Head of the UCAC incubator and finally Mr Giscard DEBE from UNIAPAC-Afrique Jeunes. All these panellists shared their experiences on the meaning, function, modalities and process of creating an Incubator.
The panel on advice for success as a Christian leader and entrepreneur was moderated by Mr Jean-François CHANNON, director of the publication "Le messager". In this panel with three exhibitors, Honourable Françoise PUENE, Senator, shared her experience, highlighting the importance and role of spirituality in entrepreneurship. Spirituality helps us discover the wealth of our talents, which are also our first and foremost capital. Exploiting them and transforming them into opportunities depends entirely on our own will.
Mrs Christelle NOAH, Director of Eclosion publishing house further drew on her own experience to highlight the need to believe in one's talent, determination and convictions in order to develop our entrepreneurial skills. Hard and regular work is the guarantee of success with the grace of God.
In his speech, Marc René Tchuitcheu, Head of the Saint Augustin printing works, recounted his experience, rich in painful events. From his devout childhood to an adolescence disrupted by life's trials, he presented his spirit of resilience and determination as pledges to fulfil God's plan for his life.
The workshop on the Forum's resolutions, led by Abbé Professeur François NDZANA, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC), preceded the closing ceremony with its four moments: the playing Cameroon’s national anthem followed by that of UNIAPAC by the Vocal Ensemble "Duc In Altum" (Avance au Large), the closing remarks by Mr Marc René TCHUITCHEU, President of ALECC, thanks giving speech by Mr Jacques Daniel NDAO, representative of the President of UNIAPAC Africa and the closing remarks by Mr Bruno BOBONE, President of UNIAPAC International. It is therefore important to note the recommendations of this international conclave.
RECOMMENDATIONS
At the end of the 5th African Edition of the Economic Forum of Christian Executives, Leaders and Managers in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the following 17 recommendations emerged from the presentations and discussions:
Concerning the Social Doctrine of the Church
● Make the Social Doctrine of the Church known to the general public through the media (Recommendation 1);
● Ensure that the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) is popularised, followed up and applied (Recommendation 2);
● Publish and distribute a vade mecum on Christian thought and Corporate Social Responsibility (Recommendation 3).
Concerning the Christian Incubator Project
● Set up a UNIAPAC-Africa Christian Incubator through ALECC for young people (Recommendation 4);
● Open an online Incubator to meet the requirements of telematics and other ICTs crucial to the functioning of our societies today (Recommendation 5);
involve resource persons in guiding young people so as to bridge the gap between theory and practice in setting up businesses (Recommendation 6) ;
● Initiate a drive for contributions from Christian leaders to set up a fund for the creation and running of the Christian Incubator (Recommendation 7);
● Implement from January 2025 in Maroua in the Far North of Cameroon, the incubator of the Union of Evangelical Churches of Cameroon (UEEC) led by its President Reverend Salomon AMADINA (Recommendation 8).
Concerning the youth
● Invite youths to go beyond the formal framework of school education (Recommendation 9);
● Involve parents and families in supporting their children with a view to making young people effectively employable (Recommendation 10);
● Involve youths in entrepreneurship instead of expecting everything from public authorities (Recommendation 11).
Concerning UNIAPAC anthem devised at the Yaoundé Forum
● Produce versions of this anthem in English, Spanish or Portuguese (Recommendation 12);
● Produce this anthem in appropriate media while protecting the rights of its authors (Recommendation 13).
Concerning high-stake projects
● Invest CFAF 200 million to produce books free of charge for students in the first to fourth years of technical secondary education in Cameroon from the start of the 2025-2026 school year, in correlation with the UNIAPAC Foundation and MINESEC (Recommendation 14) ;
● Implement, with the support of the MINDCAF authorities, the creation of a Christian industrial town in order to settle UNIAPAC investors in Cameroon (Recommendation 15);
● Draw up the terms of reference and organise a meeting on Christian entrepreneurship and the development of Africa in Cameroon during 2025, between the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and UNIAPAC (Recommendation 16).
● Set up a committee to follow up all the recommendations of the Yaoundé international conclave (Recommendation 17).
Marc René TCHUITCHEU, President of ALECC and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 5th African Edition of the Economic Forum of Christian Executives, Managers and Leaders in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Feedback session and fruitful exchanges with H.E. Lord José Avelino. BETTENCOURT, Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.
Guided tour of the Nunciature's facilities.*
The lanterns of the 5th African Edition of the Economic Forum of Christian Executives, Managers and Leaders in Yaoundé, Cameroon, were extinguished with a gala evening at the residence of the President of ALECC.
A date has been set for the UNIAPAC International World Congress to be held from 23 to 26 October 2024 in Manila, Philippines.
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