In preparation for establishing a National Center for Economic and Strategic Intelligence in Cameroon, agents from the General Directorate of External Research, one of the country's primary intelligence agencies, received economic intelligence training. This training was provided by the African Center for Monitoring and Economic Intelligence (CAVIE), led by Dr. Guy Gweth. Dr. Gweth has agreed to share more details about this unprecedented initiative for Cameroonian institutions.

Ecofin Agency: Dr. Gweth, what's your take on the underlying reasons for Cameroon's General Directorate of External Research (DGRE) incorporating economic intelligence into its operations? How do you explain the shift from their traditional focus on political and security monitoring to this new economic dimension, and what geostrategic stakes justify this evolution for Cameroon?

Dr. Guy Gweth: As the "eyes and ears" of their nation, intelligence services need to be, if not predictive, then at least perfectly in sync with the current global landscape. Consider these recent events: the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, or even the wave of decisions impacting Africa since President Trump's return to the White House in 2025. These three examples alone have convinced our intelligence agencies of the urgent need to invest in new areas of national defense and security.

What's really at stake here includes the increasing desire of global powers for our natural resources, the need to control our critical infrastructure, maintaining a competitive edge, shaping global standards and perceptions, safeguarding our information assets from vulnerabilities, preventing the loss of our intellectual capital, and protecting ourselves from all types of transnational crime.

What's really at stake here includes the increasing desire of global powers for our natural resources, the need to control our critical infrastructure, maintaining a competitive edge, shaping global standards and perceptions…

Given these challenges, the DGRE is more committed than ever to serving as the Cameroonian state's "sword and shield." Our underlying motivation, to use your words, is an unwavering dedication to ensuring Cameroon becomes a truly emerging, competitive, and influential nation for the long haul.

Ecofin Agency:  Regarding the intensive training held from June 30 to July 4, 2025, what were the key economic intelligence tools and techniques you shared with the 50 DGRE executives? Could you elaborate on the specific methodologies for economic investigation, identifying strategic targets, and detecting economic attack vectors that these agents can now utilize?

Dr. Guy Gweth: First off, it's important to remember that this was a highly strategic, intensive, and certified training. It wasn't just significant because it gathered top military, police, and civilian officials from the DGRE and their agents. More importantly, it laid out the core principles, mechanisms, and tools for a robust Cameroonian economic intelligence system that needs to be implemented as soon as possible. Given that, for reasons of national security and defense, it would be entirely inappropriate to disclose the specific methods, tools, and techniques they learned during this program.

However, what all stakeholders should know is that the DGRE now possesses some of the most advanced defensive, offensive, and influence capabilities. These are incredibly well-suited to its operating environment and the goals of the strategic state, covering human, technological, and ideological aspects. And this progress is only going to accelerate. Furthermore, the DGRE, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), plans to bring together all relevant parties to support the establishment of the National Center for Economic and Strategic Intelligence (CNIES).

Ecofin Agency: How will this new economic intelligence capability actually translate into tangible benefits for Cameroon? Which economic sectors or areas do you see gaining the most from this expertise, and how will you measure the return on investment for an initiative like this?

Dr. Guy Gweth: Cameroon operates under a National Development Strategy (SND30) and a Vision 2035. These frameworks guide the nation's medium and long-term development, outlining the key sectors essential for transforming Cameroon into an emerging, democratic, and unified country. These priorities include agriculture and agribusiness, energy, mining, and digital technology for economic diversification; education, vocational training, and healthcare for human capital development; supporting SMEs and entrepreneurship for job creation; and strengthening governance and the rule of law to foster a growth-friendly environment.

All these areas, crucial for Cameroon to achieve its ambitions, are also the top priorities for the National Center for Economic and Strategic Intelligence (CNIES).

These priorities include agriculture and agribusiness, energy, mining, and digital technology for economic diversification; education, vocational training, and healthcare for human capital development; supporting SMEs and entrepreneurship for job creation … 

The CNIES is designed to be an operational state tool, working to defend, promote, and influence these critical sectors. In practical terms, the system will first protect them by proactively monitoring for threats and developing necessary countermeasures. Simultaneously, the Center will promote these sectors by identifying foreign market opportunities, relevant potential investors, and the best strategies to highlight local assets and capabilities.

Ultimately, the CNIES aims to become a powerful mechanism for influencing perceptions and norms that shape the competitiveness of these key sectors. By analyzing how regional and international institutions make decisions, pinpointing key players and their motivations, and presenting strong arguments backed by factual data, Cameroon will be able to actively advocate for its interests, shape technical, fiscal, or environmental regulations to its advantage, and enhance its national brand image.

Ecofin Agency: How does this initiative position Cameroon within the Central African context, specifically regarding economic intelligence, compared to its regional neighbors? Does the country now have distinct competitive advantages, and how might this increased capability impact the geoeconomic balance in the subregion?

Dr. Guy Gweth: Cameroon is already recognized as the economic and demographic powerhouse of Central Africa, a strategic and stabilizing player whose influence is crucial for regional integration and development. Its growing strength is set to benefit the entire CEMAC area, provided we activate mutually beneficial mechanisms.

Our analyses show how Cameroon can transform its significant economic weight into a competitive edge, using the upcoming CNIES to pinpoint the most promising regional markets, particularly within the AfCFTA. This also extends to integrating technological and industrial innovations, mapping and optimizing subregional value chains, and safeguarding its strategic industries from unfair practices.

Our analyses show how Cameroon can transform its significant economic weight into a competitive edge, using the upcoming CNIES to pinpoint the most promising regional markets, particularly within the AfCFTA.

It's also worth noting that, from a hard power perspective, the sheer size of Cameroon's domestic market is a competitive asset. The CNIES will therefore need to be capable of analyzing neighboring countries' consumption needs to tailor Cameroonian offerings to their markets, identify and develop rare skills needed regionally, attract targeted investment thanks to its internal market and workforce, and intelligently manage migration flows to optimize human capital contributions.

Furthermore, Cameroon's geographic and logistical centrality, deep within the Gulf of Guinea, is seen as a key competitive asset by the CNIES. This can be leveraged to maximize the efficiency of its transport corridors and port infrastructure. The system is expected to monitor trade flows and road security to ensure reliability, periodically compare port performance with competitors to enhance service appeal, anticipate their logistics strategies, and influence sector norms—all of which were thoroughly examined during the training's practical exercises.

Finally, the third pillar of our approach will involve strengthening Cameroon's institutional and political soft power. This will be achieved by monitoring the development and negotiation of regional agreements and anticipating regulatory changes to influence or adapt to decision-making processes. This will be made possible through specific intelligence feeding into targeted economic diplomacy, which will enable us to, among other things, anticipate crises in the neighborhood and draw conclusions that help maintain Cameroon's stability and attractiveness as a regional investment hub.

Ecofin Agency:  What's your vision for scaling this initiative? How do you see the National Center for Economic and Strategic Intelligence (CNIES) evolving in the future, and what steps are necessary to expand this expertise beyond the DGRE to other public and private institutions in Cameroon?

Dr. Guy Gweth: Our vision unfolds in five phases. It all begins with a doctrine specifically tailored to our unique realities and challenges. That's followed by developing a national economic intelligence plan, then adopting a comprehensive national strategy, and finally, implementing a dedicated public policy. The fifth phase, the launch of the National Center for Economic and Strategic Intelligence (CNIES), will kick off the operational stage. This will be guided by a roadmap focused on raising awareness, providing training, and integrating various Cameroonian public and private institutions.

Ecofin Agency: In a recent commentary, you mentioned that Cameroon now possesses "sensors to detect threats, analytical capacity to decipher them, and action tools to neutralize them." Could you provide concrete examples of economic threats that Cameroon is now better equipped to anticipate and counter thanks to this new expertise? Also, how does this neutralization capability align with the nation's vital interests?

Dr. Guy Gweth: Let's talk about the defensive side, specifically cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. In this area, the CNIES will act as a genuine shield for Cameroon against cyberattacks aimed at its vital systems. Its main job will be to proactively spot threats. This means keeping a close eye on cyberspace around the clock—including both visible and hidden networks, specialized forums, and technical publications. The goal is to identify bad actors, whether they're hostile nations, non-state groups, or cybercriminal organizations. We'll work to understand their methods, their reasons, and the weaknesses they target. This kind of forward-looking monitoring helps us catch subtle warning signs.

Once a threat is spotted, dedicated teams will get to work figuring it out. This involves gathering, processing, and analyzing information from all sorts of sources, everything from publicly available data to human intelligence.

Once a threat is spotted, dedicated teams will get to work figuring it out. This involves gathering, processing, and analyzing information from all sorts of sources, everything from publicly available data to human intelligence. This step lets us pinpoint exactly where a potential attack is coming from, what its goals are, the attackers' technical abilities, and most importantly, which targets in Cameroon might be at risk. The aim is to create a precise, forward-looking picture of what our adversaries intend, so we're not always scrambling to react in an emergency.

Finally, to effectively neutralize cyberattacks, the intelligence we gather will lead to concrete actions. These insights will allow us to pre-position stronger defenses on identified critical infrastructure before it's hit. They'll also help us quickly alert and coordinate between security services, government ministries, and private operators to isolate threatened systems and contain any attack. Beyond just technical responses, the CNIES might even launch counter-offensives when needed, disrupting adversary capabilities upstream. This also continuously feeds into our strategic communication efforts to deter attackers and reassure our partners. This rigorous approach applies to all of the nation's vital sectors.

Interview by Idriss Linge