Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, received in audience, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, a delegation from the Global Youth Leadership for Sustainable Cocoa (GYLSCO) program. This project, which places youth at the heart of the future of African cocoa, will be officially launched next April in Yaoundé, with a first group of young Cameroonians selected for intensive training.
Led by Affi Luc Agbodo, President of the program, and his team, the GYLSCO project is rooted in Cameroon, a country recognized for its commitment to fairer cocoa trade. During this meeting with the Minister of Commerce, the aim was to officially present this ambitious initiative, designed as a legacy of Cameroon’s advocacy for better remuneration for producers and increased promotion of the cocoa sector. “We chose Cameroon as the starting point for this continental initiative because of its exemplary leadership in the sector,” stressed Affi Luc Agbodo. He praised the efforts of the Cameroonian government, which have helped reposition producing countries in global discussions on cocoa.
The GYLSCO program will be officially launched from April 7 to 11, 2025, during the next session of the International Cocoa Council, a major event for the industry. Cameroon, which holds the presidency of this body with Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana at its head, will thus be the scene of a decisive turning point for the future of cocoa in Africa. The Minister congratulated Affi Luc Agbodo and his team for having realized such an ambitious and transformative project. “Cocoa represents not only our heritage, but also our future. It is time for our youth to take ownership of this strategic sector to make it a real lever for economic and social development,” declared Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana.
GYLSCO is not just an educational program: it is a real incubator of talent and leaders for the cocoa sector. The first phase of the project involves the selection of 25 young Cameroonians, who will benefit from a nine-month intensive training, alongside their counterparts from Madagascar and Côte d’Ivoire. According to Affi Luc Agbodo, the ambition of the program goes beyond simple technical training. “We want to create a synergy between these young Africans, promote the exchange of experiences and stimulate innovation in the cocoa sector.” The objective is to equip these young leaders so that they become agents of change, capable of positively influencing the future of cocoa on the continent.
Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the GYLSCO program, highlighting the strategic importance of the cocoa sector in the Cameroonian economy. This initiative is part of a broader dynamic aimed at modernizing the sector, strengthening the capacities of producers and ensuring fairer remuneration for all stakeholders in the sector. By placing youth at the heart of sustainable cocoa development, Cameroon is once again demonstrating its ability to drive ambitious reforms and influence the future of the international cocoa trade. With the GYLSCO program, a new generation of cocoa stakeholders is emerging, ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow and build a fairer and more sustainable future for the sector.
