As part of the celebrations to mark 75 years of the State of Israel, the 6th Israel-Cameroon seminar on Hi-Tech, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was held from 3 to 6 July 2023. As in previous editions, around a hundred start-ups and SMEs selected from Cameroon's ten regions came together over four days to build their capacity in a number of areas of vital importance to the continuity of their projects.

The participation of Israeli experts such as Mr. Avner Maman (CEO of DEVELOPERS.INSTITUTE in Israel) enabled participants to learn from the experience of Israel, now considered the world's "Start-up Nation". In particular, the Israeli expert provided learners with tools on: - innovative tools for online marketing; - Pitching an innovative product; - basic coding principles; - and how Israel became the Start-up Nation. The Cameroonian experts spoke on: - design thinking as a prerequisite for innovative entrepreneurs; - institutional support for SMEs and start-ups; - intellectual property rights; - business strategies for SME growth and sustainability; etc.

During his opening address to the seminar, the Chargé d'affaires HE Anan ZEN reminded participants that "remember, entrepreneurship is not solely about financial success, it's about making a lasting impact, solving real-world problems and improving the lives of the people around you". In front of the media, Israeli expert Avner Maman was delighted to be back in Cameroon for a second time for this event, and was proud to see that the same enthusiasm, the same desire to innovate and succeed, are still present among the participants.

The 6th edition ended on a high note with the remarkable and highly acclaimed presence of MMA World Champion Francis Ngannou from Cameroon. Ngannou didn't fail to boost the morale of the audience by giving advice on what made him successful in the world of martial arts. "You have to believe in your dreams and fight to make them come true", he hammered home to the young entrepreneurs.

The closing ceremony was all the more beautiful in sound and color when the Chargé d'affaires of the Israeli Embassy in Cameroon was honored, dressed in the traditional garb of the North-West Region, a likely sign that he had been elevated to the rank of Traditional Chief. Moved by this decoration, the diplomat took great pleasure in performing a few dance steps to folk music from the same region of North-West Cameroon.

The Israeli embassy in Cameroon is already looking to the future, and hopes that this seminar, which is already a tradition, will continue in the future, with a growing number of young entrepreneurs trained and ready to take up the challenges of our era.