A working session between the Director General of OAPI, Denis Bohoussou , and the UNFPA Resident Representativein Cameroon, Dr. Justin Koffi, was held on May 15, 2026, at the Organization's headquarters in Yaoundé. The meeting aimed to consolidate the achievements of the AFPI project, which began inCameroon in October 2025, and to consider its expansion through the integration of the new program entitled "Ingenious Women of Tomorrow."
The shared ambition remains clear: to accelerate the economic empowerment of women and girls through technological innovation, entrepreneurship and access to intellectual property.
✨ Key points of the discussions
🔹 Phase 2 of the AFPI project "Economic empowerment of women and girls through innovation and access to intellectual property"
The launch of the second phase of the project, scheduled for June 2026 in Faso, aims to intensify support for beneficiaries by facilitating their access to patents, trademarks Burkina, technical information, and sexual and reproductive health services. This step will help to stimulate both their creative potential and the profitability of their economic activities.
🔹 Program "Ingenious Women of Tomorrow"
Born from the momentum of the AFPI project, the fellowship "Ingenious Women of Tomorrow" aims to promote the socio-professional integration of young graduates from theNational Higher Polytechnic School of Yaoundé (ENSPY).
This program combines academic excellence, professional internships, development of behavioral skills, strategic mentoring, employability, and entrepreneurship.
🔹 the strategic bridge between AFPI and "Ingenious Women of Tomorrow"
The goal is to create synergy between girls' academic training and the global challenges of women's economic and bodily empowerment. This approach aims to strengthen their ability to seize opportunities in engineering professions, still largely dominated by men, in order to help build a more inclusive and equitable society.
🔹 mobilization of the private sector
The two institutions reaffirmed their commitment to involving the private sector more, a real lever of opportunities for beneficiaries through: internships, mentoring, employment, financing and support for startups led by young women.
Perspectives
Innovation and gender equality are now essential drivers of economic growth. In this context, UNFPA and OAPI aim to extend this model to all OAPI member countries in order to maximize its impact at the regional level.
