Relations between Germany and Cameroon are wide-ranging and have been fostered in the last years by regular contacts at governmental and parliamentary level. There are also many links and partnerships between the civil societies of the two countries, including between church communities. In 2024, there were over 36,000 Cameroonians living in Germany.

Today’s Cameroon was formed of French and British mandated territories established after the First World War in what had been the German “Protectorate of Cameroon”. Addressing Germany’s colonial past is an important aspect of bilateral relations and is driven both by government and by civil-society actors in Cameroon and Germany.

In international terms, Germany is one of the biggest donors to bilateral state development cooperation with Cameroon. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) carry out development cooperation projects on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

In addition to the German Embassy in Yaoundé, Germany is represented in Cameroon by many other institutions. The Goethe-Institut has been active in Cameroon for over 60 years and assists the six Cameroonian schools that are part of the Schools: Partners for the Future initiative (PASCH). With over 50,000 per year, the Goethe-Institut in Yaoundé carries out more German language exams than any other branch in the world. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has a regional office in Yaoundé.

Cameroonian students have long formed the largest group among sub-Saharan African students in Germany. Students returning home or academics who become successful in Germany often act as multipliers. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) runs an information centre in Yaoundé. Numerous partnerships exist between German and Cameroonian universities. German is the second most popular foreign language in Cameroonian schools after Spanish (English and French are regarded as mother tongues).