Politique

Local Development: Contribution Of Decentralised Cooperation

Par Emmanuel
09 févr. 2022 11:45
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Some local councils are already benefitting from the provisions of the law on the General Code to Institute Regional and Local Authorities with regard to decentralised cooperation.

The French Development Agency (AFD) within the framework of the third phase of the French Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D) has signed to provide FCFA 43.624 billion to finance the project called “Yaounde Coeur de Ville.” It will also provide FCFA 59.04 billion to finance the project called “Capital Regionale II” in the cities of Bamenda and Maroua. This follows financing conventions government signed with the French Development Agency in Yaounde on February 4, 2022.
The finances from the conventions that will boost development in the City Councils of Yaounde, Maroua and Bamenda is an example of decentralised cooperation. Besides efforts spearheaded by government, Law No.2019/024 of 24 December 2019 to Institute the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities gives Councils and Regions the opportunity to create partnerships with other structures in order to acquire financial, material and human resources to boost local development. In Section 94 (1), the law states that, “Decentralised cooperation shall mean any partnership between two or more local authorities or their groupings established for the purpose of achieving common objectives. It may be carried out between Cameroonian local authorities or between the latter and foreign local authorities.” The law indeed, enables twinning between local authorities and international organisations targeting specific areas of development.
More Cameroonian Local Councils and Regions can learn from the experience of some councils that have already taken the lead. The Kumba City Council in December 2009 signed a twinning agreement with the Hwaseong Council in South Korea with the common objective to attract direct foreign investments and development to Kumba. There is also the twinning example of