North West, South West Regions : Special Status Realities

The North West and South West Regions have a special status granted to them as a recommendation of the Major National Dialogue of September 30 to October 4, 2019 and in accordance with Article 62 (2) of the Constitution. The content and mode of application of the said status is contained in the December 24, 2019 law instituting the General Code on Regional and Local Authorities. Part V of Book III of the aforementioned legal instrument (Sections 327 to 371) explains the Special Status concept. “The special status shall confer on the North West and South West Regions a specific organisational and operational regime, based on the historical, social and cultural values of these regions, with due respect for the primacy of the State and national unity and solidarity,” stipulates Section 327 (2). The implementation process of the Special Status can be said to be effective. First was the creation of the Common Law Section at the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) and the subsequent practice of the judicial process in Courts of the two regions. Court hearings and the judicial process is done in respect to Common Law stipulations. On July 10, 2020, the two Public Independent Conciliators of the North West and South West Regions were appointed by the President of the Republic and on December 6, 2020 Regional Assembly representatives were elected. Taking into account its cultural and linguistic history, the House of Chiefs was instituted with the powers to give its opinion on the status of traditional chiefdoms, the management and conservation of historical sites, monuments and vestiges, the organisation of cultural and traditional events in the region, and the collection and translation of elements of oral tradition. As such, the structure of the regional institution is different from the other eight regions who have Regional Councils.
Regional Assemblies of the two regions have held several sessions, adopted budgets, regional development plans and executed projects to the benefit of the population. The Public Independent Conciliators of the concerned regions have also been very func...