Cameroon–France : Urban Development Partnership Making Strides

Cameroon is undergoing transformation propelled by collaborative endeavours with international partners, notably France. The country's urban development initiatives, undertaken in conjunction with France, were a key focus of discussion during a meeting between the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Célestine Ketcha Courtès, and the French Ambassador to Cameroon, Sylvain Riquier, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. The audience served as an opportunity for both dignitaries to reinforce the France-Cameroon partnership, with a view to advancing the structural projects initiated under the C2D and other bilateral development programmes. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was revealed that the infrastructure modernisation projects are yielding positive results, enhancing living conditions for residents across the country.
The Minister of Urban Development and Housing highlighted the notable achievements of Cameroon-France cooperation in the realm of urban development, particularly the C2D Urban Regional Capitals Programme (CR1 and CR2). This initiative has seen an investment of over FCFA 140 billion in cities such as Bertoua, Bafoussam, Garoua, Maroua, and Bamenda.  She explained that the primary objective of the bilateral partnership is to support the development of Cameroon's regional cities through the Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D) mechanism. Under this arrangement, repayments on Cameroon's foreign debt are redirected towards financing sustainable urban projects, with the aim of modernising urban infrastructure, developing commercial facilities, ...