Decentralisation, Local Development: Stakeholders Propose Practicable Strategies

Mayors, officials of ministries and civil society organisations of the North West Region on May 28-29, 2026 in Bamenda gave their input in over 50 proposals as government sets out to elaborate the National Strategy for Decentralisation and Local Development 2026- 2030. This was within the framework of a regional consultation workshop with stakeholders for the elaboration of the National Strategy for Decentralisation and Local Development. The stakeholders worked on the basis of a national diagnosis made by the Yaoundebased Multipolar cabinet. Work on the strategy is unfolding under the leadership of the Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development with the support of the Local Governance and Resilient Communities Project (PROLOG). Cameroon has been grappling with the implementation of the decentralization policy enshrined in the 1996 Constitution and local development, especially through Regional and Local Authorities. However, following the diagnosis, “the country faces multidimensional challenges that call for a deepening of and modernization of the process: demographic pressure, regional inequalities, rapid urbanization, climate shocks, security crises, and increasing demands for transparency and efficiency.” As a response to the challenges, the national diagnosis that contains an updated assessment of decentralization and local development within an evolving strategic and institutional environment becomes the key stage in formulating the national strategy. It was with the burning desire to make decentralization and local development attain their set objects that the stakeholders settled down to work after the North West Regional Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique officially opened the wor...