Décentralisation et dynamiques socio-économiques dans le département du Noun : cas de la commune de Foumbot (1996-2019)

Abstract

Decentralization exist in Cameroon since the pre-independence periods. Understanding such a phenomenon and its impact on the local development process leads to a central question, namely, what is the contribution of decentralization in the development process in Foumbot? Such a question made it possible to identify four main axes. In the first analysis, it appears that the mandate and guardianship policies proposed by the League of Nations and the decentralized UN is now a topical problem in Cameroon. This policy, which was set up in 1994 to really materialize with the promulgation of the Cameroonian constitution of 1996, completes the development program initiated by President Paul Biya. It is with this in mind that the territorial entities were created in Cameroon. As for the locality of Foumbot, it stands out thanks to its natural and human diversity. This diversity gives rise to several socio-economic activities that animate daily life. Decentralization, which involves local development, has tackled several areas of development, including health, education, infrastructure development and more. It is therefore an important tool for local development and therefore for national development. Many state and non-state actors have engaged in the development process in the locality of Foumbot. However, we can make an assessment of the progress towards decentralization in Cameroon, and in particular in the locality of Foumbot where, the balance remains mixed. Indeed, the repercussions of decentralization on the local development of this municipality are hampered by several obstacles and it is imperative to overcome these problems in order to perfect the development of this territory and even of the entire Cameroonian entity. To arrive at these results, both a quantitative, qualitative and sociological methodology was used. Diachronic and chronological approaches, the reading and exploitation of oral sources and archival documents formed the backbone of the study. It is clear to think that local development in Foumbot has experienced several obstacles and limitations, despite many initiatives that have been allocated to it. However, to complete this development, it is necessary to revitalize decentralization by aligning it with the specific realities of each decentralized territorial collectivity, including that of the locality of Foumbot in particular.