Kribi et la problématique du développement urbain durable à l’aune du complexe industrialo-portuaire : une étude sous le prisme de l’action communautaire.

Abstract

From a community-based action perspective, this research examines the impact of the industrial port complex as a structuring project on the sustainable urban development of the city of Kribi. It is set within a context where the benefits of “structuring projects” on the quality of life and living environment of Cameroonian communities are increasingly questioned. Indeed, although infrastructures are often perceived as levers for territorial development (BAD, 2018; Calmette & Bontems, 2019, etc.), their positive impact is not systematic and investments do not always guarantee the expected results (Courcier, 2008; De Lara, 2012, etc.). The case of the industrial port complex, despite the hopes it raises, perfectly illustrates this complexity, raising legitimate questions about its actual impact on the sustainable urban development of the city. This complexity leads to the central question of our research: what is the impact of the industrial-port complex, as a structuring project, on the sustainable urban development of the city of Kribi? We hypothesize that the implementation of the industrial-port complex as a structuring project has a positive impact on the sustainable urban development of the city of Kribi. The study is based on a theoretical and conceptual framework informed by community-based action, and particularly its local development approach. It relied on a methodology that favored the combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches, using questionnaires and interview guides as data collection tools. Content analysis, descriptive, and inferential analyses highlight significant changes in the sustainable urban development of Kribi following the establishment of the industrial-port complex, affecting economic, social, environmental, and governance aspects. Recommendations are formulated for a more sustainable and balanced management of urbanization associated with port activity. We consider the territorial appropriation of the industrial-port complex and the conciliation of stakeholder perspectives and strategies around this infrastructure, according to an integrated territorial approach, as essential. In our view, it is this process advocated in community-based action that will help achieve the goal of sustainable urban development in this rapidly evolving city in the context of the industrial-port complex.