Core area “Peaceful and inclusive societies” Improving administration at the national and local levels

    Germany is assisting Cameroon in modernising its administration and developing and restructuring decentralised institutions. The work focuses on transparency and responsiveness to citizens' needs, municipal development planning, infrastructure and economic development, and tax revenue and tax administration.

    Market woman in Cameroon

    Market woman in Cameroon

    One goal is improved budgeting at the national and local levels. Support is being provided to the central government and to local authorities so they can work together more effectively on public financial management, define clear powers and responsibilities for each level, and improve tax collection. So far, only few citizens and enterprises have been paying taxes, among other things because of corruption and the largely informal character of the economy.

    In the future, budgeting is to give greater attention to gender and development aspects. For instance, more money is to go towards services and infrastructure projects that benefit the people directly, especially women and girls. In order to foster the economic empowerment of women, a new project seeks to reduce the digital gender divide.


    Developing infrastructure, strengthening civil society

    As part of Financial Cooperation, Germany is supporting the efforts of selected medium-sized cities to successfully play their important role as regional economic hubs and service centres. KfW Development Bank is working through a Cameroonian investment fund to support the development and maintenance of social and economic infrastructure. This includes preschools, schools, hospitals, roads and markets. The focus is on cities and communities that are hosting many refugees or internally displaced persons.

    Under Technical Cooperation, the German Development Ministry (BMZ) is assisting municipalities in working more closely with the private sector and civil society. The cooperation programme is geared towards strengthening the role of civil society players. In 17 municipalities in northern Cameroon, targeted efforts are under way to assist young people, who suffer particularly under the lack of economic opportunities. GIZ is assisting young people who are starting their own business so they can realise promising business ideas and thus build livelihoods for themselves.

    Germany is also supporting local efforts to create a basis for local authorities that are responsive to citizens' needs. One project involves the modernisation and digitisation of the civil registration and vital statistics system, with a view to recording reliable statistical and demographic data and issuing more, and better, (birth) certificates.

    As at: 27/02/2024