Public Policy and Decentralisation

This book examines Cameroon's evolution as a "decentralised unitary State," tracing the journey from the 1996 Constitution's proclamation of decentralisation through its slow implementation. It covers public policy theory, decentralisation models), and Cameroon's colonial split between French and British rule, which shaped today's governance tensions. Key legal milestones examined include the 2004 decentralisation laws and the 2019 General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, which finally enabled Regional Councils to be elected in 2020-24 years after being constitutionally mandated. A major focus is the Anglophone crisis, which led to a special status regime for the North-West and South-West Regions, including a House of Chiefs and Public Independent Conciliator. The book also covers traditional authorities, civil society participation, comparative African decentralisation experiences, and persistent challenges: weak fiscal autonomy, capacity gaps, corruption risks, and the unresolved Anglophone conflict. The author concludes that decentralisation remains incomplete but essential to Cameroon's national cohesion and diversity management.