From March 9 to 10, 2026, the city of Yaoundé in Cameroon hosted the Central Africa regional caucus of the pan-African organisation, United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa). The meeting was organised by The United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (CVUC/UCCC), under the auspices of the Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development (MINDDEVEL).
The opening of the proceedings was presided over by Georges Elanga Obam, Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development. Delegates from Chad, Gabon, Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, and Cameroon took part in the discussions, both in person and online.
The Network of Local Elected Women of Africa (REFELA), the Network of Young Elected Local Officials of Africa (YELO), the Forum of African Regions (FORAF) via the Association of Regions of Cameroon, and the Special Fund for Equipment and Inter-municipal Intervention (FEICOM) also made essential contributions to the discussions.
Regional caucuses are strategic platforms for reflection on the positioning of UCLG Africa and its members. These meetings are key stages in the electoral process of UCLG Africa and UCLG World, and aim to: analyse regional issues and Africa’s contribution to global local governance; define a common political position on the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations’ global agendas; designate candidates from each region to the various governing bodies of the two organisations.
In his opening speech, Mr. Obam, urged the Central Africa caucus to harmonise its positions ahead of the organisation’s next General Assembly.
“The items on the agenda of the UCLG Africa Elective General Assembly, scheduled for 23 to 25 March in Nouakchott, are of the utmost importance. It is therefore imperative that Central Africa harmonise its views on issues relating to: the organisation’s general secretariat; updating the priorities of the 2021-2030 strategic plan; redefining the expectations of local authorities in Central Africa; and strengthening their role as credible interlocutors for States, international institutions and technical and financial partners,” he stated.
The Minister also paid a glowing tribute to Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, outgoing Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
“On behalf of the highest authorities of the State, I would like to pay him a profound tribute for his unparalleled commitment to the development of local areas. Mr. ELONG MBASSI, son of Cameroon, you have become the adopted son of the 54 African states, or at least of all African countries that promote local democracy, bottom-up territorial development and citizen participation. You leave a lasting mark on the continent, whose territories and elected officials you know almost entirely.”
The Minister then offered warm congratulations to the incoming Secretary General of UCLG Africa.
“To you, Mr. François Menguele, the next Secretary General, please accept the congratulations of the Cameroonian decentralisation family on your appointment. You have a great mission ahead of you, as you are succeeding a giant, but we know you are capable. You can count on your country to support you,” he said.
In his welcome address, read by his representative, the Mayor of Yaoundé,Mr. Luc Messi Atangana, expressed the honour and privilege of hosting the Central Africa Regional Caucus in Cameroon’s political capital. He emphasised that Yaoundé is now establishing itself as a “major centre for deliberation” on decentralisation, offering a conducive environment for strategic reflection and the sharing of experiences between local authorities.
Proceedings
The proceedings were chaired by Mr. Augustin Tamba, President of CVUC/UCCC, who was appointed by the Mayor of Libreville, Mr. Pierre Mathieu Obame Etoughe, Vice-President of UCLG Africa for the Central Africa region.
Delegates from Central Africa reviewed the situation, challenges and prospects for UCLG Africa. A historical overview highlighted the region’s leading role in the organisation’s origins. It was during the Africities 2003 summit in Yaoundé that the ambition to bring together the continent’s local government associations so that they could speak with one voice was born. After consolidating this unity, UCLG Africa played a decisive role in the drafting of the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development, which was adopted by the Heads of State of the African Union at their Summit held on 27 June 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
This Charter will become a legal instrument of the AU after ratification by 15 member states. The incoming Secretary General of UCLG Africa has committed to stepping up the advocacy needed to obtain the seven remaining ratifications for the Charter to enter into force as a legal instrument of the AU.
Caucus participants actively advocated for the systemic territorialisation of national, regional and continental public policies. They called for placing local and regional authorities in Central Africa at the heart of the implementation of major international agendas, including the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement on climate change and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Considering the challenges, issues and prospects facing UCLG Africa, the caucus made recommendations, particularly in the areas of climate resilience, financing and access to basic services.
The caucus proposed, in particular, that UCLG Africa should promote closer ties between local and regional authorities in the region and regional economic communities (CEMAC and ECCAS) so that the latter takes into account the concerns of local and regional authorities in defining and implementing their policies and strategies.
Members expressed strong expectations for intra-regional decentralised cooperation, with a view to creating twinning arrangements, technical partnerships, peer reviews and learning opportunities, and thematic alliances between cities, municipalities and regions in Central Africa. They welcomed the establishment by the Kingdom of Morocco of the African Fund for Support to International Decentralised Cooperation (FACDI) and praised its positive impact on accelerating South-South decentralised cooperation between Moroccan local authorities and their counterparts in other African countries, including those in Central Africa.
The caucus requested that the concept of ‘production commune’ initiated by CVUC/UCCC in Cameroon be developed throughout the region and beyond, with the aim of making local authorities key economic players, contributing to the establishment of the conditions necessary for the creation and development of productive activities based on the potential of the territories, the creation and diversification of value chains for these productive activities, the creation of sustainable jobs, and the reduction of dependence on imports. The caucus emphasised the need to roll out training programmes for urban and local government professions, making more effective use of UCLG Africa’s African Local Government Academy (ALGA).
The Caucus called for the immediate operationalisation of the UCLG Africa Regional Office for the Central Africa Region. In this regard, the Caucus renewed its confidence in the city of Libreville (Gabon) to host this office and requested that the necessary steps in this regard be communicated as soon as possible to the UCLG Africa General Secretariat.
The second day of the caucus was devoted to electoral processes, with the nomination of candidates from Central Africa to the governing bodies of UCLG Africa and UCLG World. The United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (CVUC/UCCC) have been appointed as Vice-Presidents of UCLG Africa for the Central Africa region.
The caucus did not propose any candidates for the positions open at UCLG World level.
In his closing remarks, Mr Augustin Tamba, President of CVUC/UCCC, expressed his satisfaction with the smooth running of the proceedings.
“This caucus provided an opportunity to revitalise the governing bodies of UCLG Africa in order to secure a prominent place for Central Africa within the organisation and the global organisation UCLG World. In a rather turbulent political and economic world, we must position ourselves, and local authorities must take responsibility for acting and acting together,” he said.