Gov’t restates support to United Cities & Local Gov’ts of Africa.

The member of government was speaking while opening the Central African caucus of UCLG on Monday, March 9. 

The opening ceremony was attended among others by the President of the United Cities and Councils of Cameroon, UCCC, Augustin Tamba; the incoming Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Francois Menguele; and his predecessor scribe, Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi.

The two-day event also grouped members of Central African countries that make up the organisation. Officials said there will be the election of UCLGA Central Africa’s new leadership in preparation for continental election by the end of March 2026.

There was also an electoral process for the nomination of candidates from the sub region to the various bodies of UCLG Africa and the global arm of the organisation.

The caucus which ended Tuesday also saw authorities providing proposals to the challenges of the Central African subregion and the situation of UCLG Africa.

Minister Elanga Obam described UCLG Africa as a decisive platform for the continuous betterment of the African continent especially in areas of decentralization and development.

He said the government of Cameroon will contribute in strengthening the bloc in a bid to ensure its strides of notably leading the Central African subregional arm towards sustained success.

“Cameroon reaffirms the commitment of its regional and local authorities to actively contribute to the dynamization of UCLG Africa and to bring a strong voice to unite Central African countries on the Pan-African and international scene,” the minister stated.

He said Cameroon under the leadership of the Head of State, Paul Biya, has made strides in strengthening decentralization since December 2019 with the voting of a new law.

The minister said the legal adjustment which empowers municipalities to lead development is also helping to address concerns of the population of the North West and South West Regions.

He detailed that councils in Cameroon today have become active players in local development thanks to the new laws in place. The minister saluted the choice of another Cameroonian as scribe of UCLG in Central Africa.

Participants laud grouping

The Mayor of Abéché Council in Chad, Dr Abdel-Mahamoud Adam Yaya, whose Council is the second biggest in Chad, hailed UCLG as a major development-oriented platform.

He said the Central African caucus will go down as a powerful moment for exchange and unity among all the local elected officials of the Central African region.

“I believe our participation here in Yaounde will allow us to better organize and implement better strategies so that development will match with the status of our council,” Dr Adam Yaya stated.

The City Mayor of Kumba, Gregory Mewanu, said the Yaounde gathering UCLG is already breaking new grounds. 

“I think it is incumbent on every council to be a party to this movement. Through the platform, we can add impetus to benefit from whatsoever financing is actually there,” Mewanu stated.

A member of Sao Tome and Principe’s delegation, Vicente Vaz Fernandes Cesaltino, said his country is not a regular participant in UCLG Africa. Vaz said his country however remains strongly committed to its activities.

“This kind of event is interesting for us because it guides us on how we should work for our local development,” Vaz told reporters, adding that: “We are an island. We don’t have much contact with the Continent so this is a way to bring us closer to know what is happening elsewhere so we can learn”.

The article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3728 of Wednesday March 11, 2026