International Action of Local and Regional Governments and Local Development in Cameroon: What Articulation Between the Local and National Levels of Foreign Policy in the Age of Interdependence?

This research analyses the contribution of the International Action of Local and Regional Governments (AICT) to local development in Cameroonian cities in light of the evolution of interdependence between the State and local and regional governments in the field of foreign policy. In a context shaped by globalisation, decentralisation and the growing prominence of sub-state actors, the study moves beyond a narrow understanding of decentralised cooperation to approach AICT as a reconfiguring public policy arena encompassing international partnerships, city networks, co-development and territorial outreach strategies. Drawing on the theory of complex interdependence and the socio-historical approach to public policy, the research adopts a qualitative methodology combining documentary analysis with semi-structured interviews conducted with national support institutions and officials responsible for international action in the cities of Yaoundé, Douala, Bafoussam, Bangangté and Dschang. The findings show that AICT contributes to local development through the mobilisation of human, technical and financial resources, the strengthening of institutional capacities and the improvement of certain local public services. However, its impact remains uneven and limited because of the predominance of implicit interdependence between the State and local and regional governments, characterised by insufficient institutional, financial and strategic support. The study nevertheless identifies a gradual shift towards explicit interdependence, driven in part by the growing involvement of new actors, particularly the diaspora and international organisations. This dynamic promotes the diversification of international action and creates opportunities for multi-level governance oriented towards local development. The effectiveness of AICT therefore depends not only on strengthening the structural and operational capacities of cities, but also on improving the mechanisms of interdependence that shape their relationship with foreign policy. Establishing multi-level governance of foreign policy is consequently essential to making AICT a sustainable lever for local development and for enhancing Cameroon’s international standing.

AICT, implicit interdependence, explicit interdependence, foreign policy, decentralised cooperation

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