COMMUNES ET VILLES UNIES DU CAMEROUN - CVUC - UNITED COUNCILS AND CITIES OF CAMEROON-UCCC-
PREAMBLE
We, municipal councillors, representing the cities and councils of Cameroon;
Mindful of the linguistic and cultural diversity of the people of our country, fruit of our secular traditions and the dual British and French council heritage, and conscious or the urgent need to jointly build the unity of the Cameroon nation from our own originality;
Considering that according to the Constitution, the councils of Cameroon are regional and local authorities, corporate bodies under public law, that they have administrative and financial autonomy in the management of regional and local interests, that they are freely administrated by elected councillors under conditions laid down by the laws;
Considering that the councils and cities must become areas for social integration and not exclusion, so as to promote sustainable and harmonious human development which guarantees the well-being of all, notably children, and safeguard the full participation of women;
Considering also that the councils and cities cannot effectively fulfil their missions of economic, social, health, educational, cultural and sports development without boosting intercouncil solidarity founded on efficient partnership and bringing together their human, material, financial and intellectual resources;
Conscious that the world has become a global village, which strengthens relations between nations and peoples, leading to more actions to establish the interdependence of all, as well as the management of the environment, development, social or security problems, and the respect of fundamental rights;
Conscious of the interdependence of the cities and the villages, which means that all efforts be combined, on the one hand, to make the cities invigorate the rural sectors instead of impoverishing them, and on the other hand, to give prominence to the profound values that lie hidden in our soil;
We, the councillors, representing the councils and cities of Cameroon;
Noting the final declaration of the World Assembly of Cities and Local Authorities (WACLA) of 31 May 1996 in Istanbul, during the United Nations Conference on human settlements;
Mindful of the resolutions and recommendations of the first National Seminar on Municipal Administration and Decentralization held in Yaounde from 23 to 25 July 1996;
Noting the different experiences of the Association of Councils and Cities of Cameroon and the Union of Councils and Cities of Cameroon;
Affirm our will to work for a better coordination of our activities at the regional, national and international levels;
Decide to organize ourselves on the basis of unity and equality, in a single national decentralized association, in order to enable the said association to better accomplish its missions;
- Of coordination, organization and mutual assistance;
- As a laboratory for research, reflection, training, information and exchange;
- and
- Of special spokesperson for the Councils and Cities of Cameroon within the administration, and the national and international community;
Agree on the following: