Le Public Independent Conciliator: une composante administrative au service du droit (positif) et de l’administration régionale du Nord-Ouest et Sud-Ouest (Cameroun)

This article analyses the role of the Public Independent Conciliator in the context of not only decentralisation, but also regional and municipal administration. The aim of this reflection is to determine to what extent the institution of the Public Independent Conciliator, as enshrined in Law No. 2019/024 on decentralised local authorities, can improve the relationship between citizens and the administration in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, given its historical legacy, the decentralisation process and the inherent limitations of its non-judicial status. The issue therefore centres on the question of the extent to which the Public Independent Conciliator constitutes an effective mechanism for administrative mediation in the North-West and South-West regions, and what legal, institutional and historical conditions influence its effectiveness in protecting the rights of citizens and building a modern decentralised state in Cameroon. The aim is to present, through a descriptive and analytical approach based on positive law, the introduction of this instrument in the process of decentralisation. In addition, we will examine the rationale and instruments of this decentralisation tool. We will begin by placing the PIC in its legal context before examining its contemporary impact on the relationship between citizens and administrations. In light of the above, the theory of administrative mediation, which draws on the work of the ombudsman, provides insight into the regulatory mechanisms, role and legitimacy of the PIC.