Development of cities and towns: Cameroon, invitation to the exercise of defining a smart strategy anchored in the reality and possibilities of CTDs
The acceleration of the decentralization process by the State has definitely shifted the center of gravity of Cameroonian public policies towards local entities. During the current terms of office, the Decentralized Territorial Collectivities (CTDs) will have to emphasize their difference, mobilize their strengths but also take care of their weaknesses. Citizens, businesses and public services expect CTDs to be effective. To do this, they must bet on innovation and creativity. So, focus on digital technologies as a lever for human, economic, ecological and environmental development in particular. Because data and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) provide solutions to the challenges of sustainable development of cities and municipalities: this is what a growing number of African communities, sometimes the most unexpected, have including by defining their city (or territory) project on the model of the smart city (or smart territory). The smart city (intelligent territory) uses data and ICT resources, whether they be telecommunications networks, data centers, big data, open data or services and applications to better fulfill its functions: mobility, security, housing, education, employment, health, culture, etc. In other words, to offer everyone a fulfilling living or working environment. It is to this project that Professor Adolphe Ayissi Eteme, a specialist in urban management and data, invites the association of Communes and United Cities of Cameroon (CVUC) as well as the Cameroonian CTDs to join.
