The NCPBM in Brief

Creation: The  Commission was created by decree No: 2017/013 of the 23^rd January 2017.

Legal Status: advisory body with legal personality and financial autonomy.

Position: placed under the Authority of the President of the Republic.

Attributions: Responsible for promoting Bilingualism and Multiculturalism in Cameroon with a view to:

• Maintaining peace;
• Consolidation the country’s unity;
• Strengthening its people’s willingness and day to day experience with respect to living together.

Issue areas:

• Submit reports and recommendations on issues relating to the protection of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism to the President of the Republic;
• Monitor the healthy implementation of article 1 sub (3) of the constitution on the equal status of French and Englishas two official languages;
• Conduct studies and surveys proposing measures likely to strengthen the bilingual and multicultural character of the Cameroon;
• Prepare and submit draft instruments on bilingualism, multiculturalism and togetherness;
• Receive petitions against discriminations arising from noncompliance with the constitutional provisions on bilingualism and multiculturalism and report thereon to the President of the Republic;
• Perform any other tasks assigned to it by the President of the Republic, including mediation.

Organisation: The commission comprises 15 members including one Chairperson and one Vice-chairperson. (Chosen from among personalities of Cameroonian Nationality with recognised competence, moral rectitude, intellectual honesty and patriotism).

Tenure of Office for Members: 5 years renewable.

Administrative Services :  The commission, for the purposes of discharging her duties, has a General Secretariat headed by a Secretary General, appointed by decree of the President of the Republic. He is responsible for the management and the coordination of all Administrative and technical services of the Commission.

Holding of Sessions: The Commission meets at least once every six (6) months, when convened by the Chairperson. At the behest of its Chairperson or when requested by the President of the Republic, the Commission may also meet in extra-ordinarysession when circumstances so warrant.

Reporting: The Commission submits to the President of the Republic, an annual report on the status of implementation of its activities. The said report shall be published. But it should be noted that intermediary reports on all important and pertinent issues can be submitted to the President of the Republic at any time.

Appointments of the Chairperson, Vice-chairperson, Members and the Secretary General:

• Chair person: Decree No 2017/095 of 15^th March 2017;
• Vice-chair person: Decree No 2017/096 of 15^th March 2017;
•  Members: Decree No 2017/097 of 15^th March 2017;
• Secretary General: Decree No 2017/166 of 25^th Avril 2017.

Effective putting in place of the Commission: The Commission has been effectively put in place.

Infrastructure: The Commission has been given structures for its Offices. The Commission has effectively occupied the structures with equipment to start discharging its functions.

Holding of session: Three sessions held so far:

• First plenary session on April 28^th 2017;
• Second plenary session on June 14^th 2017 ;
• An extraordinary session on 14^th July 2017.

Tasks accomplished so far:

Elaboration and adoption of:

• The organizational chart;
•  The standing orders;
• The action plan for the period running from June 2017 to December 2018 which bears on the following thrust areas:
  • The promotion of bilingualism;
  • The promotion of multiculturalism;
  • The promotion of living together.
• Survey on the sound implementation of constitutional provisions on the practice of bilingualism in the 37 Ministerial departments from the 1^st to the 3^rd of November 2017.

These documents in full implementation of section 12 sub (f) of decree n° 2017/013 of 23 January 2017 were approved by the President of the Republic on the 6^th of September 2017.

Future actions: Implementation of :

• The organizational chart;
• The action plan;
• The benchmarking mission plan;
• A ”listen to the people’s tour” of the Regions
• Survey on the sound implementation of constitutional provisions on the promotion of bilingualism in State-owned enterprises.