The decentralized cooperation between the municipality of Bangangté (Cameroon) and the district of Berlin-Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (Germany) originated from an initiative led by the Cameroonian Embassy in Germany.

This partnership, initiated just two years ago (July 2023), is gradually taking shape, particularly through youth exchanges, cultural projects, and above all, the construction of infrastructure useful to the local population.

In April 2025, a delegation of fifteen young Berliners, accompanied by their supervisors, visited Bangangté. Their mission resulted in the installation of a water supply system that now improves access to drinking water for several dozen households.

The project is jointly funded by the German district administration and by revenue generated at Berlin’s Christmas markets, where a permanent stall offers Cameroonian products. A non-profit association, created to support this cooperation, also ensures its sustainability.

The partnership, officially sealed by an agreement signed between the two municipalities this year, continues to expand. After Bangangté, Kribi and other Cameroonian municipalities could join.

In Berlin, discussions are underway to involve the 12 other city districts and to strengthen the cooperation with the support of the Berlin Senate.

The next steps for this project include:

• A visit of young Cameroonians to Berlin in 2026, centered around an urban agriculture project;
• The presentation of the partnership in Giessen during the 6th Conference on Cooperation between German and Sub-Saharan African Municipalities (September 8-11, 2025);
• A working meeting in Berlin (September 11-14, 2025) to deepen exchanges.

This partnership illustrates the key role of municipalities and young people in strengthening ties between Cameroon and Germany, in the service of shared sustainable development and decentralized cooperation.