The causal relationship between financial development and economic growth is a controversial issue. For developing countries, empirical studies have provided mixed result. This study seeks to empirically explore the relationship and the causal link between financial development and economic growth in two sub-Saharan African countries between 1970 and 2006. The empirical investigation is carried out using time methods and the five most commonly used indicators of financial development in the literature. However, the causal relationship was carried out using two different methods which are the autoregressive distributed lag bounds testing (ARDL) and the vector error correction model (VECM). Using this above methodology the study first found that in both countries there is a positive and long-term relationship between all the indicators of financial development and economic growth which was proxied by the real per capita GDP. With respect to the causality test, the two methods used provide mixed results especially in South Africa. In Cameroon the study found that financial development causes economic growth using the two methods, whereas in South Africa economic growth causes financial development when the VECM method is used, while there is an independence relationship between the two variables in South Africa when using ARDL. / Economics / M.Comm. (Economics)

Doctorat en sciences sociales, politiques et économiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Background: People in Cameroon are experiencing a dietary transition characterized by changing from traditional food habits to increased intake of highly processed sweet and fatty food. The rapid change in food pattern combined with an increased sedentary lifestyle has resulted in a rather high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Nutritional intake is important during adolescence for growth spurt, health, cognitive development and performance in school. Objective: The aim of this thesis was to assess dietary intake, anthropometry and physical activity of adolescents according to sex and socioeconomic status (SES) and to investigate food perceptions of adolescents living in urban and rural areas of Cameroon. Methods: Girls and boys, 12-16 years of age, were randomly selected from schools in urban and rural areas. Food frequency questionnaire, 24-hour dietary and physical activity recalls, anthropometric measurements, qualitative interviews and a background questionnaire were used for data collection. Results: The proportion of overweight was three times higher in girls (14%) compared to boys (4%). Stunting and underweight were more common among boys (15% and 6%) than girls (5% and 1%). The prevalence of stunting was two times higher among the urban adolescents with low SES (12%) compared to those with high SES (5%). The rural adolescents had the highest proportion of stunting but more muscle that the urban adolescents. The rural adolescents ate in order to live and to maintain health. Urban adolescents with low SES ate in order to maintain health, while those with high SES ate for pleasure. More than 30% of the adolescents skipped breakfast in the urban area. Urban adolescents with high SES and girls reported a more frequent consumption of in-between meals and most food groups compared to the rural adolescents, boys and those with low SES. Over 55% of the adolescents had a protein intake below 10% of the energy (E%). Twenty-six percent of the adolescents had fat intake below 25 E%, and 25% had fat intake above 35 E%. A large proportion of the adolescents had an intake of micronutrients below the estimated average recommendation. Boys and the adolescents with low SES reported a higher energy expenditure and physical activity level than girls and the adolescents with high SES, respectively. Both under- and over-reporting of energy intake were common among the adolescents. Conclusions: The present study showed that nutrient inadequacy, stunting, underweight, as well as overweight and obesity were common among the adolescents in Cameroon. Therefore an intervention program targeting both under- and overnutrition among school adolescents is needed. Sex and socioeconomic differences also need to be considered.

This study examined economic and government policies of South Africa on the one hand and that of Cameroon on the other hand. The focus was on specific periods after democratisation of both countries. For South Africa from 1994-2004 and for Cameroon from 1992-2004. Their comparatives economic strength in the face of foreign direct investment flow and the impact of government in attracting foreign direct investment was measured.

Die nachfolgende Länderstudie ist während eines längeren Arbeitsaufenthaltes im Rahmen der internationalen Zusammenarbeit in Kamerun entstanden. Mit ihr versuchen wir, unsere persönlichen Eindrücke und täglichen Beobachtungen in einem Land zu verarbeiten, in dem offenbar alle Hoffnung darauf beruht, dass der alternde Staatspräsident Paul Biya seinen Abschied von der politischen Bühne nimmt und damit ein autokratisches, korruptes Regime sein Ende findet. Diese Hoffnung scheint mit der Erwartung von Francis Fukuyama verbunden zu werden, der 1992 nach dem Zusammenbruch des Sowjet-Imperiums das „Ende der Geschichte“ erklärte, in der Überzeugung, dass das demokratische Gesellschaftsmodell bald überall Einzug halten würde. Bekanntlich hat sich diese Erwartung als zu optimistisch erwiesen. Mit unserer Untersuchung versuchen wir aufzuzeigen, warum sich die Hoffnung auf eine gerechtere Gesellschaft trotz langjähriger Bemühungen westlicher Geber um die Stärkung der Zivilgesellschaft und die Dezentralisierung staatlicher Aufgaben auch in Kamerun kaum erfüllen wird. Ein „Ende der Geschichte“ lässt sich auch für die Zeit nach Paul Biya nicht prognostizieren. / After more the thirty years in office, the political career of the elderly Cameroon President Paul Biya seems to have come to an end. After gaining independence in 1960 Cameroon was quickly turned into a dictatorial police state under Paul Biya’s predecessor, Mr Ahmadou Ahidjo. A forced political liberalisation at the beginning of the 1990’s removed the existing one-party-system. However, in reality, little has changed regarding the country’s political situation as the newly granted democratic rights exist only on paper. Not only is Mr Biya the sole and unchallenged ruler of Cameroon, he is also the “glue” that binds the country together. Despite the country’s wealth of natural resources, government corruption and mismanagement has resulted in an elite with much wealth and a majority of people living in poverty. In spite of this, and even in face of ethnic and religious diversity, Cameroon is one of the most stabile countries in Africa. Civil war did not occur and Christians and Muslims live peacefully side by side. Therefore, the end of the rule of Paul Biya seems to offer both an opportunity as well as a threat to this nation’s future. The opportunity could be realized if democratically minded segments of the society succeed in installing a pluralistic regime that abolishes corruption and nepotism. In order to make this scenario more likely, western donors have begun to support the establishment of a civil society and, through decentralisation programs, strengthened the concept of democratic local self-governance. The treat is that with the disappearance of Paul Biya from the stage a dangerous political vacuum may result. As no successor seems to be in sight who is capable of leading the people and democratizing the country, there is a danger that Cameroon might follow the path of other African nations and fall into a state of turmoil and decay. This book offers an analysis of the mechanisms which have resulted in Cameroon remaining a fragile state even after fifty years of independence. At the same time - on the basis of examining the findings of transformation theories - the book explores the possibility of bringing about democratic changes to the country by critically examining the impact of the activities of the international donor community. Cameroon is often called the „Afrique en miniature“. This is why a great part of the results of this analysis are also useful for judging the political circumstances in other francophone countries in Africa. Therefore the significance of the book goes beyond the context of the situation in Cameroon.

Introduction HIV remains a severe global health problem. The Republic of Chad is moderately affected (1.3%), compared to Cameroon who suffers more of the burden of the HIV/AIDS (4.5%). We described the HIV risk factors in two neighboring Central African Republics, and compared the gaps in both countries. Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional study; data was obtained from the Demographic and Health Survey. A stratified multi-stage cluster sample design was conducted. The sample size was 5248 in Chad and 7191 in Cameroon. We used SAS to fit a multilevel logistic model, and conducted a multivariate analysis. Results The median age of respondents was 30 (IQR, 20-40) years in Chad, and 28 (IQR, 20-40) in Cameroon. Only 12.45% reported had ever been tested for HIV in Chad, (41.77% in Cameroon). In Chad, 46.40% of participants did not know a place to get HIV test, (11.15% in Cameroon). The median number of lifetime sexual partners was 2 (IQR, 1-4) in Chad, and 6 (IQR, 3-15) in Cameroon. Among Chadian participants 31.63% had only one lifetime sexual partner, (10.76% in Cameroon). In Chad 86.95% of participants reported having no sex partner other than their spouse in the last 12 months; (57.3% in Cameroon). Conclusion Condom use and HIV testing rates were very low among Chadian men comparing to Cameroonian men; however, Cameroonian men were more likely to engage in multiple sexual partners and extra-marital relationship than Chadian men.

En 2010, le Cameroun a fêté le centenaire de l’éducation moderne et le cinquantenaire de son indépendance. Pour les générations adultes, le niveau scolaire a dangereusement baissé. Selon eux, les élèves étaient jadis plus consciencieux et plus performants. À ce titre, les établissements scolaires BONNEAU, SACRÉ-COEUR, SAINT-COEUR, VOGT, STOLL, évoquent tout ce qu’il y a de sérieux. Les personnalités de premier rangdu Cameroun à l’exemple du Chef de l’État actuel, y ont été formées par des missionnaires canadiens. Voulant savoir ce qui faisait la particularité de cette éducation, nous avons émis l’hypothèse générale qu’elle reposait sur une approche didactique particulière. Cette hypothèse nous a permis de consulter des archives pour examiner les aspects éthiques, socioprofessionnels, psychopédagogiques et technologiques des éducateurs canadiens. Il en ressort que les valeurs éthiques et morales étaient au coeur de leur approche éducative. Le profil des enseignants de ces établissements était moins important que les valeurs chrétiennes qu’ils incarnaient. Aussi avons-nous proposé que les éducateurs camerounais actuels s’inspirent de ce modèle pour améliorer leur pratique. En somme, il nous est apparu hautement souhaitable que les professeurs d’histoire, s’appuyant sur l’approche éthique canadienne, présentent des valeurs authentiquement africaines aux jeunes Camerounais. / In 2010, Cameroon celebrated the centenary of modern education and the fiftieth anniversary of its independence. For adult generations, school level dropped alarmingly. According to this thesis, the students were once more conscientious and more efficient. As such, schools like BONNEAU, SACRED HEART, SAINT-HEART, VOGT, STOLL, evoke everything that is serious. Great personalities of Cameroon of the example of the current head of State were being trained by Canadian missionaries. Wanting to know what the peculiarity of this education was, we issued the general assumption that it was based on a particular educational approach. This assumption allowed us to develop a questionnaire to examine the ethical, socio-professional, pedagogical and technological aspects of Canadian educators. After counting the questionnaire, it appears that the ethical and moral values were at the heart of their educational approach. The profile of the teachers appeared less important than the Christian values they embodied. We therefore proposed that the current Cameroonian educators get inspired by this model to improve their practice. In short, it became highly desirable that history teachers, based on the Canadian ethical approach, have authentically African values to young Cameroonians.

In the rural water scheme projects across sub-Saharan Africa, the participatory Community Based Management model has become the norm. Through initial financing by oustide funders, the goal is for communities to independently take on the financing of the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the improved water schemes, thereby ensuring sustainability and functionality of the pumps. Evidence has been gathering, however that this model, combining ideals of collective action with the logics of commodification, has been frequently failing, one in three hand pumps in Africa are out of function, and communities struggle to meet the financing needs of O&M in infrastructures which perpetuate isolation. This, however, does not lie fully in the fault of the communities, or implementation, but also in theoretical downfalls of the CBM. Looking at a community-based rural project in the Tikar region of Central Cameroon as well, this research reveals the limits of CBM to achieving sustainable water access, as well as reveal new angles and paradigms to pursue.

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans une dynamique et une perspective plurielles car elle interroge essentiellement les sciences du langage, les sciences de l'éducation, mais emprunte également à l'économie de l'éducation, la sociologie de l'éducation, et la docimologie. Le point de départ de ce travail s'enracine dans notre questionnement permanent sur les faiblesses des systèmes éducatifs d'Afrique subsaharienne. Le cœur de notre travail interroge le bilinguisme officiel français-anglais à l'Éducation de base et les raisons pour lesquels le Cameroun ne parvient pas à atteindre ce bilinguisme scolaire. L'analyse à visée évaluative de la politique linguistique éducative montre in fine que le bilinguisme officiel au Cameroun est un bilinguisme de façade et les raisons essentielles de ce constat sont identifiées.Sur le plan méthodologique, les observables relèvent de techniques qualitatives courantes en sciences humaines (enquêtes de terrain fondées sur des entretiens semi-directifs, observations de classes, méta-analyses) et de techniques quantitatives issues principalement du domaine de l'économie de l'éducation.La perspective retenue dans la formulation des recommandations relève d'une approche aussi systémique que le permettait le cadre de notre étude et d'une tentative de pont entre le Nord et le Sud. Cette démarche nous a notamment conduit à nous appuyer, en particulier, sur les travaux sur le plurilinguisme du Conseil de l'Europe. Certes le terrain de recherche qui est le nôtre, l'Afrique subsaharienne francophone, est totalement différent du contexte européen, en apparence. Mais des points de convergence existent et il est certainement possible de dégager matière à réflexion de ces recherches axées uniquement sur l'Europe. S'il ne s'agit pas de plaquer les résultats obtenus dans ces recherches sur un terrain aussi différent que le Cameroun, il nous a semblé cependant qu'une contextualisation pourrait permettre, dans une perspective de mutualisation des bonnes pratiques, des évolutions intéressantes du bilinguisme scolaire au Cameroun.L'originalité de ce travail repose sur la thématique choisie, une contribution à l'analyse de la politique linguistique éducative dans une perspective évaluative, et sur l'introduction de méthodes issues du monde des consultants en éducation pour l'examen de cette politique. / This thesis is part of a dynamic and pluralistic perspective because it essentially asks the language sciences, science education, but also borrows from the economics of education, sociology of education, and docimology. The starting point of this work is rooted in our constant questioning about the weaknesses of sub-Saharan Africa education systems. The heart of our work questions the official French -English bilingualism in basic education and the reasons for which the Cameroon fails to reach this school bilingualism. The analysis referred to evaluative language education policy ultimately shows that official bilingualism in Cameroon is a bilingual facade and the main reasons for this situation are identified.On the methodological level, observable within current qualitative techniques in the social sciences (field surveys based on semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, meta-analyzes) and quantitative techniques mainly from the field of economics of education.The perspective adopted in the formulation of recommendations is part of a systemic approach also permitted the scope of this study and an attempt to bridge between North and South. This approach has led us to support us including, in particular, the work on multilingualism of the Council of Europe. While the field of research that is ours, Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa is totally different from the European context, apparently. But the points of convergence exist and it is certainly possible to identify to think of this research focused only on Europe. If it is not to flatten the results obtained in this research one as different as Cameroon ground, it seemed, however, that contextualization could afford, with a view to sharing best practices, interesting developments bilingual school in Cameroon.The originality of this work is based on the chosen theme, a contribution to the analysis of language education policy in an evaluative perspective, and the introduction of methods from the worlds of education consultants for review of this policy.

Le changement climatique est manifeste et son impact sur l’agriculture est indéniable, surtout dans les pays d’Afrique subsaharienne qui restent les plus vulnérables. Cette étude analyse la représentation sociale du changement climatique chez les agriculteurs au Cameroun. Le cadre théorique est celui de l’approche structurale des représentations sociales. Ainsi, il est question d’examiner l’organisation et la structuration de l’objet changement climatique auprès de ce public spécifique que sont les agriculteurs. Trois enquêtes ont été réalisées à cet effet. La première étude est une enquête exploratoire ; deux groupes d’agriculteurs (N= 60) issus de deux contextes géo-climatiques différents ont été interrogés par le biais du test d’associations libres. On observe que le changement climatique est bel et bien un objet porté en représentation chez les agriculteurs et présente deux noyaux centraux différents articulés autour d’éléments naturels et fonctionnels. La seconde étude a été réalisée quatre ans plus tard auprès de deux groupes d’agriculteurs (N=95), toujours dans les mêmes contextes géo-climatiques. Le test d’associations libres a été complété par le questionnaire de caractérisation. Tout comme la première enquête, on observe également deux représentations sociales différentes du changement climatique. Pour un groupe, l’absence des pluies apparaît plus sailllante et l’avancée du désert plus caractéristique ; tandis que pour l’autre, le changement des saisons semble plus central. La lecture diachronique de l’étude montre des évolutions dans la représentation. La troisième étude s’est intéressée au discours de la presse sur le changement climatique par l’analyse lexicométrique. Trois journaux et quotidiens ont été analysés. On observe une potentielle influence du discours de presse dans le champ représentaionnel. Au-delà de la variable contextuelle qui différencie fortement les deux groupes d’agriculteurs en induisant des représentations sociales différenciées, l’étude montre une représentation sociale décrite essentiellement à travers ses effets, structurée autour des éléments naturels liés à la pratique agricole et qui évolue progressivement. Les résultats sont discutés au regard des caractéristiques climatiques de chaque zone et de l’adaptation au changement climatique par l’adoption de nouvelles pratiques agricoles. / Climate change is obvious and its impacts on agriculture in undeniable especially in sub-saharan african countries which remain the most vulnerable. This study analyzes the social representation of climate change among farmers in Cameroon. The theoretical framework is the structural approach of social representations. Thus, it was question of examining the organisation and the structuring of the object climate change within the specific public which are the farmers. Three surveys were conducted for this purpose.The first study in an exploratory survey ; three groups of farmers (N=60) were interviewed through the free association test. It is observed that climate change is indeed an object of representation for farmers and has a dual structure with two different core centers that have functional elements.The second study was condutued four years laters within two groups of farmers (N=95) still in the same geo-climatic contexts. The free association test was completed by the characterization questionnaire. As with the first survey, there are also two different social representations of climate change. For one group, the absence of rain appears more salient and the advance of desert mor characteristic ; while for the other, the change of season seems more central. A diachronic reading of the study shows changes in the representation.The third study focused on the press release on climate change through lexicometric analysis. Three newspapers and dailies were analyzed. There is a potential influence of the press discourse in the representation field.Beyond the contextual variable that strongly differentiates the two groups of farmers by inducing differentiated social representations, the study shows a social representation described essentially through its effects, structured around natural elements related to agricultural practice and evolving gradually. The results are discussed in terms of the climatic characteristics of each zone and adaptation to climate change through the adoption of new agricultural practices.