On June 23, 2026, Cameroon marked the 32nd African Public Service Day, an annual event that brings together African states to promote an effective public service that serves citizens. This edition was held under the theme 'Reclaiming Public Service Values', reflecting the shared ambitions of leaders and state officials.
Established in 1995, African Public Service Day aims to highlight best practices, encourage dialogue between administrations and users, and identify areas for improvement. In Francophone Africa, it is a strategic exchange moment where each government presents its progress and reform projects to strengthen trust between the state and the population.
In this context, Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform Joseph Lé addressed an audience of officials, service chiefs, and union representatives, urging them to 'strengthen their commitment to serving citizens' and emphasizing that administrative modernization must become the driving force behind Cameroon's economic and social development.
Minister Lé stressed that reclaiming public service values requires first questioning inherited practices, often marked by administrative slowness and lack of transparency. He argued that each official must reclaim the principles of integrity, proximity, and efficiency to meet the legitimate expectations of an increasingly demanding and connected population.
To achieve this ambition, Joseph Lé announced several priority areas: digitizing procedures to reduce waiting times, strengthening ongoing training for officials to develop their technical and relational skills, and establishing user satisfaction-based evaluation mechanisms. He also mentioned the creation of a national public service observatory to track progress and publish periodic reports.
These measures, if rigorously applied, promise tangible benefits for Cameroonians: faster administrative processes, improved access to state services, and renewed trust between public institutions and citizens. In a context where the country's economic competitiveness depends on the quality of its institutional framework, every improvement in public service translates directly into opportunities for growth and social inclusion.
Minister Lé concluded by calling for collective mobilization, reminding that the success of the reform depends as much on political will as on the daily commitment of field officials. He invited officials to consider themselves as artisans of a lasting transformation and encouraged social partners to support this process through constructive dialogue. The coming months will be decisive in measuring the real impact of these commitments on the daily lives of Cameroonians.
