Due to banking regulation which is more and more harmonised, banking integration in the CEMAC zone is progressively becoming a reality. For this reason, the celebration this year 2015 of 25 years of creation of COBAC is an important occasion to profoundly question the balance sheet and perspectives of this regulation and integration. In order to stimulate scientific discussions in this direction and to draw the attention of different actors, the Groupe d'Étude et de Recherche en Droit, Institutions et Intégration Communautaire (GERDIIC) of the Faculty of Law and Political Science of the University of Dschang, is organising an International colloquium to this effect on 10th and 11th December 2015 at the University of Dschang in Cameroun.

I. Context

Drawing from the lessons of the systematic banking crises at the end 1980s, member countries of BEAC zone undertook an integrated banking regulation through the creation of a common banking supervisor and the harmonisation of their banking legislation. It was on this stand point that on 16th October 1990 in Yaounde, the Convention creating the Banking Commission of Central Africa (COBAC) was signed followed on 17 January 1992 by the Convention on the harmonisation of banking regulation in central African states. This institutional plinth since then has re-asserted the new dynamic of economic integration which was booted up by the creation of CEMAC in 1994.

The creation of COBAC brought about important changes in the banking land scape of the countries of CEMAC constituting one of the important levers of integration and the stability of the banking system.

The colloquium “Banking regulation and integration within the CEMAC, 25 years since the creation of COBAC” is a multidisciplinary scientific manifestation which intend to bring together experts from different horizons (jurists, economists and professionals of banking and micro finance), to cast a retrospective and prospective glance on the achievements and challenges of banking regulation and integration within the CEMAC, with regards to the stakes of stability and the security of the banking and financial systems of CEMAC.

II. Objectives

II-1. General objective

The main objective of the colloquium is to make a critical evaluation of the legal framework and the mechanisms of regulation and integration within the CEMAC since the putting in place of COBAC in order to make an appraisal of their effects on the stability of the banking system and the economic development of the sub region.

II-2. Specific objectives

Specific objectives are as follows:

• To appreciate the level of banking integration within the CEMAC;
• To identify the assets and the intensity of the mechanisms of banking regulation;
• To evaluate the effectiveness of banking control and supervision and their effects on the stability of the banking system.

III. Areas of research

The following areas of research are identified:

The domain of banking regulation

This concerns reflecting on the different matters that fall within CEMAC banking regulation, especially as we notice some sort of extension of the domain of competence of the community legislator. Should there be stricto sensu interpretation of banking activity, limited to that of credit establishments or should it be extended to include the activity of microfinance? Questions relating to regulation of means of payment, electronic money and others could be targeted here.

Banking regulation

Reflections here could turn around procedures, techniques of regulation, actors of regulation insisting on the place of COBAC and its relations with other banking actors.

The evaluation of the community system of regulation could also be envisaged here as well as the situation in other countries or sub regions.

Banking integration

Are the ways of banking integration within the CEMAC actually paved? Are we moving towards a veritable banking union within the CEMAC? What evaluation can be made of circulation of capital and the free setting up of credit establishments within the CEMAC? What about the unique approval of credit establishments within the CEMAC?

Security and stability of the banking system

Questions such as the incidence of international banking crises on the CEMAC banking system, preoccupations linked to the contribution of the regional banking system to the fight against money laundry, the contribution of the Guarantee Fund (FOGADAC) could be discussed.

IV. Call for papers

Papers proposed for presentation should meet the following requirements:

• The status and address of the author (telephone number and electronic address);
• An abstract in French or English of a minimum of 15 lines and five key words (interline 1.5, font type Times New Romans size 12).

The complete version of the paper should be sent to the following addresses latest 15th September 2015 :

• Dr Hervé TCHABO, tchabosontang@gmail.com
• Dr Rolande KEUGONG, rolwatcho@yahoo.fr

V. Calendar

• Reception of proposed papers: 15th September 2015.
• Decisions and information of contributors by the scientific committee: 25th September 2015.
• Reception of completed articles: 10th November 2015.
• Colloquium: 10th and 11th December 2015.