Banking regulation in the countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC): an attempt to contribute to an optimal banking system.

Summary The thesis starts from the premise that the banking system is the keystone of growth financing. Banking regulation is taken as a tool for optimizing the banking system in the CEMAC zone recently impacted by a sharp decline in oil revenues since 2014. Sub-regional institutions have adapted their policies to help strengthen the banking sector and ensure the stability of the financial sector to guarantee sustainable economic growth and bring development to the sub-region. Improving banking governance, strengthening the involvement of banks in financing the zone's economy, supervising and monitoring banking activities, and ensuring compliance with the standards set out in the law are all necessary elements for proper control of systemic risks and legal security for depositors. This has the ultimate effect of guaranteeing the banking and economic stability of any State and promoting its growth. Despite a low rate of bank penetration and active microfinance, the banking system of this economic community is looking for the right regulatory model. This model should enable it to meet the dual challenge of financing development through inclusive banking and increasing bank penetration. In order to do so, it is necessary to examine the role of the BEAC central bank in the pursuit of these objectives and the inadequacy of the banking monopoly in the CEMAC zone. This study proposes to examine the specificities of banking standards in the subregion and to identify the legal reforms to be undertaken. The proposed legal overhaul will provide the States of the zone with the keys to sustainable economic growth. It will foster the zone's development through an optimal banking sector.