The Commission on demarcation of the border between Cameroon and Nigeria has closed its thirty-first (31) session today in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission is composed of official delegations from Cameroon and Nigeria, led respectively by Mr. Amadou Ali, Vice-Prime Minister and Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, Minister of Justice. It is chaired by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa, Mr. Said Djinnit.
Set up by the United Nations (UN) at the request of Cameroon and Nigeria, the Mixed Commission was established to facilitate the implementation of the judgment of the International Court of Justice (2002), on the delimitation of the border between the two countries.
"The Mixed Commission can be proud of commendable achievements in eleven years of activity. To date, experts from Cameroon and Nigeria, assisted by those from the United Nations, have agreed on the placement of boundary pillars representing 95% of the assessment work," declared the Cameroonian Vice-Prime Minister, Mr. Amadou Ali. Moreover, 378 pillars have already been constructed and work to delimit the maritime boundary was completed in 2008. During the 31st Session, the Parties agreed resuming the pillar emplacement exercise under the supervision of a tripartite structure.
The United Nations Country Teams from Cameroon and Nigeria also reported on progress regarding the development of socio-economic projects in assistance to the populations affected by the demarcation, in addition to governmental investments on infrastructure. These projects submitted to donors seek to foster solidarity between populations on both sides of the border. "We expect that these efforts, with the support of the United Nations will result in food security, water supply, education, energy, resettlement and the integration of the populations", highlighted Mr. Adoke.
To address growing security challenges in the sub-region, Mr. Said Djinnit, Chairman of the Mixed Commission welcomed the announcement by delegations on the implementation of a Trans-border Security Agreement. "Terrorism thrives in the absence of development perspectives as well as insufficient border surveillance. The requests that I have recently submitted to our partners, seek to support the social and economic integration for border populations. The proposed program aims at combining good neighbor relations in a free, prosperous and democratic society," he concluded.
