Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daniel D
Published on 2024-03-08 19:37:24
Substantial progress has been made in the long-standing border demarcation between Cameroon and Nigeria, with Prime Minister Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute expressing optimism about the ongoing efforts. Leonardo Santos Simoa, the Chairman of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, visited the Star building to discuss the progress.
The areas currently under consideration for demarcation include Rhumsiki and Kotcha villages in the Far-North Region and Terminal 8 in the North Region, situated approximately 36 km apart. Prime Minister Ngute stated that there is no need for further interpretation of the International Court of Justice’s October 10, 2002, ruling to finalize the precise outline of the common border.
Ngute welcomed the progress as “good news,” anticipating the complete demarcation of the Cameroonian and Nigerian borders. Chairman Simoa, following a three-day visit to Yaounde and a similar visit to Abuja, reiterated his commitment to supporting both delegations’ efforts to comply with the International Court of Justice’s ruling.
A press release from Simoa’s office in Dakar highlighted discussions around various aspects of the demarcation process, particularly the need to resolve disagreements over the three border zones where discrepancies persist. Simoa commended the decision of both countries to address these issues within the Mixed Commission, thus avoiding the need to involve the International Court of Justice.
Simoa reaffirmed the UN’s steadfast support for both nations and urged the UN country team to expedite the update of the needs assessment for populations affected by the demarcation. He called for the mobilization of necessary resources to implement projects addressing the identified challenges and to strengthen the confidence and support of border populations.
During his visit to Yaounde, Simoa engaged with key figures, including Minister Delegate Felix Mbayu, Head of Cameroon’s delegation to the CNMC Minister Michel Zoah, and the UN team in Cameroon.
Established in November 2002 at the request of Presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, the commission aims to implement the International Court of Justice’s ruling, addressing land and maritime boundaries, troop withdrawal, authority transfer in specific areas, and the situation of affected populations.
However, as these diplomatic efforts progress, the finalization of the border comes at a time when separatists in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, seeking to establish a breakaway nation called Ambazonia, had been hoping for UN intervention. The former British Southern Cameroons, now North West and South West regions, are located between Nigeria and Cameroon.
The UN, which had been criticized previously for its role in the Anglophone crisis, is now involved in the border finalization process, potentially complicating the Ambazonian claim. The ongoing developments suggest a delicate balance between diplomatic resolutions and regional conflicts.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
