Nigeria tasks Commission to accelerate resolution on Nigeria-Cameroon boundaries

Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has tasked the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, CNMC, to speed up the resolution process of the Nigerian-Cameroon borders.

Malami made the call at the 34th session of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Speaking on the progress recorded so far along the Nigerian-Cameroon borders, Minister Malami commended the pillar construction exercise that has taken place in difficult border areas.

He however urged the Commission to hasten the resolution process in other border disagreement areas.

“We directed the Sub-Commission on Demarcation, SCD, during the last session to visit and resolve the areas of disagreement between the Parties (Nigeria and Cameroon)- Mabas, Rhumsiki and Anglo-German Pillar 8. The visit was carried out and the issue of Mabas has been wholeheartedly resolved.

“I wish to urge the SCD to speed up the resolution of the differences in Rhumsiki and Anglo-German Pillar 8 while my counterpart and I will put heads together to amicably resolve the issue in Kotcha village.”

Commending the efforts of the United Nations in amicably solving the boundary differences that exist between the two countries, Malami solicited the support of other development partners for the Demarcation Trust Fund in order to successfully complete other outstanding border demarcation exercise.

“We must therefore commend the services of the UN to Africa and to our countries. I wish to express gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and his Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the encouraging financial support accorded the exercises.

“I request that time consideration be accorded to the planned donor conference to solicit the support of our development partners and those in the demarcation countries and confidence-building initiatives projects.”

The Director-General of the National Boundary Commission in Nigeria, Adamu Adaji, spoke on the efforts of both countries in respect to the boundary demarcation process.

“This meeting is a reflection of the willingness of both heads of delegation and both countries to move towards the finalization of the demarcation process. A great deal of work has already been accomplished in this respect by the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commision. We must therefore redouble our efforts to follow through on our commitments and finalize the process in the remaining areas of disagreement.

“I commend the Government of Nigeria and Cameroon for their efforts to secure these areas which enabled the demarcation teams to carry out their activities and achieve these significant results.”

The Director-General of the Commission called on the international community and other stakeholders to contribute towards improving the living conditions of those affected by boundary demarcation and border communities.

“The role of the international community is crucial and I therefore wish to call on them and on other partners to provide additional resources for the implementation of projects that have already been prepared and are in the pipeline.

“I urge all parties to play their part with the same steadfast commitment, and to reach out to traditional donors for the funding of projects in favour of local populations affected by the demarcation.”

Meanwhile, the CNMC noted that it will continue to work closely with the parties to identify and recommend the implementation of trans-border infrastructure projects to enhance the economic cooperation and integration of the two countries and the region.

It would be recalled that the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission was established in pursuant to the Joint Communique adopted at a summit in Geneva on 15th November, 2002.

PIAK