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In his capacity as President of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC), the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, (UNOWAS), Mahamat ANNADIF, concluded today a four-day working mission during which he visited Abuja and Yaoundé.

The objective of this first working visit was to take stock of CNMC activities, and to renew the support of the United Nations to the two countries in their joint efforts to finalize the border demarcation, and to launch development projects for populations in border areas affected by the demarcation works.

To this end, the President of the CNMC had meetings with the representatives of the two countries within the CNMC. In Abuja, he met with the Minister of Justice, Head of the Nigeria Delegation, Aboubakar MALAMI, and in Yaoundé, he met with the Head of the Cameroon Delegation, Amadou ALI. He was also received in audience by the Prime Minister, Head of Government of Cameroon, Mr. DION NGUTE Joseph.

During the discussions with its Nigerian and Cameroonian interlocutors, ANNADIF praised the joint work achieved which demonstrates the renewed commitment of the two countries towards the peaceful resolution of their border dispute.

“The work undertaken by the CNMC is exemplary. I encourage the two delegations to further strengthen their efforts to finalize the demarcation process, a guarantee of stability in the sub-regional, “he said.

In this regard, the President of the CNMC also insisted on the need to accompany the populations living on both sides of the border and to consolidate confidence between them.

“The demarcation must be an opportunity for a development program that takes into account the needs, and improves the living conditions of the affected populations,” underlined Mr. ANNADIF, while renewing the multifaceted support of the United Nations, in particular through the country teams in Cameroon and Nigeria.

The President of the CNMC reaffirmed the support of the United Nations to the two countries and welcomed the acceptance by the two delegations to organize, next November, a meeting of the CNMC to discuss the outstanding points and finalize the demarcation project.

At the end of his mission, Mr. ANNADIF thanked the authorities of the two countries for the warmth of the welcome extended to him and his delegation, and paid tribute to the technical experts for the professionalism demonstrated.

Created in November 2001 by the Secretary General of the United Nations at the request of Presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon and Olusegun Obasango of Nigeria, the CNMC facilitates the implementation of the 10 October 2002 Judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the boundary dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria. More information on the mandate and activities of the CNMC available on: Cameroon-Nigeria Joint Commission (CNMC) | UNOWAS

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).