COMMUNIQUÉ ADOPTED AT THE
FIFTH SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CAMEROON-NIGERIA MIXED COMMISSION
*
Abuja,
11 May 2007
1. In
paragraph 3 of the Communiqué
adopted at its eighteenth meeting held in Abuja, on 7 April 2007,
the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission “decided to accelerate the completion
process of the execution of the
ICJ judgment of 10 October 2002 concerning
the maritime boundary” and “in that regard, hold an extraordinary meeting on
10 and 11 May 2007”. In the same paragraph, “it directed the Joint Team to
finalise the conversion of the British Admiralty Chart 3433, (1994 Edition)
containing the maritime boundary line approved by the Parties and adopted by
the Mixed Commission into WGS84 Datum”, and decided that the Joint Team
“will compare the different options obtained from the points surveyed during
the field mission at sea carried out from 16 to 26 November 2006, and
notably the 4-point option proposed by the Cameroonian party and the
14-points option presented by the UN experts. It was also requested to
consider any other option from the surveyed points that will realistically
respect the Terms of Reference (ToR), as much as possible, which is as close
as possible to the ToR. The Mixed Commission also agreed that it will decide
on the final option to be adopted when it meets in extraordinary session in
Abuja on 10 and 11 May 2007”.
2. The
Mixed Commission held the extraordinary session indicated in paragraph 3 of
the Communiqué adopted at the aforesaid eighteenth ordinary meeting, on 11
May 2007 in Abuja. Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, Special Representative of the
Secretary General of the United Nations chaired the deliberations of the
Mixed Commission in the presence of the Vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali of
Cameroon, and Prince Bola Ajibola (CFR) of Nigeria, who led the Cameroonian
and Nigerian Delegations respectively.
3. The
Mixed Commission adopted the report of the 9th meeting of the Working Group
on the Maritime Boundary which commenced its deliberations in Yaounde on 8
May 2007 and concluded in Abuja on 10 May 2007. Concerning the
geo-referencing of the British Admiralty Chart 3433, 1994 edition,
containing the maritime boundary approved by the parties, the Mixed
Commission adopted the 10-point option presented by the Working Group as
well as the map relating thereto, together with the corresponding
coordinates. The Heads of the delegation of the two parties signed the
documents, and the Chairman of the Mixed Commission signed as witness.
4. The
Mixed Commission expressed delight at the successful conclusion of the
execution of the ICJ judgment of 10 October 2002 concerning the maritime
boundary between the two countries, and hopes that this will open fruitful
prospects of cooperation in the common interest of their peoples.
