Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission
Meetings of the UN Secretary-General
with the Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria

1. Greentree Agreement - 12 June 2006, Greentree, New York

2. Tripartite summit of 11 May 2005, Geneva - Joint Communiqué

3. Tripartite summit of 31 January 2004, Geneva - Joint Communiqué

4. Secretary-General's Statement - 15 November  2002

5. Secretary-General's Statement - 05 September 2002

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
CONCERNING THE MODALITIES OF WITHDRAWAL
AND TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY
IN THE BAKASSI PENINSULA

    Download the Greentree Agreement [PDF version] 

The Republic of Cameroon (hereinafter referred to as “Cameroon”) and the Federal Republic of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as “Nigeria”),

Reaffirming their willingness to peacefully implement the judgment of the International Court of Justice, Commending the Secretary-General of the United Nations for his efforts made in this respect in organizing the tripartite summits and establishing the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, Considering that the question of the withdrawal from and transfer of authority over the Bakassi Peninsula should be treated in a forward-looking spirit of goodwill in order to open new prospects for cooperation between the two countries after decades of difficult bilateral relations, Determined to encourage the consolidation of confidence and peace between their two countries for the well-being of their peoples and for stability in the subregion, Have decided to conclude the present Agreement.

Article 1

Nigeria recognizes the sovereignty of Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula in accordance with the judgment of the International Court of Justice of 10 October 2002 in the matter of the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria. Cameroon and Nigeria recognize the land and maritime boundary between the two countries as delineated by the Court and commit themselves to continuing the process of implementation already begun.

Article 2

Nigeria agrees to withdraw all its armed forces from the Bakassi Peninsula within sixty days of the date of the signing of this Agreement. If exceptional circumstances so require, the Secretary-General of the United Nations may extend the period, as necessary, for a further period not exceeding a total of thirty days. This withdrawal shall be conducted in accordance with the modalities envisaged in Annex I to this Agreement.

Article 3

1. Cameroon, after the transfer of authority to it by Nigeria, guarantees to Nigerian nationals living in the Bakassi Peninsula the exercise of the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in international human rights law and in other relevant provisions of international law.

2. In particular, Cameroon shall:

(a) not force Nigerian nationals living in the Bakassi Peninsula to leave the Zone or to change their nationality;

(b) respect their culture, language and beliefs;

(c) respect their right to continue their agricultural and fishing activities;

(d) protect their property and their customary land rights;

(e) not levy in any discriminatory manner any taxes and other dues on Nigerian nationals living in the Zone; and

(f) take every necessary measure to protect Nigerian nationals living in the Zone from any harassment or harm.

Article 4

Annex I and the map contained in Annex II to this Agreement shall constitute an integral part thereof.

No part of this Agreement shall be interpreted as a renunciation by Cameroon of its sovereignty over any part of its territory.

Article 5

This Agreement shall be implemented in good faith by the Parties, with the good offices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, if necessary, and shall be witnessed by the United Nations, the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.

Article 6

1. A Follow-up Committee to monitor the implementation of this Agreement is hereby established. It shall be composed of representatives of Cameroon, Nigeria, the United Nations and the witness States. The Committee shall monitor the implementation of the Agreement by the Parties with the assistance of the United Nations observers of the Mixed Commission.

2. The Follow-up Committee shall settle any dispute regarding the interpretation and implementation of this Agreement.

3. The activities of the Follow-up Committee shall cease at the end of the period of the special transitional regime provided for in paragraph 4 of Annex I to this Agreement.

Article 7

This Agreement shall in no way be construed as an interpretation or modification of the judgment of the International Court of Justice of 10 October 2002, for which the Agreement only sets out the modalities of implementation.

Article 8

This Agreement is concluded in English and French, both texts being equally authentic.

Done at Greentree, New York, on 12 June 2006.

For the Republic of Cameroon: Paul Biya, President

For the Federal Republic of Nigeria: Olusegun Obasanjo, President

Witnesses

The United Nations

The Federal Republic of Germany

The United States of America

The French Republic

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland:

Annex I

Zone in question of the Bakassi Peninsula

1. In order to prepare the Nigerian nationals living in the zone in question of the Bakassi Peninsula (hereinafter “the Zone”) for the transfer of authority to Cameroon, the Zone shall temporarily be subject to a special status as laid down in this Annex.

For the purpose of this Annex, the details of the delimitation of the Zone are set out in the attached map (Annex II).

2. (a) Cameroon shall allow Nigeria to keep its civil administration and a police force necessary for the maintenance of law and order in the Zone for a non-renewable period of two years from the time of the withdrawal of the Nigerian forces. At the end of this period, Nigeria shall withdraw its administration and its police force and Cameroon shall take over the administration of the Zone.

(b) The United Nations and the witness States shall be invited to attend the ceremony of the transfer of authority.

3. For the duration of this period, Nigeria shall:

(a) not conduct or allow the conduct of any activities in the Zone which would prejudice Cameroon’s peace or security;

(b) take every necessary measure, under the supervision of the United Nations observers of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, to stop any transfer or influx of its nationals into the Zone;

(c) not engage in any activity in the Zone which would complicate or hinder the transfer of authority to Cameroon;

(d) equip its police force in the Zone with only the light equipment strictly necessary for the maintenance of law and order and for personal defence;

(e) guarantee to Cameroonian nationals wishing to return to their village in the Zone the exercise of their rights;

(f) not conduct or continue the exploitation of natural resources in the sub-soil of the Zone, or to engage in any other activity harmful to the environment;

(g) take every necessary measure to prevent any change in land-property rights; and

(h) not position any armed forces in the Zone.

4. Following the transfer of authority over the Zone to Cameroon, the latter shall apply to the Zone a special transitional regime for a non-renewable period of five years.

In the application of the special transitional regime, Cameroon shall:

(a) facilitate the exercise of the rights of Nigerian nationals living in the Zone and access by Nigerian civil authorities to the Nigerian population living in the Zone;

(b) not apply its customs or immigration laws to Nigerian nationals living in the Zone on their direct return from Nigeria for the purpose of exercising their activities;

(c) allow officers and uniformed personnel of the Nigerian police access to the Zone, in cooperation with the Cameroonian police, with the minimum of formalities when dealing with inquiries into crimes and offences or other incidents exclusively concerning Nigerian nationals; and

(d) allow innocent passage in the territorial waters of the Zone to civilian ships sailing under the Nigerian flag, consistent with the provisions of this Agreement, to the exclusion of Nigerian warships.

5. At the end of the special transitional regime, Cameroon shall fully exercise its rights of sovereignty over the Zone.

6. In accordance with paragraph 4 of this Annex, any acquisition of land in the Zone by Nigerian nationals not resident in the Zone at the time of the signature of this Agreement shall be perfected only in accordance with the laws and regulations of Cameroon.

Meeting between
the Secretary-General and President Biya and President Obasanjo

Geneva, 11 May 2005

At the invitation of the Secretary-General, President Paul Biya of Cameroon and President Olusegun Obasanjo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria met today in Geneva.

Like the three previous meetings, this summit was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere.

They reviewed the progress of the demarcation process and noted the advances made in the field, in conformity with the ruling of the International Court of Justice of 10 October 2002. They also noted with satisfaction that the technical field visits to prepare the demarcation are underway.  The two heads of State agreed to continue with the process of delimitation of the maritime boundary based on the ruling of the Court.

The Secretary-General called on the two countries to provide all necessary support for the success of these operations.  In that regard, they welcomed the withdrawals and transfers of authority accomplished smoothly along the land border in July 2004, and expressed their appreciation for the generally good atmosphere which prevails in the area and the good relations that exist between the population and the new administrative authorities. They noted with satisfaction the excellent conditions in which the Mixed Commission’s observers were carrying out their work.

A new programme of withdrawal of Nigerian troops will be worked out and agreed by the two Presidents and the Secretary-General as soon as possible.

They urge the Mixed Commission to proceed with its work as expeditiously as possible.  The Secretary-General and the two Presidents expressed their satisfaction with the work accomplished so far by the Mixed Commission.  They also discussed the question of affected populations.

The two heads of state are determined to take all necessary measures to ensure the welfare and interests of the affected populations.

The Secretary-General and the two Presidents welcomed the additional contributions made by both States to finance demarcation operations. They appreciated and expressed their gratitude to the United Kingdom for its contribution of 1 million pounds sterling to the United Nations’ trust fund for demarcation. They also welcomed the prospect of additional financing of 4 million euros from the European Commission, in addition to the sum of 400,000 Euros already granted to the Commission for which the two States are grateful.

Tripartite summit between the United Nations Secretary-General, H.E. Kofi Annan,
H.E. President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon and H.E. President Olusegun Obasanjo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the follow-up to the 10 October 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice

Geneva, 31 January 2004

1. At the invitation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon and H.E. President Olusegun Obasanjo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria met again today in Geneva in the presence of the United Nations Secretary-General, H.E. Kofi Annan.  This third meeting, which was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, reviewed the progress achieved so far by Cameroon and Nigeria in the implementation of the 10 October 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) relating to the land and maritime boundary between the two countries. The meeting also examined the remaining tasks within the mandate of the Mixed Commission.

2. The Secretary-General commended President Paul Biya and President Olusegun Obasanjo for their leadership and renewed commitment to pursue the peaceful settlement of their boundary dispute.  He also expressed his appreciation for the support they have extended to the Mixed Commission.

3. The Secretary-General and the two Presidents welcomed the significant progress achieved so far by Cameroon and Nigeria with the assistance of the United Nations.  They welcomed in particular the adoption of a comprehensive work plan up to the year 2005, and instructed the Mixed Commission to do its utmost to ensure its implementation within the time laid down.  They also welcomed the smooth withdrawal of civilian administration, military and police forces in the Lake Chad area, and the transfer of authority which took place in December 2003. They expressed their appreciation for the atmosphere of calm which prevails in the area one month after the withdrawal and the transfer of authority.

4. The Secretary-General emphasized  that the progress achieved so far had proved that neighbouring States can, with minimal United Nations support, work together to prevent a border conflict and settle their differences peacefully.  He congratulated Cameroon and Nigeria on having set an example in this area.

5. President Biya and President Obasanjo reaffirmed their support for the Mixed Commission as it continues the implementation of the remaining tasks within its mandate and faces new challenges.  They reiterated the need to avoid any actions or declarations which could jeopardize the process.

6. The two heads of State agreed to strengthen confidence-building measures through an exchange of ambassadors, the opening of consulates along their common border and the introduction of joint patrols by security forces. They also agreed to consider concluding a Treaty of friendship and non-aggression between the two countries. They decided that the Joint Commission would henceforth meet at a higher level and on an annual basis.

7. The two Presidents renewed their commitment to take appropriate measures to guarantee the security and welfare of the populations affected by the Court’s decision in areas under their respective sovereignty.

8. The Secretary-General renewed his appeal to the international community to provide support, within the context of preventive diplomacy, for the efforts being made by the two countries, in particular by providing financial assistance for the demarcation process, as well as the implementation of confidence-building measures, such as the rehabilitation of the Moutenguene-Abakaliki road, the reactivation of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, and other cross-border environmental projects.

At the invitation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, President Paul Biya of Cameroon and President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria met today in Geneva in the Secretary-General's presence, to follow up on the ruling of 10 October of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In this connection, the two Presidents acknowledged the importance for their countries of respecting their obligations under the United Nations Charter.

"The Secretary-General welcomed President Biya's and President Obasanjo's renewed commitment, as Heads of State of law-abiding countries, to renounce the use of force in their bilateral relations and pursue peaceful ways for the settlement of their boundary differences, as well as the constructive spirit which prevailed throughout the various meetings held during the day.

"In the course of these meetings, both parties agreed to identify a number of confidence-building measures which would pave the way to resolving many of the issues which are the subject of the ICJ ruling. These include measures considered by the two Heads of State in Paris on 5 September and those agreed upon at the ministerial meeting of the Joint Commission in Abuja on 30 September 2002, as well as additional relevant measures.

"In addition, the two Presidents agreed on the need for a meeting between the two sides at Summit level at the earliest possible opportunity, to discuss defence and security issues of common concern.

"The two Presidents further agreed to ask me to establish a mixed commission of the two sides, to be chaired by my Special Envoy, Ahmedou Ould-Adballah, to consider ways of following up the ICJ ruling and moving the process forward. The mixed commission will meet in Abuja and Yaoundé on an alternating basis. The first meeting will be held in Yaoundé on 1 December 2002.

"The mixed commission will consider all the implications of the decision, including the need to protect the rights of the affected populations in both countries. The commission shall, inter alia, be entrusted with the task of demarcating the land boundary between the two countries. It will also make recommendations on additional confidence-building measures such as the holding, on a regular basis, of meetings between local authorities, Government officials and Heads of State; developing projects to promote joint economic ventures and cross-border cooperation; the avoidance of inflammatory statements or declarations on Bakassi by either side; troop withdrawal from relevant areas along the land boundary; eventual demilitarization of the Bakassi Peninsula with the possibility of international personnel to observe withdrawal; and reactivation of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

"The two Presidents agreed to consider what further assistance their countries would need from the United Nations, and to meet again in due course under my auspices to review the progress achieved.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

At the invitation of the Secretary-General, Presidents Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Biya of Cameroon met today in Paris, in the Secretary-General’s presence, to discuss the Bakassi Peninsula, as well as other issues of common interest.

In the course of their meeting, both Presidents agreed to: respect and implement the decision of the International Court of Justice on the Bakassi Peninsula; establish an implementation mechanism, with the support of the United Nations; and resume, in Abuja on 30 September, Ministerial-level meetings of the Joint Commission.

The two Presidents also agreed on the need for confidence-building measures, including the eventual demilitarization of the Peninsula, with the possibility of international observers to monitor the withdrawal of all troops; an early visit to Nigeria by President Biya; and the avoidance of inflammatory statements or declarations on the Bakassi issue by either side.