CAMEROON-NIGERIA MIXED COMMISSION MEETINGS

Final Communiqués

* * *

3rd Special Meeting

* *

COMMUNIQUÉ ADOPTED AT THE THIRD SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CAMEROON-NIGERIA MIXED COMMISSION

 *

Abuja, 12 July 2004

1. By paragraph 13 of the Communiqué of its first meeting, held in Yaoundé from 1-2 December 2002, the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission decided that “henceforth it shall meet on the first Tuesday every two months, on the understanding that it may adjust the timing of each particular meeting, should circumstances so require.  Special meetings of the Commission may be convened, if necessary, by the Chairman of the Commission upon consultation with the members of the Commission.” According to the revised Working Calendar, the Chairman convened a special meeting in Abuja on 12 July 2004 to deal with the modalities of the withdrawal and transfer of authority along the Land Boundary.

2. By paragraph 8 of the Communiqué of its ninth meeting, held in Yaoundé on 8 April 2004, the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission established the Working Group on Withdrawal and Transfer of Authority along the Land Boundary. The mandate of the Working Group is to “consider all practical matters related to the withdrawal of the military and police forces and civilian administration from the Land Boundary…. as well as transfer of authority, including the deployment of the Mixed Commission Observer Personnel.”

3. By paragraph 7 of the Communiqué of its tenth meeting, held in Abuja from 1 to 2 June 2004, the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission adopted a Revised Working Calendar for the period from 15 June to 7 October 2004.  Pursuant to this Revised Working Calendar, the Working Group on Withdrawal and Transfer of Authority along the Land Boundary held its inaugural meeting in Abuja from 21 to 23 June 2004, carried out a field visit to the Land Boundary area from 2 to 4 July 2004, and held its second meeting in Yaounde from 6 to 7 July 2004.

4. The Mixed Commission considered and adopted the report of the first meeting of the Working Group from 21 to 23 June 2004, including the Group’s Terms of Reference annexed to this report.  It also considered and adopted the report of the second meeting of the Working Group, including the Record of Conclusions of the Group’s field visit to the Land Boundary from 2 to 4 July 2004.

5. The Mixed Commission considered and adopted the Concept of Operation of the second phase of the process of withdrawal and transfer of authority, which will take place along the Land Boundary.  The Mixed Commission noted the absence of military forces in the area and decided to preside over official ceremonies in Narki, Ndabakura, and Burha Wango on 13 July 2004.  These ceremonies are symbolic and representative of the overall process of withdrawals and transfers of authority of the localities and territories from one country to the other along the Land Boundary. It may not be necessary to carry out any additional ceremonies for the Land Boundary in the future.  

6. The Mixed Commission agreed to deploy its Observer Personnel Group in the area for a period of one year.  The Mixed Commission agreed that observer personnel will conduct regular visits in the area and will provide it with a report one month after the  final handover and thereafter on a quarterly basis as well as with a final report at the end of one year.  The Parties will submit a list of their observers to the Chairman as soon as possible.