OPENING
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MIXED COMMISSION AND SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE
UNITED NATIONS, MR. AHMEDOU OULD-ABDALLAH
*
Abuja,
11 May 2007
Prince Bola
Ajibola, Head of the Nigerian Delegation,
Vice-Prime
Minister Amadou Ali, Head of the Cameroonian Delegation,
Excellencies,
Members of
the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission,
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
For years,
Cameroonians and Nigerians have been working to deepen and strengthen their
bilateral relations. However their progress towards peace, stability and
development has often been slowed and sometimes even thwarted by a huge
stumbling block: “the dispute over their land and maritime boundary”. This
dispute over the border started at independence in 1960 and has led twice to
bloody armed confrontations.
The two
countries however were always wise enough to avert further bloodshed. They
brought their dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1994.
It is to implement that ICJ ruling of 10 October 2002 that the Mixed
Commission was established by the Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria and the
United Nations Secretary-General on 15 November 2002 in Geneva.
You all
remember that the ruling comprises four segments from North to South of the
border, they are: Lake Chad area, Land Boundary, Bakassi Peninsula and
finally the Maritime Boundary. All these four segments are now settled.
Agreements on them were made with the assistance of the United Nations in
December 2003, July 2004, June 2006 and May 2007 respectively. Indeed, the
effective demarcation, with pillars will need further time as the border is
1700 km long. The UN also stand ready to support bilateral cooperation
between the two countries in particular concerning oil field stranding their
now agreed on maritime boundary.
My Dear
colleagues,
Today
agreement on the Maritime boundary brings a happy end to a long, tenuous and
always challenging exercise. Thanks you all Cameroonians, Nigerians and my
UN colleagues.
Today, I am a
very happy man. I am sure that my United Nations colleagues and our
Cameroonians and Nigerians partners also are happy with this final
achievement.
We should
pursue our work with determination and consolidate the results achieved.
Thank you
all.
