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,
6 November 2006
Prince Bola Ajibola, Head of the Nigerian
Delegation,
Vice-Prime Minister Amadou Ali, Head of the
Cameroonian Delegation,
Attorney General Chief Bayo Ojo,
Excellencies, Abubakar Tanko, Bashir Wali,
Sunday Ehindero
Members of the Diplomatic Community,
Members of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed
Commission,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me a renewed pleasure to preside
over this XVIth meeting of the Mixed Commission. Allow me to warmly thank
Prince Bola Ajibola and his team for the perfect organization of this
session. I note the absence of our colleague the most competent, decent and
patient Al Hadji Dahiru Bobbo, OFR, a true gentleman. I wish him well with
his new endeavour. I welcome Al Hadji Sadiq Marafa Diggi whom we all know
and respect.
We all remember Prince Ajibola’s last welcome
address of 6 July, in which you referred to Abuja and Yaoundé being a second
home to the members of the Mixed Commission because of the frequency and
regularity of our meetings!
Many thanks also to the Vice Premier Minister
Amadou Ali and his Cameroonian delegation for their effective contribution
to the work of this session.
The July meeting was an extra-ordinary
session. It was called weeks after the Heads of State of Cameroon and
Nigeria, Presidents Biya and Obasanjo, signed at Greentree on 12 June 2006,
the Agreement on the modalities on the withdrawal and transfer of authority
in the Bakassi Peninsula. I am pleased to note that the mandate that they
entrusted us with has been implemented according to schedule.
Moreover, the field visit, carried out in the
Bakassi peninsula by the UN Observers of the Mixed Commission, has not
reported significant incident likely to confirm that the rights of the
population of Bakassi have been denied in any way by the recent transfer of
authority. In that connection, one point on which I want to draw the
attention of the two Parties is the absolute need to protect the fragile
mangrove environment in the Bakassi Peninsula.
The Follow-up Committee established by the
same Greentree Agreement, which meets on a regular basis and monitor the
implementation of the transfer of authority, has so far been pleased with
the behaviour, of the Parties.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On 9 and 10 October, the Working Group on the
Maritime Boundary met in Yaoundé and agreed on the terms of reference for
the proposed field mission to the maritime zone. This mission to be
undertaken on 16 November 2006, is aimed at collecting data in the field
which will establish the datum required for using the British Admiralty
Chart 3433 in conjunction with modern survey techniques.
The Maritime Boundary Working Group met on 3
November here in Abuja to finalize logistic details related to the proposed
survey and cartographic mission in the field. The Mixed Commission is now
seized with a comprehensive proposal in this matter and I am sure that we
will endorse it at this session. It is also my hope that, in the near
future, we will manage to come to terms with the resolution of the maritime
boundary issue and finalize the delineation before the end of this year.
Regarding the land-boundary, over 460
kilometers have already been demarcated, notwithstanding outstanding
discussions over Kotcha (Koja), some 15 kilometers of road between Zigague
and Mada, the exact location of the village of Mada and that of a branch of
the Kerawa river, over a distance of approximately 10 kilometers. Some
concrete steps have already been taken towards the resolution of these
pending issues. Other initiatives agreed upon to address the backlog have
been slightly delayed by virtue of the field mission scheduled by the
Working Group on the Maritime Boundary. I am pleased that the Sub-Commission
on Demarcation, during its recent meeting, has agreed on a new doable
schedule, and I remain confident that the few hiccups earlier mentioned will
find their solution in due course.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the Mixed Commission, we could and should
have done much more to meet the expectations of the populations. But the
political, financial and logistical constraints were often overwhelming.
Here is a small UN entity effectively delivering results but hampered by a
lack of adequate budgetary funding and logistic support. Because it is
small not too a big entity.
Together, step by step, we have managed to
work on solutions and effectively implemented our activities one by one.
I am confident as ever in the commitment of
the Parties to continue the constructive dialogue within the Mixed
Commission and this to the benefit of peace, stability and development of
Cameroon and Nigeria, and beyond them, of the interests of their peoples.
Ladies and Gentlemen
I take this opportunity to pay a very sincere
tribute to all the delegates and members of the Mixed Commission.
Tirelessly, they have put their expertise and skills to the service of the
implementation of the ICJ ruling of 10 October 2002. I want to express my
deep gratitude for the dedication they have shown to date. My gratitude
goes also to the development partners of Cameroon and Nigeria for their
patient and concrete political and financial support.
Meanwhile, I wish also to underscore that, to
move forward, we must keep counting on each other. May I take today this
opportunity to appeal to you for your continued support.
Thank you for your attention.
