Fred Vubem
11 December 2007
The 5th conference of ministers of the International Commission of the Congo basin-Oubangui-Sangha, CICOS is due to take place in Cameroon next December 13.
In prelude to the conference, experts on water and the environment from member countries started meeting yesterday at the Hilton hotel in Yaounde, to examine issues which will be submitted for approval to the conference of ministers.
Opening the meeting, the Secretary of State for Transport, Mefire Oumarou, said the Yaounde meeting is aimed at reviewing activities carried out in 2007, chart the way forward for CICOS as well as examining the reform of the organisation, a reform that is expected to transform the status of the organisation from a mere commission to an authority. CICOS also has as ambition to create a regional training school for river navigation, for which feasibility studies have already been conducted. The Secretary of State said the impressive attendance by experts from the administrations of the different countries and representatives of some international organisations was proof of the commitment of members to work for the development of the region. He called for members to work in the spirit of fraternity and cooperation.
According to the Secretary General of CICOS, Benjamin Ndala, since CICOS was created, effective work only started some three years ago. First was the implantation judicial, navigational and environmental framework of the Commission, then the second year was devoted to the search for development partners such as GTZ, BAD and the French development Cooperation, AFD. The third step consisted of implementing projects agreed on and supported by these development partners. These are the activities that are going to be evaluated.
Created in 1999 to manage the hydrological resources of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha basin, CICOS comprises a general secretariat with three major departments including the department of exploitation, infrastructure and navigational rivers, the judicial and regulations department as well as the department of water and the environment. Placed under the leadership of a Secretary general who is appointed for five years and renewable only once, CICOS has as mission to assist member states establish a register of companies operating in the Congo basin, control the putting in place of internal navigation codes as well as conceiving and negotiating policies that ensure the adequate and rational use of the navigable rivers in the region.
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