Emmanuel Kendemeh
3 March 2008
Athree-member Commonwealth delegation on a working visit to Cameroon, was at the head office of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms last February 29. There, the Commonwealth officials held discussions with the authorities of the Human Rights Commission headed by its Chairman, Dr Divine Chemuta Banda.
Before discussing with the authorities of the Human Rights Commission, the Commonwealth officials had earlier had discussions with Cameroon's Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni as well as officials of the National Elections Observatory (NEO). The main objective of the visiting Commonwealth delegation is to follow up electoral reforms in Cameroon, with the main focus on the putting in place of the new independent election managing body, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM). After meeting the Human Rights Commission authorities, the leader of the Commonwealth delegation, Mark Stephens, Adviser and Head of Democracy Section, Political Affairs Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said, "we" discussions were focused on ELECAM and reforms in the Ministry of Justice".
With focus on the Ministry of Justice, the Commonwealth officials have been assessing ways of speeding up the computerisation of the judicial system, creation of a data base and improving prison conditions. The working session with the Human Rights Commission officials was justified by the fact that the "Commission has acted as the executing agency for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) action plan (2005-2010) for financing institutions concerned with governance including the Ministry of Justice", a statement from the Commission reads.
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