Emmanuel Kendemeh
3 September 2008
ECThe country needs to accelerate cross-border cooperation and render its border areas, centres of development.
A senior official at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation (MINATD) says Cameroon has no problems with the delimitation and demarcation of its borders with Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea. What the country needs to do with the these neighbouring brotherly countries is to reaffirm its borders. Cameroon's western border with Nigeria, Njoya Yangue Alexandre, Head of the Unit in charge of Border Issues at MINATD told Cameroon Tribune in a chat, has been delimited and is currently being demarcated in pursuance of the International Court of Justice ruling on the border crisis pitting the two countries.
The MINATD official however admits that Cameroon's border are long and porous, especially those with Chad and the Central African Republic. The consequence is cross- border banditry, crime and hostage taking carried out by criminals who master the terrain and at times use modern war weapons. Cameroon, according to the same source, has embarked on an ambitious border programme with focus on security and socio-economic development, as well as consolidating its sovereignty.
Security Measures
Cameroon has intensified efforts to curb the phenomenon of cross-border insecurity and crime. The presence of soldiers of the Rapid Intervention Unit of the Defence Forces is more and more visible in the border zones to check insecurity. There also exists cooperation between the local administrative authorities of the border areas of Cameroon and neighbouring Chad and Central African Republic in matters of exchange of information on crime and security issues.
At the level of States, there is the Tripartite initiative that brings together Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic to fight cross border insecurity. The tripartite initiative is under the auspices of United Nations Bureau in Central African Republic (BUNOCA). Cameroon is also a member of the Committee of Police Chiefs in the Central African bureau of INTERPOL with headquarters in Yaounde. To further strengthen security along its border, Cameroon signed the agreement for the creation of the Permanent Commission for Security with Chad on the one hand and with the Central African Republic on the other hand.
Socio-economic presence
According to Mr Nyoya Yangue, the Cameroon government in pursuance of the policy of fighting poverty and dependence of its populations in the border areas on neighbouring countries, has embarked on the ambitious programme of equitable and spatial development. The programme consists of providing border areas with socio-economic and infrastructural amenities, with the Bakassi zone being a glaring example now. Government has also envisaged the creation of many border markets with the example being that of Kye-Ossi at the borders with Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Under the auspices of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), there will be the creation of juxtaposed Customs Posts at the borders between Cameroon and the Central African Republic on the one hand and the border with Chad on the other hand.
Sovereignty
Cameroon is implanting administrative units in the border areas to mark its presence and consolidate its sovereignty. Government has shown a glaring example in the Bakassi Peninsula and the Lake Chad area. Infrastructure is being rehabilitated and constructed in the administrative units. According to MINATD sources, Cameroon's border programme is in line with the African Union Border Programme that seeks to ensure that borders between African countries have to be delimited and demarcated by 2012. Following the Declaration on the African Union Border Programme done in Addis Ababa on 7 June 2007, " by transcending the borders as barriers and promoting them as bridges linking one State to another, Africa can boost the on-going efforts to integrate the continent, strengthen its unity and promote peace, security and stability through the structural prevention of conflicts".
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