Chinwe Ochu
14 October 2008
Abuja — Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, has disclosed that to add impetus to the recent friendly partnership between Nigeria and Cameroon, Virgin Nigeria and Bellview Airlines have been granted operating rights in Cameroon.
This, he said, is part of the two country's strategic commitment to be friends.. "Cameroon has granted Nigeria's request for Virgin Nigeria and Bellview Airline to be operating in Cameroon. Nigeria and Cameroon have made a strategic commitment to be friends, since they did not decide to be neighbours."
Maduekwe said this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the fourth Session of Nigeria- Cameroon Joint Commission, which had as theme, "Broadening of Brotherly and Friendly Ties."'
According to him, the issue of the Bakassi handover and adherance to the Green Tree agreement was also well spoken of at the United Nations General Assembly.
"There is need to ensure that the over four million Nigerians now in Cameroon are protected. Their rights as individuals will be taken seriously by the Cameroonian government, since hitherto they have been marginalised and discriminated against.
"Their security and humanitarian challenges will be taken care of," Maduekwe said, and expressed the need for the establishment of a Permanent Nigeria- Cameroon Joint Security Commission, which will be made up of security forces of both countries, to stall activities of those he called "non- state actors," whose selfish interests fueled the crisis.
"To give impetus to the strategic relations we are nurturing, Nigeria has proposed the establishment of a Permanent Nigeria Cameroon Joint Commission, to enhance level of cooperation between our two countries. We should put behind us those issues that divided us. Now, we have put all that away, we can become a beacon for the rest of Africa,". he said.
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