Cameroon-Nigeria border demarcation progresses

The new president of the Joint Commission between the two countries, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, was received Tuesday in Yaounde by the Prime Minister. "I came to discuss with the authorities and see how we can move forward with the record of the demarcation of the border between Cameroon and Nigeria" revealed the new president of the Commission of the said Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed, Mohammed Ibn Chambas.

Cameroon host acknowledged that much has already been done and that there are only 150 km to delimit, on the 2,000 km away from the long border between the two countries. "We must an end to the demarcation so that we can sign the document marking the end of this work," said Mohammed Ibn Chambas, who stressed the good faith of Nigeria and the Cameroon authorities involved.

"Also in Nigeria, they want to put an end to this process. It is necessary that we work very closely with each other to complete the demarcation", he said. But to achieve this, there are real difficulties faced on the ground. Notably, the insecurity created at some parts of the border by the Islamist sect Boko Haram.

The Joint Cameroon-Nigeria Commission indicated that due to violence fueled by the followers of Boko Haram, it cannot deploy technicians on the portion of the border that remains to stand out. However, he thinks that the possibilities offered by the technology permits them to work without going to the field", he said.

He finally appreciated the efforts made by Cameroon in deploying the military to the border to protect populations and Nigerian refugees. But it takes a regional approach to contain the Islamist threat, Cameroon has to work within this framework with Nigeria, Chad and Niger, suggested Mohammed Ibn Chambas.