The contours of the Multinational Force against Boko Haram

During the opening of work for experts on Thursday, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o, minister of Defence called on them to table concrete solutions. "I say it with conviction that, Boko Haram is not inevitable. We must be willing and able to eradicate this scourge. The political will already exists. You experts will have to take up the challenge of empowering the CBLT multinational joint Force of this mission.

"Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o noted. He addressed the 60 experts yesterday behind closed doors at the Congress Hall in Yaoundé. The Minister delegate at the Presidency in charge of defence recalled the expectations of the African Union and member countries of the Commission of the Lake Chad basin (CBLT) at the end of this meeting, which should enable the development of the concept of operations of the multinational joint Force (MMF) of 7,500 men decided by the conference of Heads of State and Government of the AU last week in Addis Ababa.

"Africa, as far as the international community whose visceral attachment to peace and international security is no longer to show, expect relevant, innovative resolutions to allow us permanently eradicate the threat posed by Boko Haram.

Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o emphasized the crucial and determining nature of the work which started in the Cameroonian capital yesterday.

The rapid and effective deployment on the ground of the multinational joint Force of the CBLT is indeed dependent on the quality of the work that the experts will produce from the United Nations, African Union (AU), the European Union, the Organisation of Islamic cooperation, the economic community of Central African States, the economic community of West African States, the Commission of the Lake Chad basin, Benin, France, Great Britain and the United States of America.

"The concept of operations, logistics support concept and rules of engagement resulting from this work, are prerequisites which will enable the African Union to enter the United Nations Security Council," to give to the DMF the legality and international legitimacy, same resources intended to support field operations.

On behalf of the head of State, the head of the armed forces extended Cameroon’s gratitude "for the determination and commitment in the conduct of the entire process which ends today at the meeting of experts to develop the operationalization of the multinational Joint Force."

Prior to the Mindef, the CBLT and African Union representatives recalled the atrocities committed on the ground by members of the Islamist sect that makes heavy casualties among the civilian population, the last facts dating back to the day before yesterday in the Cameroonian town of Fotokol in the region of the far North. Considering this fact, it is time to put an end to this acts.

In addition to some members of the Cameroonian Government, yesterday the opening ceremony took place in the presence of many African diplomatic heads of member countries of the European Union, the Russia, and the United States of America.