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Chapter 6 - Confidence Building Measures between Cameroon and Nigeria, 2002-2011
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149 Chapter 6 Confidence Building Measures between Cameroon and Nigeria, 2002-2011 Confidence building became the fulcrum of the resolution of the Cameroon-Nigeria border problem as the two countries found formulas that would satisfy them. These formulas were on two distinct levels: first, resolving the issues that sparked off the dispute and second, improving bilateral and sub regional integration. As a consequence, the two countries addressed the security and strategic concerns as well as the socio-economic concerns that sparked off the conflict. They also carried out measures to revamp diplomatic relations and sub regional integration. In this process, Cameroonian and Nigerian authorities with the help of the international community instituted a formidable machinery of conciliation and provided an exceptional mechanism by skirting out knotty issues like the juridical regime of Nigerians in the Bakassi Peninsula right up to 2013. Measures to Address the Socio-Economic Concerns of the Two Countries Boosting the social and economic needs of Nigeria and Cameroon was part and parcel of the resolution of their border dispute. This was necessary as these social and economic imperatives partly contributed to the outbreak of the border skirmishes. These socio-economic concerns involved the building of trans-frontier road infrastructures, electricity exportation, research partnership, and the boosting of formal trade. These projects were discussed and adopted at the level of the Joint Commission, ad hoc Mixed Commission and at various bilateral meetings between the two countries. 150 Boosting trans-frontier road infrastructures The maintenance and construction of trans-frontier road infrastructures became the pivot of confidence building between Cameroon and Nigeria. Two main corridors were identified. They included; the Mutengene-Kumba-Mamfe-Eyumujock-Ekok-MfumIkom -Abakaliki road and the Bamenda-Mamfe-Ekok-AbakalikiEnugu road and its various arteries. These road projects are part of the proposed Lagos-Mombassa African Highway infrastructure Development. There was also the construction of cross-border bridges. The Mutengene-Abakaliki road project During the first session of the Cameroon–Nigeria ad hoc Mixed Commission in Yaounde in December 2002, it was agreed that the two governments should proceed with the construction of the Mamfe-Eyumojock-Ekok-Mfum-Ikom-Abakaliki stretch which had been identified and adopted by the two governments. As a consequence, a joint team was dispatched to the project site to assess the state of the road. The joint team assessed the state of the road and recommended that it should be graded. During the fourth session of the Mixed Commission in Abuja in June 2003, the parties agreed that the project to grade the Mamfe-Abakaliki road be extended to Kumba and Mutengene on the Cameroon side. The Mixed Commission equally indicated its commitment to the African Development Bank (ADB) to finance the construction of the road. As a result, the Mixed Commission undertook a tripartite visit to Tunis which was temporarily hosting the headquarters of the ADB following social unrest in the host country, Ivory Coast in 2002.The Commission Members met with the President and Staff of the bank and reviewed the status of the trans-border Abakaliki-Mutengene road development project. The bank informed the mission of its readiness to support the project. The bank equally indicated its preparedness to consider other projects in the area of the environment especially for which Cameroon and Nigeria would submit appropriate proposals. Meanwhile, the UN Secretary General, [3.226.254.255] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 02:24 GMT) 151 Kofi Annan, enjoined the Mixed Commission and appealed to the international community to provide support within the context of preventive diplomacy for the rehabilitation of this road and other cross-border environmental projects. During its 44th annual meeting in Dakar, Senegal on May 14, 2009, the ADB accorded a loan of 155.29million dollars to Cameroon and Nigeria for the construction of trans-frontier roads. Nigeria was represented at the signing ceremony by its Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Stephen Orosanye and Cameroon by its Minister of the Economy and Regional Development, Louis Paul Motaze.1 Before the acquisition of this loan, the Cameroon government had rehabilitated the 12km Mutengene-Muea stretch of the road on the Cameroon side with its own funds. Cameroon equally kicked starts the construction of the 63km Muea-Kumba stretch in March 2007 with 50 percent assistance from the EU. This FCFA 31 billion road project was completed and inaugurated by Cameroon’s Prime Minister; Philemon Yang on September 25, 2009 in the locality of Bombe Bakundu, Mbonge Sub Division, Meme Division in...