Joint Communiqué Establishing the Cameroon–Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC)
15 November 2002
The Joint Communique establishes a Joint Commission to implement the ruling of 10 October of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), through demarcating the land boundary between the two countries and making recommendations on inter alia confidence building through regular meetings at various levels, developing joint economic ventures and cross-border cooperation.
The 2006 Agreement provides for the withdrawal of Nigerian troops from the Bakassi Peninsula, but Cameroon would allow Nigerian citizens living there to continue to do so, without having to change their nationality, and fully upholding their fundamental human rights, including the right to property and respect for their language, culture and beliefs. Under the Annex, Nigeria may maintain its civil administration and police force in the area for a two-year, non-renewable period. However, during this time, Nigeria may equip their police only with “light equipment strictly necessary for the maintenance of law and order” and may not prevent Cameroonian nationals from returning to their villages or exploit natural resources in the sub-soil. It thereafter provides for another five-year transition period, before Cameroon exercises its sovereignty fully.
