Cameroon and Nigeria discuss border dispute during UN commission talks

Cameroon and Nigeria held talks over their border dispute during a two-day meeting of the United Nations-chaired Mixed Commission, which finished today in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Mixed Commission - set up last year by the United Nations - discussed the first phase of the withdrawal process from the Lake Chad area, which is scheduled to happen by the end of the year.

A working group on the withdrawal of civil administration, military and police forces, and transfer of authority in the Lake Chad region, was set up.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for West Africa, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah of Mauritania, opened the meeting by reporting on the findings of the Sub-commission on Affected Populations, which visited the Lake Chad area last month.

"The affected populations overwhelmingly want peace (and) the affected populations fully support their respective Presidents' decision to resolve peacefully any differences…the affected population are in dire need of development, social services and basic infrastructure," Mr. Ould-Abdallah said.

The Sub-commission identified the date of its next field visit, this time to the land boundary area. The meeting also discussed the report of the Sub-commission on Demarcation.

The Mixed Commission was set up last year by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the request of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Paul Biya of Cameroon. It is chaired by Mr. Ould-Abdallah and its next meeting is likely to be held in Yaounde, Cameroon, in December.