UN Cameroon-Nigeria commission to visit disputed peninsula area

The Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, set up by the United Nations to peacefully resolve the border dispute between the two countries, will make its first field visit later this month to the contested Bakassi Peninsula.

A sub-committee of the Mixed Commission will tour the oil-rich peninsula from 13 to 20 February and meet authorities, traditional chiefs and locals before reporting back to the full Commission.

The visit will follow the Commission's eighth meeting, which opened today in Abuja, Nigeria, and runs until Thursday.

The Abuja meeting is reviewing the results of a recent summit in Geneva between the Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

In Geneva, Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Paul Biya of Cameroon agreed to a series of mutual confidence-building measures and to consider striking a non-aggression and friendship treaty.

This week's meeting is also expected to discuss the final report on the withdrawal and transfer of authority in the Lake Chad area, another contested region.

The Commission was set up by the Secretary-General in November 2002 at the request of Mr. Obasanjo and Mr. Biya. It aims to resolve the protracted border dispute between the African nations and implement an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the case.