Marking boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon resumes after consultations, UN says

The work of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission marking the border between the two neighbours will resume after differences arising from Nigeria's decision to skip verification of the boundary line in a village were ironed out, the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) said today.

The Commission's Chairman and Special Representative of Secretary-General Kofi Annan for West Africa, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, said that after fruitful consultations with the head of the Nigerian delegation in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, the work would resume "without delay."

The demarcation of the boundary began on 23 March with the pilot field assessment by the Commission's Joint Technical Team (JTT) of pillar sites and verification of the line as drawn on preliminary maps. The procedures had been mutually agreed and laid out in guidelines in February in Abuja.

Last Thursday UNOWA reported that soon after the start of the field assessment, the JTT was informed of Nigeria's decision to skip verification of the boundary line in the village of Koja and said it could have the effect of holding up the entire demarcation process.

UNOWA said today now that clarifications have been provided and the issue resolved, the demarcation work could resume within a week. Mr. Ould-Abdallah also congratulated both sides for agreeing to restart the work quickly.