AFRICA - Nigeria and Cameroon end dispute over control of Bakassi peninsula rich in gas and oil

Wednesday, 14 June 2006

AFGHANISTAN

2024-04-22
Commemoration of the victims of the Easter attacks: Catholic Church wants to initiate the beatification process of their martyrdom

2024-02-07
Manipur, torn by conflict, tries to reconnect the threads of dialogue

2023-12-04
The Franciscan Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Jinan celebrates the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, to continue walking on the paths opened by the Second Vatican Council

2023-10-16
Prayer for the reconciliation of the peoples of Israel and Palestine

2022-02-24
Integrating refugees into society: the commitment of the Pro Bambini Association of Kabul

2021-12-18
The Barnabites, with their hearts in Kabul: "Pray for Afghanistan"

Rome (Agenzia Fides)- Nigeria and Cameroon has reached an agreement which ends a long dispute over control of Bakassi peninsula in the Gulf of Guinea rich in reserves of oil and gas. With the agreement, reached with the mediation of the United Nations Organisation, the government of Abuja has agreed to transfer sovereignty to Cameroon.
The agreement ends years of tensions and friction between the two countries with the intervention of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the opening of negotiations in a New York.
The agreement, signed by Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and president of Cameroon Paul Biya, establishes that Nigerian troops deployed in the peninsula must withdraw within 60 days.
“The agreement - said Obasanjo after the signing ceremony - is a model for solving similar disputes in Africa and the rest of the world”. In actual fact the Bakassi Peninsula was assigned to Cameroon in 2002 with a sentence passed by the International Court of Justice at The Hague, but the actual handing over of some villages was delayed and postponed because of resistance from the many Nigerians still living in Kakassi. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/6/2006 righe 22 parole 228)