Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea have signed a cross-border defence and security agreement aimed at easing border tensions between both countries, Cameroon’s defence minister Joseph Beti Assomo told reporters after sealing the deal in Equatoguinean capital, Malabo Tuesday evening.
“We have taken a firm commitment for our forces to work hand in hand to dispel the misunderstandings we had in the last months at our common border. I can assure you that the misunderstandings are now something of the past,” Assomo said.
After a second day of closed-door meetings in Equatorial Guinea, Assomo and his Equatoguinean counterpart, Leandro Bakale Ncogo sealed the deal that stressed that security and defence will be strengthened along the border and transnational organized crime including drug trafficking and theft “will be fully addressed”.
Interference in internal affairs, threat or use of force to settle disputes is “strictly” prohibited, according to the agreement made public by Cameroon state television, CRTV.
The two sides also agreed once again to withdraw troops from their disputed border, and stop the construction of a controversial wall along the border.
Both sides had earlier met in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde in June to exchange views on border security and design a blueprint for future collaboration.
In early June, Cameroon’s south regional governor Felix Nguele Nguele said skirmishes between troops of both countries left at least seven people dead and property destroyed along the 180-km border.
