RATIFICATION OF THE FRAMEWORK COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN CAMEROON AND NIGERIA: MINFOF FACES THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Date de Publication : 2025-03-29

On March 26, 2025, Mr. Jules Doret NDONGO, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, faced the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly on behalf of the Government, to present and defend, the bill authorizing the President of the Republic to ratify the Framework Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the conservation of trans-boundary ecosystems and the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources.

His presentation focused on three points: the context and justification for the Framework Agreement; the economies and philosophy of the Framework Agreement; as well as the advantages of ratifying the Framework Agreement.

Turning to the background and rationale for the Agreement, the Minister recalled that forest and wildlife resource management between the two countries had until then remained non-formalized, in an environment where both share about 1600 kilometers long and rich boundary in ecosystem biodiversity, with the existence of multiple protected areas.

In view of the economic exchanges taking place between the two countries in other fields, it was necessary to formalize cooperation in the forestry and wildlife sub-sectors, with a view to South-South cooperation, hence the signing of the Framework Agreement in Abuja, Nigeria, on April 19, 2024.

With regard to the economies and philosophy of the Framework Agreement, MINFOF explained that this cooperation instrument is aimed at concerted management of cross-border ecosystems between the two parties, in order to guarantee enhanced cooperation in the fight against poaching and deforestation, and to develop a joint management strategy that takes into account connectivity between protected areas.

With regard to the importance of ratifying the Framework Agreement, the Government representative at the dialogue underlined that the signing of this important Framework Agreement underscores the will and commitment of both countries to preserve and protect their common borders; to develop sustainable and mutually beneficial management of forest and wildlife resources; to foster partnership in areas of common interest; and to give substance to a commitment made by both countries at the last CoP on biodiversity, to preserve 30% of natural resources by 2030.

He also recalled that the signing of the Framework Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an important step towards the implementation of the N'Djamena Declaration on the link between transhumance, protected areas and natural resources, development, peace and global security.

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