AU Commissioner for Peace and Security receives Cameroon Minister of Defence

By African Union Commission (AUC)
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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, September 2, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- On the margins of the African regional conference on peacekeeping operations, organized by the Government of Ethiopia, on 31 August 2015, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, Amb. Smail Chergui, met with the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence of the Republic of Cameroon, H.E. Mr. Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo.

The Commissioner and the Minister exchanged views on a broad range of issues of mutual interest, including the security situation in the Central African region and the Lake Chad Basin. They emphasized the need to continue addressing the threat posed by terrorism, and stressed the urgent necessity to accelerate the full operationalization of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to counter Boko Haram. The Cameroonian Minister for Defense commended the AU's efforts in support of the countries of the region to combat Boko Harm and promoting peace and security in the region.

With regard to the operationalization of the MNJTF, the Commissioner briefed the Minister on the actions taken by AU towards establishing the MNJTF Headquarters in N'Djamena, Chad. He reiterated the AU's commitment to continue mobilizing additional resources and assets to support the MNJTF Troop and Police contributing countries, namely: Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin Niger and Chad. The Cameroonian Minister for Defense reiterated his country's commitment to fulfill its pledges to MNJTF.

The Commissioner and the Minister also discussed the operationalization of the AU Continental Logistics Base (CLB) in Douala, Cameroon. Both Parties agreed to convene a meeting of experts by mid-September 2015, to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Continental Logistics Base, with a view to have it signed within a few weeks.