A series of activities marking the 7th edition of African border day were launched in Yaounde on June 6, 2017 under the theme: “the border, an integrated area of development”.

For the first time, Cameroon celebrates African border day. Activities marking this celebration were launched in Yaounde by the Secretary General in the Ministry of territorial administration and decentralization, Pierre Essomba.

Opening a capacity building workshop of stakeholders involved in the management of Cameroon’s borders, Pierre Essomba, in his speech outlined the importance of this celebration.

He said: “the ongoing workshop enters within the framework of the African border day, which is organized every June 7, following the endorsement of the Declaration of Kampala by the Executive council of the African Union in July 2010. The celebration of the African border day is part of the African Union Border programme aimed at achieving three strategic objectives; support and encourage African governments to delineate and demarcate their land and sea borders, with a view to preventing conflicts and tensions at borders; assist and encourage African governments to strengthen cross-border cooperation; develop African capacity building mechanisms in the area of border management.

The celebration placed under the theme: “the border, an integrated area of development” gave root to a round table conference later in the afternoon, at the National Advanced school of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM). Three sub-themes were highlighted during this come together which grouped hundreds of students of ENAM.

“Security and coordinated management: border socio-economic development prerequisites and factors”, developed by Professor Eric Mathias Owona Nguini,Senior lecturer at the university of Yaounde II.

“The impact of cross-border smuggling on the national economy”, exposed by Gervais Eric Ndo, Head of the customs sector in the Center region, MINFI’s representative within the Cameroonian delegation in the commissions and committees responsible for border issues with neighbouring countries.

“Control of the movement of people along the borders: legal framework and implementation”, presented by André Mbondja, Deputy director for border in the police and equally representative of the General Delegation for national security in the commissions and committees responsible for border issues with neighbouring countries.

As the celebration proper comes on June 7, the Minister of territorial administration and decentralization is expected to chair a grandiose ceremony coupled with an exhibition on the evolution of Cameroon’s international borders in Yaounde.

By Elise Kenimbeni