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Country Reports
CAMEROON, Landmine Monitor Report 2001
 
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CAMEROON

Key developments since May 2000: Although Cameroon has passed national legislation to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty, as of July 2001 it had not deposited its instrument of ratification with the United Nations. Despite not being a State Party, on 14 March 2001 it submitted a transparency report as required by Mine Ban Treaty Article 7; it declared a stockpile of 500 antipersonnel mines.

Mine Ban Policy

The Republic of Cameroon signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997. Ratification legislation was submitted to the June 1999 session of the National Assembly, where Law 99/008 authorizing the President of the Republic to ratify the treaty was adopted on 16 July 1999. The President in turn endorsed ratification in Decree No. 2000/217 of 28 July 2000.[1] On 9 January 2001 the instruments of ratification were sent to the Minister of Justice, in order for him to affix the seal of the Republic.[2] On 6 June 2001, the Minister of External Relations sent the ratification instruments to the Cameroon UN Mission in New York, to be deposited with the UN Secretary-General.[3] However, as Landmine Monitor went to print, the instruments of ratification had still not been officially deposited at the United Nations in New York.

In September 2000, at the Second Meeting of States Parties, a representative of Cameroon stated that his government had ratified the treaty in July 2000.[4] In October 2000, at the UN General Assembly, Cameroon mentioned that it “would soon ratify the Ottawa Convention.”[5] In January 2001, in response to a question about the continuing delay in ratification, an official from the Ministry of External Relations remarked, “Cameroon has proved to be involved in the landmine issue by signing and ratifying the treaty, it is just an administrative problem which for sure will be solved very soon.”[6]

At the Second Meeting of State Parties, the head of the three-strong delegation, François-Xavier Ngoubeyou, confirmed his government’s support for a total ban of landmines and encouraged all countries to adhere to the Mine Ban Treaty.[7] Cameroon participated in the May 2001 intersessional Standing Committee meetings; it has not attended others ostensibly because of a shortage of resources.[8]

On 13 October 2000, at the First (Disarmament) Committee of the UN General Assembly, Cameroon delivered a statement that “welcomed the progress that had been made in the elimination of antipersonnel landmines.”[9] Cameroon subsequently voted in favor of UNGA Resolution 55/33V, which calls for universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Cameroon attended the Bamako Seminar on the Universalization and Implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty in Africa, held in Mali, on 15-16 February 2001.

Although not a State Party, on 14 March 2001, Cameroon took the admirable step of submitting a transparency report under Mine Ban Treaty Article 7, seemingly covering calendar year 2000. The report is a nil one except for stocks, described as symbolic, and national implementation measures, said to be “in progress.”

Cameroon is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use

Cameroon does not produce, export or use antipersonnel mines[10] and will not facilitate transit through its territory.[11]

Last year’s Landmine Monitor report stated that Cameroon possesses a small stockpile of 500 antipersonnel mines for training purposes;[12] this figure has since been officially confirmed by the report submitted by Cameroon in accordance with Article 7. Types of antipersonnel mines recorded are “AP/DV model 59,” “AP model 409” and “illuminating AP model 403.” No other information is specified. The AP/DV model 59 is classified by a standard reference work as “MI AP DV 59,” a non-detectable plastic-bodied mine.[13] No references have been found to the other two models cited in the Article 7 report,[14] and no further information on the mines has been obtained.

Mine Action

Cameroon is not mine-affected and there are no reports of mine victims in Cameroon. It has, however, expressed its willingness to implement Mine Ban Treaty provisions regarding training and international assistance and cooperation in mine clearance.[15] The Cameroon army has reportedly trained a very small number of personnel in mine clearance techniques, but requires external assistance in this endeavor.[16]

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[1] Landmine Monitor has a copy of the one-page decree signed by the President. See also, Cameroon Tribune (Government daily newspaper), 31 July 2000.
[2] Landmine Monitor has a copy of this correspondence, No. 00031/DIPL/SG/DAJT, 9 January 2001.
[3] Landmine Monitor has a copy of this correspondence, No. 0862/DIPL/SG/DAJT, 6 June 2001.
[4] Decree 217/2000 of the 28 July 2000, as reported during an interview with Mr. Charles Assamba Ongondo, Second Secretary at the Cameroon Embassy to France, Second Meeting of State Parties, Geneva, 13 September 2000.
[5] Statement of Martin Belinga-Eboutou, UN press release GA/DIS/3179, 13 October 2000.
[6] Interview with Ntaribo Ashu Agborngah, Judicial Affairs and Treaty Division, Ministry of External Relations, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 10 January 2001.
[7] Statement of François-Xavier Ngoubeyou, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, at the Second Meeting of State Parties, Geneva, 15 September 2000. The other members of Cameroon’s delegation were Colonel R. Nono from the Ministry of Defense, and Charles Assamba Ongondo, Second Secretary at the Cameroon Embassy to France.
[8] Interview with Jacques Alfred Ndoumbe Eboule, Deputy Director, UN Department, Ministry of External Relations, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 22 January 2001.
[9] Statement of Martin Belinga-Eboutou, UN press release GA/DIS/3179, 13 October 2000.
[10] Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 157 and Article 7 report, submitted on 14 March 2001.
[11] Statement of François-Xavier Ngoubeyou, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, at the Second Meeting of State Parties, Geneva, 15 September 2000.
[12] Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 157.
[13] Colin King (ed.), Jane’s Mines and Mine Clearance, Fifth edition, 2000-2001, (UK, Jane’s, 2001), pp. 122-123; see also ORDATA II, CD-Rom, version 1.0, Department of Defense, United States.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Statement of François-Xavier Ngoubeyou, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, at the Second Meeting of State Parties, Geneva, 15 September 2000.
[16] Interview with Colonel Robert Nono, Ministry of Defense, Yaoundé, 5 January 2000.