7500 troops mobilised for reinforcement against Boko Haram

The meeting to prepare the rules of engagement for the multinational force decided by the African Union is due to hold in Yaounde on Thursday, 5th February 2015.

The declaration was made during the African Union Summit that held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the 29th and 30th January respectively. Heads of State and Government took a strong stance to fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram that is operating in Nigeria and regularly attacks Cameroonian forces.

The AU also announced the holding of a meeting of experts on the 5th to 7th February 2015, in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon. The meeting will permit the different stakeholders, notably the Lake Chad Basin Commission (Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon) as well as Burundi, to finalise the operations of the Multi National Force.

The experts will define targets, find the means and fix the limits of the use of military force in function to political and strategic considerations; describe the objectives to be attained and the management of the operations.

Relating to the financing of the Multinational forces and the different operations in the fight against Boko Haram, the Peace and Security Council of the AU requested the commission to organise a conference for donations by mid March with assistance from the United Nations.

Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo expressed satisfaction at the close of the Summit with the implication of the African Union and the engagement of more African states to fight the Boko Haram terrorist group.