Cameroon and Chad move to block Boko Haram infiltration

Presidents Paul Biya and Idriss Deby of Cameroon and Chad respectively have agreed to mobilise their armed forces along their common border in order to block the Islamist sect Boko Haram from Nigeria.The two leaders reached the decision at the end of the Chadian leader’s two- day visit to Yaounde on Friday.

In a joint statement to this effect, and with regard to security issues in Central Africa, particularly in the Central African Republic and neighboring countries, they “condemned religious fundamentalism which is source of tension in the sub -region and beyond

Biya and Deby also agreed to engage their governments in climate change, desertification and regional integration issues.

They welcomed the pending signature for the construction of a railway connecting Ngaoundere in Cameroon to N’Djamena, as well as the construction of the second border bridge over the Logone between Kousseri and N’gueli.

As regards the transport of goods between Cameroon and Chad which has no access to the sea and substantially gets its supplies through the port of Douala, they agreed on the need to make all efforts on both sides to ease and facilitate procedures and clean up practices with the view to improving traffic flow.

They also urged their respective governments to accelerate border demarcation for finalization in 2014 and, required strengthening cooperation for the fight against cross-border crime, poaching and looting of parks and other protected areas.