Defence, Gas Fields Exploitation : Senate Adopts Two Bills

Two bills have been adopted at the Senate in the course of a plenary chaired by the House President, Marcel Niat Njifenji on July 4, 2023. The two legal instruments include the bill to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the defence and security cooperation framework agreement between Cameroon and Egypt, signed in Yaounde on October 11, 2022, and the bill to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the bilateral cooperation agreement between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea for the exploitation of cross-border oil and gaz fields, signed in Yaounde on March 17, 2023. Both legal instruments were adopted after general debates, with the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo and the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Fuh Calistus Gentry respectively providing clarifications to questions asked by Senators. 
Minister Joseph Beti Assomo said the cooperation initiative is in line with Cameroon's strategic policy of diversifying its defence partnership, and mainly aims at strengthening as well as consolidating bilateral relations between the two countries by extending it to the military sphere.
Concluded for a period of three years, the renewable agreement, the Minister explained, specifically covers military training, logistical services, exchange of experts, technicians and professionals in various military fields, military intelligence and justice amongst others. The agreement will be implemented through specific arrangements and implementation programmes. 
The Interim Minister of Mines explained to Senators that the agreement provides the legal framework for both States to jointly develop al...