Parliamentarians Scrutinise Revised CEMAC Treaty

22 June 2011

Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly yesterday afternoon, June 21 scrutinised the bill to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the revised CEMAC Treaty and its related conventions.

The Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Yaouba Abdoulaye defended the bill, assisted by the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations in charge of Relations with the Islamic World, Adoum Gargoum, in the presence of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Gregoire Owona. The Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Hon Obenofunde Moses Besong chaired deliberations that took place behind closed doors in respect of parliamentary tradition.

The Heads of State of the six member countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC) during their extraordinary summit held on January 30, 2009 in Libreville, Gabon, signed the revised CEMAC Treaty.

It repeals that of March 16, 1994 to establish the Community and the Addendum on the institutional and legal systems of the Community signed on July 5, 1996, in a bid to align CEMAC with ongoing changes and enable it to accomplish its mission of promoting the harmonious development of member States.

As stated in the explanatory statement to the bill, the Revised Treaty includes new principles to help strengthen sub-regional integration, supplemented by five conventions, which are those on governing the Central African Monetary Union, Central African Economic Union, Community Court of Justice, Community Parliament and Community Audit Court.

Government explains that by ratifying the legal instruments, Cameroon will help demonstrate its resolve to achieve Central Africa’s integration in conjunction with countries of the sub-region; increase its market size by playing a leading economic role in an integrated market, strengthen and consolidate monetary cooperation between member States.

The ratification of the Treaty will help to harmonise the functioning of CEMAC banking, monetary and financial institutions, contribute to maintaining and consolidating balanced community justice and ensure the sound and efficient management of the different community bodies. The MPs will from 9:00 a.m. today be participating in a two-day seminar on checking violence against women.

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