Fight Against Boko Haram: UN Security Council Begins Assessment

The delegation from 15-member countries arrived in Yaounde yesterday, March 02 to discuss with the administration and size up the situation on the field.

Astrong man delegation of the United Nations Security Council, one of the six principal organs of the UN, charged with the maintenance of international peace and security begins a series of meetings and discussions in Yaounde today in a bid to size up security situation in the Far North Region following years of attacks from the Nigerian based terrorist group, Boko Haram. According to a statement from the Ministry of External Relations, the almost oneweek visit that stretches from March 02 to 07, will take the delegation, headed by three leads: Matthew Rycroft, UK Ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre, France’s Ambassador to the UN and Seck Fade, Senegal’s Ambassador to the UN, to all the countries of the Lake Chad basin affected by activities of the terrorist group. The programme of work indicates inter alia that the delegation will “assess the situation on the field in the fight against the terrorist group, evaluate the progress made so far and the challenges as well as identify the needs of countries of the Lake Chad Basin to better formulate the assistance from the international community.”

From every indication, the UN Security Council delegates will be going through a highly charged programme including a field trip to Maroua and meeting with some refugees and displaced persons. Top among the discussions programmed in Yaounde are the meeting with members of the Diplomatic Corps earmarked for the Hilton, a working session at the Prime Minister’s Office with top administrative officials from the Ministry of External Relations, Finance, Defence; Economy, Planning and Regional Development; and Territorial Administration and Decentralisation. These and other discussions will take place prior to their departure for Maroua.