Beti Assomo Joseph, Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of Defence, accompanied by the country’s High Military Command, received the delegation from Equatorial Guinea Sunday afternoon at the Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport.

“The delegation from Equatorial Guinea headed by Mr. Bekale Nkogo leandro, Minister of National Defence arrived Yaoundé on Sunday afternoon, June 28, 2020,” Beti Assomo said in a statement.

Assomo adds that the consultation meeting with Ministers of Defence of both countries will take place on June 29 & 30, 2020 on the “high instructions” of H.E. Paul Biya and H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, respectively President of the Republic of Cameroon and President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

“This important bilateral meeting shall essentially delve into mutual collaboration modalities and security actions along the border between both countries,” said Minister Assomo in a dispatch Sunday.

The deliberations are expected to open Monday, June 29, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. with an in-camera meeting of experts.  On Tuesday morning, the Chiefs of Defence Staff of both countries will hold an in-camera working session. Defence Ministers of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea will later on Tuesday co-chair closed-door negotiations at the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel.

It would be recalled that on June 8, talks were held between Felix Nguele Nguele, Governor of Cameroon’s South Region and Justo Javier Ndong Engon, Governor of Equatorial Guinea’s Kie Ntem Province that shares borders with Cameroon’s South Region.

State media reported earlier this month that they had been clashes along the border with both countries. Although nobody was killed, Governor Nguele is quoted as saying that troops were wounded and property destroyed on both sides.

After the June 8 meeting, Governor Engon said the duo had resolved to return troops to the barracks while the governments of both countries find a lasting solution to the border dispute.

On August 16, 2019, Prime Minister Dion Ngute Joseph granted audience to a high profile delegation from Equatorial Guinea at the head of which was the country’s Minister of External Relations and Cooperation, Simeón Oyono Esono Angue.

The meeting came following info that Equatorial Guinea was constructing a wall along her border with Cameroon. The said wall was said to be on Cameroonian soil.

Minister Esono Angue was thus bearer of a sealed message from President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to Cameroon’s sovereign, President Paul Biya. For over sixty minutes, a wide range of issues that touched on the longstanding and fruitful bilateral relations between the two friendly and brotherly nations came under review.

Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea share a long border of over 300 kilometres and historical ties. By virtue of their proximity and shared values, discussions between Simeón Oyono Esono Angue from Equatorial Guinea and PM Dion Ngute of Cameroon were frank, profound, sincere and brotherly.

The discussions were aimed at consolidating the rich bilateral relations and cooperation ties between Malabo and Yaoundé.

While describing relations between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea as very excellent and like that between members of the same family, the emissary from President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo dismissed as misinformation social media reports that Equatorial Guinea plans to construct a wall on the border with Cameroon.

Minister Simeón Oyono Esono Angue stressed that Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon have since 1980 signed a treaty of good neighbourliness, a document that permits both countries to always find a peaceful solution to their problems.

Although the content of the letter from President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to his friend and brother, President Paul Biya remains a guarded secret, there is no doubt that both leaders are very much committed to the option of a strong regional integration.

News that Equatorial Guinea is carrying on plans to erect a wall along its 183km-long border with Cameroon went viral on social media and other media platforms in August 2019, prompting Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations to summon the Equatoguinean Ambassador to Cameroon. Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of External Relations and Cooperation, Simeón Oyono Esono Angue used his August 16, 2019 Yaoundé visit to dismiss the allegations.

But since then, matters seems to have worsened, necessitating border demarcation talks between both countries.