Seabed Authority lauds Cameroon’s maritime diplomacy.

The diplomat was speaking at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC, Friday May 17, at the climax of activities marking his working visit to Cameroon.

The august visitor, in conjunction with the Director General of IRIC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, which would lead to the start of an advanced training programme in Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea, dubbed FADROMER programme.

Before the signing, the visitor and other guests made presentations and took part in an academic debate on the theme: “Stakes and Challenges of Maritime Governance: The Contribution of the International Seabed Authority”.

Cameroon in global maritime action

The Secretary General of ISA singled out Cameroon as one of the few countries in Africa generally, but particularly in the central African sub region that had remained not only consistent, but an active participant in activities that border on drawing up laws and statutes as to how the vast natural resources found under ocean sea beds are to be explored, exploited and shared among the nations of the world.

He particularly lauded Cameroon, during a conference in Yaounde some four decades ago, during which Cameroon, among other African countries contributing the idea of making sea bed minerals and other resources a common heritage for humanity. 

The United Nations bought this idea and today, all sea bed resources are a common heritage for humanity, where benefits are shared to all, even though there are still divergencies as to the formular to be adopted in the sharing. 

Michael Lodge announced that the world is at a critical point where critical minerals like nickel, copper, cobalt, to name but these, are being exploited illegally by a few nations that have both the technical and human resources advantage, giving need for the world to come even closer to finetune laws that govern this exploration and exploitations; how to protect both the human and surface environment, as well as how benefits of these efforts should be shared. 

He disclosed further that there are some 42 member states of ISA from Africa, in a continent that boasts of some 55 countries. Out of these members, only 22 are active and take part in international conferences and other activities of ISA, while the rest are dormant. Even worse, out of the 22 that show interest, only 12 are up to date in meeting their financial obligations. 

So, Cameroon was given the huge task of not only encouraging more African countries to adhere to ISA, but awaken dormant members and encourage all to live up to their obligations.

A look at ocean sea beds across the globe

The visitor stated that, like many other developing countries, sea bed mining is unknown in Cameroon. This, he said, is principally due to lack of awareness, lack of technology and lack of human expertise and capital. 

He said countries much smaller than Cameroon; Jamaica, Nuvu, Tonga – and others are already reaping enormous benefits from sea bed mining.

With the coming into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a special fund was established to help member countries upgrade their capacities so that all nations of the world would actively take part in sea bed mining and other revenue-generating activities offered by the sea bed.

Therefore, the principal purpose of kick-starting the forth coming programme at IRIC is a boon to African countries, in that regard. 

Michael Lodge expressed dismay that presently, studies in marine environment, Green Science, and high-tech mineral sciences remain the monopoly of just some 12 countries in the globe; virtually all of them in the developed world.

That is why he said ISA is working hard to bridge this gap, for which reason the organisation has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, which is a developing country.

Key contributors to the presentations and other activities included Prof Gisele Leocadie Befolo, who moderated the debate and acted as conference president; Dr Innocent Fetze Kamdem; His Excellency Tommo Monthe, who represents Cameroon at ISA; Prof Theophile Ndougsa Mbarga; Navy Captain Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo; while the Secretary General at the Ministry of External Relations, MINREX, H.E. Oumarou Chinmoun, stood in for Minister Mbella Mbella.