Cameroon Bar, British High Commission partner to enforce Rule of Law.

The meeting took place in Yaounde yesterday. Among those who attended the meeting was the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Jean De Dieu Momo; the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, Dr Dennys-McClure; the German Ambassador to Cameroon, Dr Corinna Fricke and the Mayor of Yoaunde III, Lucas Owona.

Also in attendance was the representative of the President of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, Dr Eno Robert; the representative of the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, Honourable Dr Litha Musyimi-Ogana, some members of the Bar Association and other stakeholders.

According to Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah, President of the Bar Council, there is a strong correlation between the rule of law and economic prosperity.

He intimated that “the more the rule of law is respected, the better the prosperity in the economy either from national or international investors”.

Cameroon’s National Strategic Development, SND30 plan, the Bar Council boss sated, “will not go anywhere if the rule of law is not respected”.

“There is no investor who will come to invest in Cameroon when justice is not guaranteed or the rule of law is not respected,” Mbah stated.

He told reporters that, yesterday’s meeting was to raise awareness and pinpoint the challenges that would result from the non-respect of the rule of law.

The British High Commissioner to Cameroon, Dr Dennys-McClure, expressed delight in working with the Cameroon Bar to ensure the respect of human rights in Cameroon.

Dr Dennys said he was particularly pleased with the collaboration between the Cameroonian Bar Association and the Minister of Justice.

He remarked that despite spotlighting challenges impeding human rights in Cameroon, it was also a gathering to talk about “the opportunities that lie ahead for Cameroon”.

‘Cameroon still a young State’

Minister Jean De Dieu Momo urged Cameroonians to denounce rights violators nationwide. Such, he said is needed to ensure “everyone has freedom, free access to justice and protection of human rights”.

Cameroon, the minister said, is a young state where, the foundation to ensure the rule of law is still being laid.

Jean De Dieu Momo said, people “should not think that we are already at the top; we are still at the foundation and we are building it together”.

The Minister Delegate stated that, even institutions are being put in place gradually. Cameroon, he said, does not yet have a court of Accounts or a Commercial court.

The Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development, and the Constitutional Council, he further noted are new institutions being put in place.

The symposium was also marked by two panel discussions. The first was on the rule of law as a catalyst of development. The key speaker was Prof Alain Didier Olinga.

The second discussion focused on the collaboration between regional mechanisms and state parties on non-contentious matters. Prof Jean Emmanuel Pondi was the resource person.