Communiqué: Proposals for Independent Body Adopted
1. The second meeting of the Cameroon Inter-ministerial committee and the Commonwealth Expert team on the establishment of an independent electoral management institution in Cameroon took place from 20 to 22 June 2006 in Yaounde.
2. The meeting was co-chaired by the Rt Hon Joe Clark, former Prime minister of Canada, representing the Commonwealth, and H.E. Jean Marie Atangana Mebara, Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, representing the government of Cameroon.
3. The commonwealth delegation comprised, inter alia:
- Mr Samuel Kivuitu, chairman of the Kenyan Electoral commission;
- Mr I. Abdool Rahman, chief elections officer of Mauritius;
- Advocate Edward Lambani, secretary to the provincial legislation of Limpopo, South Africa;
- Mr Tim Sheehy; electoral expert from the United Kingdom;
- Dr Victor Pungong, deputy director for political affairs, Commonwealth secretariat;
- Ms Charlene Lee Ling, administrative officer, Commonwealth secretariat.
4. The Cameroon delegation was composed, inter alia, of:
- H.E. Marafa Hamidou Yaya, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation;
- H.E. Philemon Yang, Minister, assistant secretary-general of the Presidency of the Republic;
- H.E. Professor Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, Minister of Communication;
- H.E. Gregoire Owona, Minister delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of relations with the assemblies; - H.E. Professor Maurice Kamto, Minister delegate at the Ministry of Justice.
- The Cameroonian delegation was assisted by a team of six expert advisers.
5. The meeting received reports from Cameroonian ministers and senior officials following their Commonwealth-sponsored visits to a number of other countries to obtain a comparative perspective on the organization and functioning of electoral management institutions.
6. The meeting further considered proposals from the government of Cameroon for the establishment of an independent election management institution and agreed on a number of core principles that could further enhance the legitimacy, credibility and efficiency of the proposed institution.
7. The meeting welcomed the decision of the Head of State to organize consultations with political parties and civil society on this issue.
8. Both sides agreed on the need to continue to work together so that an independent election management body is in place in time for the elections now expected next year".
Done in Yaounde, this 22nd day of June 2006
For the Delegation of Cameroon,
H.E. Jean Marie Atangana Mebara,
For the Commonwealth Delegation,
Rt Hon Joe Clark
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