Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the Republic of Cameroon and the European Union on the status of the European Union-led forces in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon
Date: 2014-10-30
Institutions: Cameroon, European Union
Subjects: Cameroon, Central African Republic, EU military mission, forces abroad, military cooperation, transit




L_2014332EN.01000301.xml










19.11.2014   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


L 332/3








            AGREEMENT
         
in the form of an exchange of letters between the Republic of Cameroon and the European Union on the status of the European Union-led forces in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon

A.   Letter from the Republic of Cameroon

Yaoundé, 1 September 2014
            
Dear Ambassador, Head of Delegation,
Following the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 2134 (2014), the European Union decided to deploy a force in the Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA) with a view to helping establish a secure environment in the Central African Republic. In that Resolution, the United Nations Security Council called upon the neighbouring countries of the Central African Republic to take appropriate measures to support the action of the Union, in particular by facilitating the transfer to the Central African Republic, without obstacles or delay, of personnel and goods intended for the Union operation.
As you will recall, on 6 February 2008 the Republic of Cameroon entered into an Agreement on the status of the European Union-led Forces in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007) authorising the Union to deploy a force in Chad and in the Central African Republic (EUFOR Tchad/RCA).
The terms of that Agreement, which ceased to be in force when the last EUFOR Tchad/RCA troops left, are nevertheless ideally suited to the needs of EUFOR RCA.
I therefore suggest that all provisions of that Agreement (Articles 1 to 19) be made to apply to EUFOR RCA, on the understanding that:






—


all mention of EUFOR in the abovementioned Articles shall be considered to refer to EUFOR RCA;










—


the means of transport referred to in point (a) of Article 1(4), in Article 3(2) and (3), in Article 4(3) and in Article 5(2) shall be considered to include not only the means of transport belonging to the national contingents making up EUFOR RCA, but also those hired or chartered by EUFOR RCA;










—


the reference to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007) of 25 September 2007 in point (b) of Article 1(4) shall be considered to refer to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2134 (2014) of 28 January 2014.




I should be grateful if you would let me know whether you accept these proposals.
If you do accept, this letter, together with your reply, will constitute a legally-binding international agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the European Union on the status of EUFOR RCA in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon, which will enter into force on the date on which your letter of reply is received.
Yours sincerely,


For the Government of the Republic of Cameroon






S. E. Pierre MOUKOKO MBONJO
            

Minister for External Relations


B.   Letter from the European Union

Yaoundé, 30 October 2014
            
Dear Minister,
Thank you for your letter of 1 September 2014 regarding the status of the European Union-led forces in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon, which reads as follows:

                  ‘Following the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 2134 (2014), the European Union decided to deploy a force in the Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA) with a view to helping establish a secure environment in the Central African Republic. In that Resolution, the United Nations Security Council called upon the neighbouring countries of the Central African Republic to take appropriate measures to support the action of the Union, in particular by facilitating the transfer to the Central African Republic, without obstacles or delay, of personnel and goods intended for the Union operation.
As you will recall, on 6 February 2008 the Republic of Cameroon entered into an Agreement on the status of the European Union-led Forces in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007) authorising the Union to deploy a force in Chad and in the Central African Republic (EUFOR Tchad/RCA).
The terms of that Agreement, which ceased to be in force when the last EUFOR Tchad/RCA troops left, are nevertheless ideally suited to the needs of EUFOR RCA.
I therefore suggest that all provisions of that Agreement (Articles 1 to 19) be made to apply to EUFOR RCA, on the understanding that:






—


all mention of EUFOR in the abovementioned Articles shall be considered to refer to EUFOR RCA;










—


the means of transport referred to in point (a) of Article 1(4), in Article 3(2) and (3), in Article 4(3) and in Article 5(2) shall be considered to include not only the means of transport belonging to the national contingents making up EUFOR RCA, but also those hired or chartered by EUFOR RCA;










—


the reference to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007) of 25 September 2007 in point (b) of Article 1(4) shall be considered to refer to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2134 (2014) of 28 January 2014.




I should be grateful if you would let me know whether you accept these proposals.
If you do accept, this letter, together with your reply, will constitute a legally-binding international agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the European Union on the status of EUFOR RCA in transit within the territory of the Republic of Cameroon, which will enter into force on the date on which your letter of reply is received.’
               
I am pleased to inform you that I accept the terms suggested in your letter.
Yours sincerely,


For the European Union






F. COLLET
            

Ambassador


Head of Delegation