The Minister of External Relations yesterday June 21, 2016 defended the bill before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly yesterday June 21, 2016, scrutinised the bill to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Cameroon and the Government of the Italian Republic on reciprocal exemption for holders of Diplomatic or Service Passports to obtain short-term visas, signed in Yaounde on March 17, 2016.

The Foreign Affairs Committee headed by Hon. Enow Tanjong left the hall satisfied with the explanations given by the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, who was assisted by the representative of the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Grégoire Owona (Minister of Labour and Social Security).

The agreement, which was signed on March 17, 2016, during the Italian President’s visit to Cameroon, provides conditions for reciprocal abolition of visa requirements for nationals of both countries holding diplomatic or service passports.

According to the agreement, officials who are not accredited to the territory of the other may enter, transit through or stay in the territory without visa for no longer than 90 days over a period of 180 days.

Diplomatic missions or consular staff, the agreement spells out in Article 3, must obtain visas for their accreditation, but thereafter, they as well as their dependents will be exempted from visa obligation during the entire period of their stay on the territory of the other Party.

However, the authorities of both States reserve their sovereign right to deny entry into their territory to undesirable persons or for reasons of public order, the agreement adds.

The agreement is also clear in Articles 4 and 2, wherein its states that persons enjoying the privileges accorded under the agreement are required to use border entry points open to international traffic and must abide by the laws of the host State.