CI-NEWS

Environmental, wildlife protection bills adopted.

2019-07-09

No: 435

Environmental, wildlife protection bills adopted.

Two bills were on July 4, 2019 adopted at the Senate during a plenary sitting chaired by Senate President, Marcel Niat Njifenji. They are bill N° 125/PJL/SEN/2L to lay down the general framework for radiology and nuclear safety, nuclear security, civil liability and safeguards enforcement, and bill N° 126/PJL/SEN/2L to authorize the President of the Republic to proceed with Cameroon’s accession to the Agreement on the Conservation of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), signed on August 15, 1996 at the Hague, the Netherlands. Both bills seek the better protection of the environment and wildlife heritage (migratory waterbirds).

Bill N° 125/PJL/SEN/2L defines standards relating to the protection of people, property and the environment against the hazards from radiological and nuclear materials. The adopted bill clearly outlines the role of regulatory and control authorities whose relevant policy instruments have been strengthened to enable them effectively discharge their duties. The bill which contains twelve chapters and 120 sections therefore broadens the scope of Law N° 95/8 of January 30, 1995 on radiation protection which is limited to the protection of people and the environment from radiation, by including aspects related to nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

Bill N° 126/PJL/SEN/2L, for its part, seeks to protect migratory animals which are becoming increasingly scarce while others are endangered. Cameroon’s accession to the Agreement, the bill states, will enable government to safeguard a significant part of its wildlife heritage through benefits from research and continuous monitoring projects as part of the fight against highly pathogenic bird diseases; the bill defines immediate measures to be implemented to stop the decline of migratory waterbird species and their habitat in the geographic area of the African-Eurasian waterbird migration systems.

Meanwhile, on July 3, 2019, bill NO 127/PJL/SEN/2L relating to the establishment, organisation and functioning of Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC) was tabled in a plenary sitting chaired by the Senate President in the presence of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Cooperation with Parliament, Bolvine Wakata. The said bill was on the same day defended before the Committee on Constitutional Laws of the Senate by the Minister Delegate to the Ministry of Justice, Jean de Dieu Momo.

Culled from Cameroon Tribune.

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Environmental, wildlife protection bills adopted.