Donation to the Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice, Yaounde | December 22, 2011, 11:00 AM

Ambassador R.P. Jackson and State Minister of Justice Esso Laurent at the book donation. [U.S. Embassy Yaoundé Photo]

Remarks by Ambassador Robert P. Jackson
on the Occasion of the Donation from the United States Embassy
to the Ministry of Justice

Mr. Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals,
Mr. Minister-Delegate,
Mr. Secretary General,
Honorable Guests,
Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you all for coming to this ceremony in such great numbers to witness the U.S. Embassy’s gift of books to the Ministry of Justice.  It is with great pleasure that I thank the Minister of State for extending us his hospitality and wish him great success in his new role.

This modest gift of books valued at $40,000 is a small example of the cooperation between our two governments in the administration of justice and the fight against corruption.  These books include Cameroonian legal opinions, basic legal texts, and works on administrative law.  They will help the Minister of State in his quest for a strong and efficient legal system.

On December 1, Vice Prime Minister and then Minister of Justice Ali opened a two-day workshop to review the updated penal code.  He highlighted this book donation then.  Today, I wish to in turn highlight a number of welcome measures in the draft code, including:

• Limiting pre-trial detention to 365 days;
• Outlawing female genital mutilation (FGM) and breast ironing;
• Banning early and forced marriages; and
• Making sexual harassment a crime.

Coming on the heels of Human Rights Day and on the heels of the adoption of a new law against trafficking in persons, these steps are particularly timely.

Mr. Minister of State, Ladies and Gentlemen, Our law enforcement cooperation is already broad.  Among other initiatives, we have offered support for Cameroonian law enforcement training overseas via the elite International Law Enforcement Academy.  In 2010 and 2011, we financed training to identify and combat trafficking.  We also funded an asset recovery adviser in 2010 to help Cameroon hunt for stolen assets.  We provided some funding for the Change Habits, Oppose Corruption (CHOC) program.  We will continue this collaboration, and I wish to thank the Government of the Republic of Cameroon for making such partnership possible.

In this setting, I would be remiss if I did not pause to praise and encourage Cameroon’s anti-corruption efforts.  Cameroon recently moved up a respectable 12 places on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.  Cameroon’s National Anti-Corruption Commission published a courageous and well-documented report, demonstrating that it is hard at work.  The National Assembly just approved the creation of a new anti-corruption tribunal, and Cameroon’s Ministry of Justice continues to prosecute high-level government officials for corruption.  I understand Cameroon’s Ministry of Forests recently suspended the practice of “petits titres,”  a notorious conduit for illegal logging.  I could cite more examples, but by any calculus, these reflect a credible anti-corruption effort for which I commend Cameroon.

Of course, we can all always do more to fight corruption.  I hope Cameroon will soon enact the draft anti-corruption law and implement asset declarations, harmonizing its anti-corruption laws with its international protocols, treaties and obligations.  Finally, I also hope Cameroon continues to provide adequate resources to the Ministry of Justice, National Anti-Corruption Commission, ANIF, and other agencies.

These books are a small token of our cooperation and a modest gift to support the steps I have just highlighted.  But long journeys are nothing but many small steps.  The U.S. and Cameroon will make this journey together, as we have in so many other areas.

Long live Cameroonian-American cooperation!

Thank you very much.