Assembly/AU//Decl.1(XXII) DECLARATION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION ON THE PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF THE BORDER DISPUTE BETWEEN CAMEROON AND NIGERIA: THE BAKASSI CASE 1. On 14 August 2013, two months after the celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the OAU/AU, a major event in the area of peaceful resolution of conflicts took place at a time when violent conflicts were raging in many African Countries. Indeed, the resolution of the Bakassi border dispute between the sister nations of Cameroon and Nigeria which lasted for 20 years came, on that historic date, to its final conclusion in peace and harmony. 2. Africa owes this happy conclusion to the Heads of State of Cameroon and Nigeria who had chosen right from the outbreak of the conflict, to seize the International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague, of the matter. The African Union, which endeavours for the realization of a peaceful, integrated and prosperous Africa by 2063, welcomes on the one hand, this major lesson of maturity and wisdom which does great honour to Africa as a whole and which spared the Continent a fratricidal war with incalculable consequences and stresses on the other hand, that the approach adopted by Cameroon and Nigeria should be a source of inspiration for all African actors involved in conflicts. 3. In the light of the historical scope of this peace oriented action, the AU expresses its sincere congratulations to the Heads of State of the two Countries as well as to M. Koffi Annan, former Secretary General of the UN and to the States witnesses to the Green Tree Agreement which made it possible to implement the ICJ judgment pronounced on 10 October 2002. 4. The AU wishes that the International Community recognizes this event as a strong point worthy of praise and a significant contribution of Africa to safeguard world peace.