Cameroon and Nigeria Sign Bilateral Agreement on Search and Rescue Operations for Aircraft in Distress
Published: Friday, 27 February 2026 20:44
The Minister of Transport of Cameroon, Mr. Jean Ernest Masséna Ngallè Bibéhé, and his Nigerian counterpart, Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, signed a bilateral Search and Rescue (SAR) agreement this Friday, February 27, 2026, in Yaoundé. This protocol aims to dismantle administrative barriers and pool logistical resources between the two states to provide aid to aircraft in distress on both sides of the border.
"Making aviation safety an absolute priority in the service of human life." With these words, the Minister of Transport of Cameroon summarized the spirit of the signed Agreement. Before an assembly of high-ranking dignitaries—including Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense—the High Commissioner of Nigeria to Cameroon reinforced the regional security framework by forging this alliance with its Nigerian neighbor.
This Agreement establishes a "borderless rescue corridor" within the framework of Annex 12 of the 1944 Chicago Convention and stands as a direct response to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) requirements. Indeed, regarding Search and Rescue (SAR) services, ICAO mandates that Member States establish SAR agreements to coordinate services with neighboring states, ensuring the rapid and efficient rescue of occupants in distressed aircraft.
The stakes of this Agreement are multi-faceted: it allows rescue units to cross borders without administrative delays during emergencies. Furthermore, as the Nigerian Minister emphasized, it transcends simple ICAO compliance; it is a humanitarian imperative built on enhanced technical coordination for the protection of human lives.
This framework relies on a technical interconnection between the nerve centers of both nations:
* Federal Republic of Nigeria: The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Kano;
* Republic of Cameroon: The Rescue Sub-Centre (RSC) in Yaoundé.
Through a rigorously defined mutual assistance mechanism, each State commits to deploying its aircraft, qualified personnel, and state-of-the-art equipment to locate and rescue passengers in distress during SAR operations.
As noted by the Cameroonian Minister, this achievement is the culmination of a shared vision between the two nations, following discussions initiated four years ago. Cameroon thus completes its African "security belt," following similar signings with Congo, Gabon, Chad, and the CAR. This milestone with Nigeria—an aviation heavyweight on the continent—positions the CEMAC zone and Nigeria as models of cross-border cooperation in civil safety.
This Agreement aligns strictly with the high-level directives of the two Heads of State, H.E. Paul BIYA and H.E. Bola TINUBU, who place bilateral cooperation and public safety at the heart of their priorities.
Trans: MKG
