This was during a plenary session chaired by Senate President, Marcel Niat N. on December 07, 2017.
A total of five bills pertaining to the rule of law, enhancing bilateral relations and improved standards of living were on December 07, 2017 adopted at the Senate.
Amongst the bills is the 2016 Settlement Bill N° 1017/PJL/AN which recorded a deficit due to falling oil prices in the world market, the rechanneling of funds to combat insecurity in the country and the management of refugees from neigbouring countries.
Bill N°1014/PJL/AN which authorises the President of the Republic to ratify the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan-African Parliament, adopted in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) on 27 June 2014 was equally adopted.
The instrument seeks to modernise the African Union and give more powers to the Pan-African Parliament which is the legislative body of the outfit and currently headed by a Cameroonian, Hon. Nkodo Dang Roger.
In relation to security, Bill N°1015/ PJL/AN was adopted which authorises the President of the Republic to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty which was adopted on April 02, 2013 in New York and entered into force on 24 December 2014.
The bill purports through its ratification, Cameroon’s Defence forces could obtain assistance from other States parties in preventing and fighting terrorism and other criminal activities associated with the illicit trade in conventional arms.
Another adopted bill is Bill N°1016/PJL/AN which authorises the President of the Republic to ratify the United Nations Convention on Transparency in Treaty-Based Investors-State Arbitration, adopted on 10 December 2014 in New York. This bill supplements the legal framework applicable in Cameroon on matters relating to international trade arbitration and investments.
As efforts to enhance diplomatic relations, Bill N°1018/PJL/AN which authorises the President of the Republic to ratify the Air Services Agreement between the Republic of Cameroon and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed in Riyadh on 7 March 2017 was equally adopted.