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No, UN not ‘creating’ independent states of Biafra and southern Cameroon in 2020

The United Nations has told world leaders that both Biafra, a region in southeast Nigeria, and southern Cameroon would become independent states in 2020, claims a Facebook post from 11 July.

The post, which has been shared more than 1,100 times, claims the UN has decided to postpone the creation of southern Cameroon until after the creation of Biafra. 

“The information reaching our desk this morning has confirmed that the United Nations has made a U-turn on creation of Southern Cameron which is supposed to be today July 10,” the poorly written post reads.

“They said it would be unfair and also cause tension to create southern Cameron without first creating Biafra. Biafrans has been struggling for almost 50 years. They sent a message to world leaders that Biafra will have their Independence on October 12 while South Cameron will have their own on may 2021.”

Is the UN planning to “create” these two new African states this year?



UN not creating neither Biafra nor Southern Cameroon


In June, we fact-checked a widely shared claim that the UN was going to carve a new country out of southern Cameroon and 24 local government areas from Nigeria on 10 July. The claim was rated false.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary general, told Africa Check at the time that “it is up to states to recognise or not recognise other governments. This is not something determined by the UN.”

There is no mention of the global body planning to create Biafra or any other independent state on the UN website or its official Twitter timeline

Several Biafra claims debunked


In recent years, we have debunked several claims about the UN planning to create Biafra or expelling Nigeria for opposing the move. 

Other claims about world leaders and African countries endorsing Biafra have all turned out to be false. – Africa Check




 

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