Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, who have endured strained relations over the former's building of a border wall, Tuesday said they had signed a border security accord. The defence ministers of the two neighbours signed the agreement at Sipopo, just outside Equatorial Guinean capital Malabo. The accord includes "banning use of force between the two countries and the non-interference in the other's internal affairs." Authorities did not reveal further details of the deal which suggests a distinct thawing of relations. "Clouds which had progressively formed these past few months over our respective borders have lifted," said Cameroon's defence minister delegate Joseph Beti Assomo after the accord was inked. "It is a positive step ... a happy day for our peoples," said Equatorial Guinea's Defence Minister Leandro Nkogo Bakale. Relations had taken a dive since Yaounde last July accused its neighbour of starting construction of a border wall -- something Malabo denied. Further fears were stoked by the appearance of border lookout points but earlier this month the two defence ministers met in Yaounde where it was announced the wall project was being halted pending an accord on the path of the border. Malabo has been concerned at growing clandestine immigration from Cameroonians chasing perceived opportunities in their neighbour's growing oil industry. The border zone, which also abuts Gabon, is a growing trade area but also a hub for trafficking. Malabo has been increasing surveillance of the frontier since the 2017 arrest of 30 armed men accused of plotting a coup against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. sam-cma/cdw/pvh