Humanitarian Situation: UN High Commissioner For Refugees Visits Cameroon

Filippo Grandi arrives in the country today, December 15, 2016 on a three-day visit.

As a result of armed conflicts in some neighbouring countries, Cameroon today hosts over 350,000 refugees, according to figures from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNCHR. However, funding for the upkeep of these refugees has been dwindling, with only 37 per cent of requirements for 2016 met, UNHCR sources explain. Instead of the expected 98.6 million US Dollars for 2016, only 36.2 million US Dollars was raised, leaving a shortfall of 62.4 million US Dollars.

It is in this context that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, arrives in Cameroon today, December 15, 2016, on a three-day visit. Grandi, who flies in from Chad to Maroua in the Far North Region, is due to visit the sprawling Minawao Camp on the outskirts of the regional headquarters that hosts 60,000 Nigerian refugees. After which, the High Commissioner will hold discussions with local UNHCR officials before flying to Yaounde later in the afternoon. Tomorrow December 16, 2016, Filippo Grandi is expected to hold discussions with donors, UNHCR and UN System officials, before launching the Regional Res...