Management of Refugees : UNHCR Presents Actions, Appreciates Gov’ts Efforts

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cameroon has organised an open day to make known their activities in the country which are geared at providing humanitarian assistance to those forced to displaced (refugees and internally displaced persons), those without nationality and the repatriated.   The event took place on April 6, 2023 at the premises of UNHCR Yaounde where the Resident Representative, Olivier Beer presented an overview of the missions of the UN entity and appreciated the unwavering and unconditional support of the government and other institutions. He underscored the fragility and vulnerability that characterise the daily lives of millions of internally displaced persons in Cameroon and refugees. “In this context, UNHCR has chosen in recent years to adapt its strategy by integrating three main areas, including the strengthening of protection, coordination, and the search for durable solutions, such as voluntary repatriation or return of forcibly displaced persons, resettlement to a third country or relocation within Cameroon,” he explained.  
This new approach, the Resident Representative added, has enabled them to, under the coordination of government, adopt the Yaounde Declaration in April 2022 related to solutions of Central African refugees, the organisation, with the Ministry of External Relations, the first multi-partner dialogue on the management of refugees in Cameroon, the issuance of more 5,000 identity cards to refugees by the government of Cameroon, and voluntary repatriation of over 6,000 Nigerian refugees and 1,500 CAR refugees in 2022 and 2023.  
Oliver Beer on a sad note stated that humanitarian funding for the institution’s operations is shrinking, with only 31 per cent of the required funds received in 2022, whereas the needs and the number of the forcibly displaced are increasin...