ReliefWeb

Cameroon MCO currently has 1,753,425 people of concern, including 272,227 Central African Republic refugees, 113,739 Nigerian refugees, 36,368 urban refugees and asylum seekers of various nationalities, 976,773 IDPs (297,380 in Far North and 679,393 in North West and South West regions) and 354,328 returnees (former IDPs) in the Far North, North West and South West regions, in addition to 476 refugees and 79 asylum seekers in Gabon.

On 22 May, UNHCR has donated 250 sets of 20 liters handwashing devices and 2,600 cartoons of 250g soap to local authorities as contribution to the efforts for the prevention COVID-1 to the benefit of IDPs and host communities. This donation comes in addition to two (02) medical ambulances (01 to the Regional Hospital of Maroua and the other for the annex of Kousseri) to support the government efforts to respond to COVID-19.

An influx of people was reported in Akwaya Town (South-West Region). The displacement was caused by the heavy presence of NSAG and their harassment on civilian population for illegal tax payment. About 364 IDPs (61 households) have returned from Littoral and West regions.

Spontaneous returns of refugees from Nigeria were reported in Furu-Awa, Mechum Division and Misaje, Donga Division. UNHCR met the returnees’ representatives on 23 May to follow-up the trend of the return.

WORKING WITH PARTNERS

UNHCR coordinates protection and assistance for persons of concern in collaboration with:

◼ Governmental Partners: Ministries of External Relations, Territorial Administration, Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Public Health, Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Social Affairs, Justice, Basic Education, Water and Energy, Youth and Civic Education, the National Employment Fund, the Secrétariat Technique des Organes de Gestion du Statut des réfugiés and others.

◼ Implementing Partners: Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA), African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD), Agence pour le Développment Economique et Social (ADES), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), FAIRMED, International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), Intersos, International Medical Corps (IMC), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Plan International, Première Urgence - Internationale (PUI) and Public Concern.

◼ Operational Partners: ICRC, Adventist Relief Agency (ADRA), ASOL, Red Deporte, IEDA Relief, Action Contre la Faim (ACF), Solidarités Internationales and CARE International.

◼ UN Agencies: WFP, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, UN Women, FAO, UNESCO, IOM, UNDP and UNOCHA.

◼ Operational coordination: The response for Central African refugees is managed in line with the Refugee Coordination Model and includes local authorities who are engaged in the management of the refugee operation. In the North West and South West regions, UNHCR ensures the leadership of the Protection and Shelter/NFI Clusters for the delivery of protection and assistance to IDPs. In the Far North, given the mixed situation (IDP, returnees and refugees), the Coordination is under the lead of the regional authorities with UNHCR as co-lead.

As from early 2020, the operational responsibility of UNHCR Cameroon has been extended to cover UNHCR mandate activities in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe. At the capital-level, UNHCR leads the Multi-Sector Operations Team for the Refugee Response and the national Protection Working Group, and actively participates in other relevant humanitarian coordination mechanisms as well as the Humanitarian Country Team and the United Nations Country Team.