Only 20 per cent of the projected FCFA 58.5 billion has so far been raised.

In spite of having to cope with a whopping 132,424 refugees who have registered in the country since January 2014, the expected funding has not been forthcoming. Speaking in Yaounde on Friday, November 7, 2014, in a chat with the media, the Resident Representative for Cameroon of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, Ndeye N. Ndour, said only 20 per cent of the projected budget of 111.1 million Dollars (about FCFA 58.5 billion) had so far been raised.

She attributed the situation to the emergent crises in South Sudan, Iraq, Syria and other trouble hotspots around the world that have taken the attention of the international donor community. Ndeye Ndour however reassured that the rate of mortality among refugee children as a result of malnutrition has now been brought under control, unlike the peak period between March and April 2014 when many were dying. She recalled that the first quarter of this year saw 10,000 refugees arriving the country every week; mostly from the conflict in the Central African Republic, CAR.

With the support of government and partners, assistance has been offered to the 280,000 refugees now in the country; with 242,000 from CAR and 32,000 from Nigeria. The UN Refugee Agency Representative was all thanks to President Paul Biya for the welcome refugees have received in the country through the allocation of six sites for the construction of camps, provision of security, healthcare, education and other social amenities to ease their stay. She disclosed that the ad hoc ministerial committee created for the purpose meets regularly and receives situational reports from various agencies and partners involved in caring for the refugees.

She admitted that the heavy toll the presence of thousands of refugees was having on local infrastructure, but promised to rehabilitate and construct more school, health and sanitary facilities in refugee camps and host communities. The UNHCR Cameroon chief announced that refugees brought in over 200,000 cattle and efforts were underway to ensure that their presence did not result in conflicts over pasture fields with local people.

Concerning the humanitarian situation in the Far North Region, she said aid convoys were being given adequate protection by the military. To date, over 7,000 refugee children are in school in camps in the country, while over 120 medical staff have been hired to boost health care delivery. Similarly, over 38,000 treated mosquito bed nets, 43,000 mats, 53,000 blankets and 14,000 kitchen utensils, have been offered to refugees.