USA gives FCFA 16 bln to refugees in Cameroon

Anne C. Richard, Sub-Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration (PRCM), has announced the release by the Government of her country of 24 million dollars (nearly 16 billion FCFA) for Cameroon.

La Nouvelle Expression (LNE) on newsstands this July 15 indicates that this money will be used to support the displaced and who are affected by the attacks of Boko Haram in the Region of the Lake Chad Basin. The US, the newspaper said, answered the call for help launched early in 2016 by the High Commissioner for Refugees.

During a meeting at the residence of the Ambassador of the United States to Cameroon, Anne C. Richard said that “our funding will support the expansion of emergency food aid to reach hundreds of thousands more in Northern Nigeria and Niger. The humanitarian air service of the United Nations in Chad and Cameroon will ensure the safe and reliable transport of humanitarian workers and cargo. ”

LNE says that “the funding announced today will strengthen the efforts of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide essential help to Nigerian refugees, such as access to drinking water, construction of health facilities, provision of medical services, the purchase of essential household items.

Another part will be used for the construction of shelters and the establishment of programs to protect children and the development of activities that prevent and respond to gender-based violence. ”

According to data provided by the High Commissary for Refugees, “about 9.2 million people suffer displacement, deprivation and disease, all caused by the armed conflict caused by Boko Haram. Among those displaced, 2.6 million are internally displaced and refugees.

In addition, about three million are classified as in situations of acute food insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin region. And the United Nations have reported that the number of displaced people has tripled in the last two years, ” the paper said.