Cameroon unveils humanitarian plan for millions of vulnerable people

Cameroon’s Ministry of Territorial Administration, alongside various partners, inaugurated the 2024 humanitarian aid plan in Yaoundé on April 16, 2024, which aims to address the pressing needs of 3.4 million vulnerable individuals across the country.

With an estimated requirement of US$ 371.4 million (approximately FCFA 228 billion), the humanitarian response plan seeks to provide life-saving assistance and protection to those affected by various crises, including violence, natural disasters, climate shocks, and disease outbreaks.

This figure marks a decrease from last year’s funding allocation of 407.3 million US dollars.

The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan was developed through a comprehensive consultative process involving multiple sectors to address the most critical humanitarian needs.

Interventions will target areas such as education, food security, health, nutrition, protection, shelter, non-food items, and water and sanitation.

According to the UN, women and children constitute 77 percent of the population in need of humanitarian assistance in Cameroon, underscoring the urgent need for collective action to alleviate their suffering.

“The renewed commitment of the whole humanitarian community and donors is urgent to address critical humanitarian needs,” said Siaka Coulibaly, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Cameroon.

“We must also contribute to promoting, exploring, and implementing innovative and sustainable solutions to address complex and protracted displacement effects, in cooperation with national authorities, development actors and international financial institutions,” Mr Coulibaly added.

Cameroon continues to grapple with prolonged armed conflict in the Far North Region and the Anglophone Regions of North West and South West.

Additionally, challenges persist due to the influx of Central African refugees, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks.

Natural and man-made disasters, including floods, landslides and fire outbreaks, also continue to inflict a heavy toll on the population.

The plan specifically targets the most urgent needs resulting from the Lake Chad basin conflict, crises in the North-West and South-West regions, refugee influx, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks.

With nearly one million internally displaced people and approximately half a million refugees and asylum seekers hosted by Cameroon, the humanitarian situation remains dire.

Despite some positive trends observed in certain regions, an estimated 2.5 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity in 2024.

The launch of the 2024 Humanitarian Aid Plan signals a concerted effort to address these challenges and provide vital support to the most vulnerable populations across Cameroon.

©Mimi Mefo Info