UNHCR marvels at Cameroon’s “legendary hospitality” towards Nigerian refugees at Youth Day celebrations

By Tata Mbunwe

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, has hailed Cameroon’s hospitality towards Nigerian refugees living in the Far North Region, as they were offered the chance to also participate at the 11 February Youth Day celebrations.

“This is Cameroon’s legendary hospitality to refugees on display,” the UNHCR wrote on its Facebook page on Saturday, displaying pictures of Nigerian refugee school children marching alongside their Cameroonian counterparts during the Youth Day parade in Minawao, Far North.

“Nigerian refugee pupils and students march side by side their Cameroonian schoolmates, during the national Youth Day parade in Minawao refugee camp,” UNHCR’s post further read.

Minawao refugee camp hosted 71,021 Nigerian refugees as of March 31, 2022, the UNHCR said.

The organisation has helped thousands of them to return to their homes, including over 1,200 who were helped to return home in January this year.

Although Cameroon battles with its own internal crises, including two armed conflicts, the country has opened its arms to about 460,000 refugees from Central African Republic and Nigeria.

According to the UNHCR, hosting such large numbers of refugees is associated with guaranteed freedoms that the host country offers refugees, which make them comfortable to live there.

In the case of Uganda, which was hailed last year for hosting the highest number of refugees in Africa, the country’s government is said to have guaranteed refugees’ freedom of movement and the right to employment, education and health, as well as the right to start a business.

In Cameroon, refugees are also offered similar privileges that enable them to become economically self-reliant, while granting them the same rights that citizens enjoy.

Mimi Mefo Info