Yaounde, Cameroon, January 31, 2023 — “I recently traveled to Cameroon to meet IRC staff and people who are impacted by deepening humanitarian crisis. It is imperative to recognize and address the existence of immense humanitarian needs in Cameroon and the Lake Chad Basin region as a whole, as well as the obstacles that hamper people from accessing life-saving assistance.
"Nine out of 10 regions in Cameroon continue to be impacted by three complex humanitarian crises: the Lake Chad basin conflict in the Far North region, the North-West and South-West crisis and the Central African Republic (CAR) refugee crisis. Across the country, 3.2 million people do not have enough food and 4.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
"I was able to visit IRC's response in both the Southwest and Northwest regions - including many clients forced to flee their homes to escape armed violence. With the conflict entering its 7th year, education is also under attack - with only 9% of displaced children able to attend school.
"Against this dire backdrop, the 2022 Cameroon humanitarian response plan was only 43% funded. Humanitarian actors cannot sustain a response much longer without a boost in funding delivered without diversion and sufficient access to populations in need in Cameroon, especially considering that the total number of people in need has increased by over 20% since last year.”