Anglophone Crisis In Cameroon Ranked 3rd Most Neglected Crisis In The World

This is the result of an assessment made public on June 1 by a Norwegian NGO on the security situation in the world. 

 The Norwegian non-governmental organization, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) released a list of the world’s ten most neglected displacement crises. The crises are found raging in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which comes first, then Burkina Faso, then Cameroon, South Sudan, Chad, Mali, Sudan, Nigeria, Burundi and Ethiopia.

This ranking for 2021 is based on three main criteria which were; lack of funding, lack of media attention and lack of international, political and diplomatic initiatives. It is also based, according to its initiators, on the absence or even the scarcity of public policies and actions “it bears witness to the chronic failure of policymakers, donors and the media to address the conflicts and human suffering on this continent”, deplored the secretary general of the NGO, Jan Egelandin a press release.

The report states that 2021 has seen three distinct crises persist in Cameroon. In the two English-speaking regions, the report says growing insecurity and abuses against civilians have forced people to flee in search of safety. “Attacks on teachers, schools and health facilities have continued, leaving 700,000 children unable to attend school. In the Far North region, violence and attacks have significantly hampered humanitarian efforts and access to people in need”

In the eastern region of the country, there has been an increase in the number of refugees from the Central African Republic, which has put additional pressure on local host communities, as the report indicates. For the past four years, Cameroon has been ranked 3rd on this list due to a consistent lack of political engagement and international attention.

Most international media rarely cover countries in conflict beyond reporting on new outbreaks of violence or disease, and in several African countries, the lack of press freedom compounds the situation. Then there is donor fatigue and the fact that many African countries are seen as of limited geopolitical interest.

The low level of funding limits the ability of humanitarian organizations both to provide adequate humanitarian aid and to do effective advocacy and communication work for these crises, creating a vicious circle. The situation in 2022 shows few signs of easing for the people of Cameroon, as violence and insecurity persist. The detention of aid workers has led some organizations to suspend their programmes, leaving even more people beyond the reach of aid.

It is extremely unfortunate to note that for the first time, the first 10 countries on this list are all African. However, in previous years, African countries were certainly present, but we found countries from other continents in the top 10. This means that the security environment in Africa leaves something to be desired.

Ingrid KENGNE