On 16 August 2024, Siaka Coulibaly, acting United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cameroon, launched an urgent appeal for better protection of humanitarian workers in the country.
During a sports walk organized on Friday 16 in Yaoundé, in the run-up to World Humanitarian Day celebrated on 19 August, Mr. Coulibaly stressed the importance of guaranteeing the safety of humanitarian workers, particularly in crisis zones. “Humanitarians must be protected, especially in crisis zones. We must ensure that they can fully intervene where necessary, in support of the government’s efforts,” he told the press.
This statement comes in a difficult context where humanitarian workers are facing increasing challenges, particularly in regions affected by conflict and natural disasters. Mr. Coulibaly said humanitarians operate mainly in six of the country’s ten regions: the Far North, North, East, Adamaoua, North-West and South-West. These areas are often affected by challenges related to climate change, natural disasters such as flooding, armed group activities, as well as the influx of refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad. “These incidents have the potential to exacerbate populations’ vulnerabilities, particularly people’s ability to access food, shelter, nutrition, water and sanitation, education, protection services or health care in some cases. It is also important to note that certain types of crises increase the risks for humanitarian workers to safely deliver effective assistance based on humanitarian principles,” he explained. The Interim UN Resident Coordinator recalled that World Humanitarian Day serves as a reminder of the risks humanitarians face when carrying out their mission. This year’s theme, “Acting for Humanity,” symbolises the global humanitarian community’s call on its leaders to ensure the protection of civilians and aid workers. Friday’s sports walk was an opportunity to pay tribute to missing aid workers, strengthen solidarity among humanitarian actors and demonstrate the UN’s continued support for the Government’s efforts to support vulnerable populations.
Cameroon is facing three major humanitarian crises: the conflict with Boko Haram in the Far North, the separatist conflict in the North-West and South-West, and the influx of Central African refugees in the East, North and Adamawa. In this context, humanitarian interventions are crucial to provide assistance and dignity to vulnerable populations. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 3.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024. The Humanitarian Response Plan, launched in April 2024 with a budget of $371.4 million, aims to help 2.3 million of the most vulnerable people. This plan responds to urgent needs linked to conflicts, epidemics and climate shocks. “The ongoing implementation of the Humanitarian Response Plan with the government is an important step in our support for vulnerable populations,” Siaka Coulibaly stressed.
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