Boko Haram, Ambazonia:

Cameroon Crises Among the Most Neglected In the World

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde

A Norwegian NGO, NWR, has rated Anglophone crisis as most neglected in the world

The crises rocking some regions of Cameroon has have been classified among the world’s most neglected displacement conflicts. The finding is contained in a recent report published 10 June 2020 by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NWR) on their annual list of world’s most neglected displacement conflicts.

                The report which touches on countries with conflicts with more than 200,000 displaced people reviewed over 40 displacement crises based on the criteria of lack of funding, lack of media attention, and political and diplomatic neglect.

                It indicates that Cameroon scored high on all three, followed closely by DR Congo and Burkina Faso- two other crises where a lack of public attention contributed to a lack of funding to run aid operations.

                Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the NRC in the report reveals: “the deep crises represented by millions of displaced Africans are yet again the most underfunded, ignored and deprioritized in the world. They are plagued by diplomatic and political paralysis, weak aid operations and little media attention. Despite facing a tornado of emergencies, their SOS calls for help fall on deaf ears.”

                For a second year running Cameroon has topped the list as the most neglected crisis on the planet in 2019. The Boko Haram attacks in the Northern regions, armed conflict in the English-speaking regions and refugee crisis from Central Africa into its territory are among the crisis analyzed.

                NRC believes  ineffective conflict resolution, lack of political will, global news silence and a massive aid funding shortfall all contributed to the country topping this year’s list, followed by DR Congo, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Venezuela, Mali, South Sudan, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Niger.

                It adds that the humanitarian crises in these countries will worsen throughout 2020, compounded by the global coronavirus pandemic that is adding further hardship to millions.

                “Covid-19 is spreading across Africa, and many of the most neglected communities are already devastated by the economic shocks of the pandemic. We need solidarity with these conflict-stricken communities now more than ever, so the virus does not add more unbearable disaster to the myriad of crises they already face,” Egeland warned.