World Humanitarian Day: Let Us Not Look Away, Let Us Act For Humanity

19 August marks World Humanitarian Day - a time to honour humanitarian workers and reaffirm our commitment to leaving no one behind. In Cameroon, this commitment is particularly important in 2025, as more than 3.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance due to the impact of natural disasters, climate change, and insecurity in certain regions of the country. These issues continue to drive refugee inflows and internal displacement.
The presence of hundreds of thousands of refugees, internally displaced persons, and returnees, all benefiting from the solidarity of host communities, often themselves extremely vulnerable, is a testament to the remarkable hospitality and solidarity of the Cameroonian people and Government. However, the significant strain on host communities also puts additional pressure on already scarce resources in the affected regions.
The generosity of the host communities and the efforts of the Government in these crises-affected regions are truly commendable. I have had the opportunity to visit several of these areas. In the Far North, I witnessed the damage caused by flooding and insecurity. I joined response operations, discussed with humanitarian partners about the challenges they face and met with local authorities. Most importantly, I listened to the heart-wrenching stories of those affected. What struck me most was the generosity of host communities who, despite their own hardships, open their arms and homes to those who have lost everything.
In response to the situation, the United Nations and humanitarian partners have launched the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, which aims to support 2.1 million of the most vulnerable people. Th...