(Business in Cameroon) - Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, revealed the government needs CFA244.43 billion (about $407.3 million) to meet the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2023. During the plan’s presentation today in Yaoundé, the official said assistance will be provided to nearly 2.7 million people over the year.

About 1.7 million of the beneficiaries are people affected by the security crisis in the North-West and South-West regions (NOSO), according to a report published in February by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The increasing attacks by Boko Haram in the Far North region have forced many people to flee their homes in search of safer places, leading to a greater need for humanitarian assistance. Additionally, the unrest in the Central African Republic is affecting the East, Adamaoua, and North regions of Cameroon, further exacerbating the need for aid. Moreover, natural disasters such as the floods that affected the inhabitants of Yagoua in the Far North region last year are also contributing to the demand for humanitarian assistance.

Karen Perrin, Head of the OCHA office in Cameroon, said that the HRP will prioritize assistance in health, nutrition, education, and access to clean water. Meanwhile, Matthias Z. Naab, the humanitarian coordinator for Cameroon, urges donors to provide a volume of funding that meets the needs.

In 2022, Cameroon received only $208.7 million (CFA125.2 billion) of the expected $376 million (CFA225.6 billion). This is 55.5% of the needed funds, OCHA said.  The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is even considering ceasing its activities in Touboro and Buea due to the shortfall in funding.