The needs of Nigerian refugees in Cameroon remain significant. The strong presence of security forces and fear of potential infiltrations in the camp will necessitate renewed engagement in maintaining and ensuring the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum. The number of security personnel in Minawao camp will, however, need to be increased as currently the ratio is one Gendarme per 2,300 refugees when the standard is 1 per 1,000.
In order to increase our knowledge of the needs of out of camp refugees so as to provide better assistance, the three aforementioned Joint Committees in collaboration with the established protection and border monitoring mechanisms will help all humanitarian partners to obtain information on the exact number of out of camp refugees and their needs.
More needs to be done to increase the capacity of young refugees so as to provide alternative livelihood activities and skills-trainings. This would offer them possibilities to engage in activities that would provide them with means to sustain themselves and their families and become less dependent on humanitarian assistance. Access and allocation of land is limited and therefore makes it challenging for refugees to ensure their livestock have access to pastures.
Humanitarian needs persist in all sectors. These include strengthening the prevention of and response to malnutrition, disease surveillance and response; improving access to primary health care; enhancing access to education on a non-discriminatory basis; and improving access to water through sustaining sources. Sanitary infrastructure in Minawao camp needs to be improved and a more participatory approach implemented.
Having observed the arrival trends in Cameroon so far this year, and with considerable numbers of Nigerians, already settled within Cameroon moving towards Minawao camp, the Nigeria 2017 RRRP plans to protect and assist a total of 75,000 Nigerian refugees.
The camp has been growing continuously and is expected to host at least 60,000 refugees by the end of 2016 and receive around 15,000 new arrivals in the course of 2017.
At the same time in 2017 some refugees may consider repatriating if conditions were to become conducive in certain areas of origin for return in safety and dignity. Should conditions for voluntary returns in safety and dignity, and based on well-informed decisions by refugees be met, UNHCR stands ready to facilitate the repatriation of Nigerian refugees. The planning figure for 2017 is 15,000 repatriated Nigerians. Their voluntary repatriation will also depend on the signing of the Tripartite Agreement between the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon and UNHCR, expected to be signed during the last trimester of 2016.
A return intention survey carried out at Minawao camp in April 2016 indicated that about 75 per cent of those interviewed, expressed the wish to return back to their places of origin in north-east Nigeria should the conditions prove to be conducive. While it is recognized that military operations have led to significant advances in the fight against Boko Haram and have brought back a number of areas under Government control, conditions in much of the north-east are not yet conducive for the return of Nigerian refugees and IDPs. This is due to continuing insecurity and the absence of basic services which pose acute humanitarian and protection risks for the affected populations, particularly in Borno state from where the majority of refugees have fled. UNHCR and its partners will only start facilitating return if all conditions for a well-informed voluntary return in safety and dignity are met.
The projected number of 15,000 new arrivals to Cameroon includes 5,000 Nigerian refugees arriving in the camp from Nigeria and 10,000 Nigerians arriving from Nigeria in out of camp locations. Due to the continuing precarious and volatile security situation in the three border departments (Mayo-Sava, Mayo-Tsanaga and Logone-et-Chari) most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, we furthermore anticipate some 10,000 out of camp refugees moving towards the camp to seek protection there. Should cross-border incursions, lootings, pillages and suicide attacks continue in Cameroonian villages, most certainly Nigerians already staying along the border will continue to move to the camp for their own safety. The strong presence of Cameroonian military authorities will also affect the trend of new arrivals.
In addition, the Plan takes into consideration the humanitarian needs of some 20,000 inhabitants of villages in proximity of Minawao camp. These communities have been extremely generous in hosting almost 60,000 refugees on their lands; however, the presence of refugees has put enormous pressure on natural resources, basic social infrastructures and services. To help alleviate some of this pressure from these communities and preserve peaceful coexistence and asylum space, most projects in this response plan take the needs of host communities into account.