TVC E. The exodus of Nigerians fleeing violence in the country’s north-eastern regions continues amid an influx of sixteen
thousand refugees into neighbouring Cameroon, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported.
Speaking to journalists at a press briefing in Geneva few months ago, UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said Cameroonian authorities had observed a steady flow of refugees streaming in through the “extremely volatile” border regions of Makaria, Logone Birni and Fotokol, just south of Lake Chad, rendering them vulnerable to attacks from the Nigerian insurgent group, Boko Haram.
Clashes between Boko Haram and Nigerian Government forces have intensified in recent weeks as fighting has spilled across borders and become increasingly regionalized. During the past few weeks alone, the group has also perpetrated deadly attacks against civilians in Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Mr. Edwards noted that UNHCR was already planning daily transfers of 2,000 refugees to Minawao, where there is an established refugee camp currently hosting more than 32,600 and where urgent shelter and sanitation construction is under way. At the camp, he added, UNHCR would also be providing basic relief aid, such as blankets, kitchen sets and soap.
From May 23 to May 24, hundreds of countries, companies and philanthropists will converge on Istanbul, Turkey, for the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit. The summit has been widely described as an unprecedented effort aimed at revamping humanitarian aid and global responses to modern-day crises and finding practical solutions to the global humanitarian challenges.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the summit was convened as part of efforts to tackle what he described as “the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II’’.
He said that the summit must usher in new era of global solidarity, adding that its main goal was to reaffirm the society’s commitment to humanity and humanitarian principles.
“We must not fail the people who need us, particularly when they need us most. First, the best way to achieve a bold and courageous change is to make sure that leaders are there to deliver it.
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