Cameroon Tops Refugee NGO's List of Most Neglected Displacement Crises

A new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) highlights Cameroon. It ranks as the most neglected global displacement crisis this year. The report shows a sharp decline in international support.

Cameroon hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people. Yet, it receives limited international attention and funding. Laila Matar, NRC's communications director, called it "a case study in global neglect." She noted there is little media coverage and chronic underfunding. Many people are struggling to survive.

The country faces three humanitarian emergencies: violence in the far north, conflict in anglophone regions, and refugees from Central African Republic. These crises have overwhelmed Cameroon's services.

According to the NRC's 2024 report, 11 percent of Cameroon's population faces acute food insecurity. Matar stated that 1.4 million children are in overcrowded classrooms. There is no meaningful investment from the global community.

Cameroon's humanitarian response plan for 2024 is only 45 percent funded. This leaves a gap of over $202 million (almost €178 million). Alongside Cameroon, nine other crises also suffer from neglect and lack of aid funding.

Matar explained the reduced support by citing donor fatigue. She expressed concern about a shift towards inward-looking policies among donor countries. Several developed nations have cut their overseas aid budgets significantly.

France plans to reduce its public development assistance by over €2 billion—nearly 40 percent of its annual budget. The UK has lowered its overseas development assistance from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of gross national income. Germany and the Netherlands have also announced substantial cuts to foreign aid.

The United States has drastically reduced several aid programs under the Trump administration's accusations of inefficiency. These decisions impact NGOs like NRC severely.

Matar warned that these compromises are deadly for humanitarian efforts. The NRC report urges a shift in priorities for global aid funding. Secretary-General Jan Egeland emphasized that displacement is a shared responsibility.

He called for action against brutal aid cuts that cost lives daily. While governments must lead this effort, Matar believes ordinary people can help too. She encouraged individuals to write to their MPs and demand an end to aid cuts.

"We don't need these crises at our borders to care," she said.