CI-NEWS

Gov’t engages UN agency to ease voluntarily return of CAR refugees.

2019-07-02

No: 434

Gov’t engages UN agency to ease voluntarily return of CAR refugees.

Government, through the Ministry of Territorial Administration, has sealed a deal with the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, with the view to facilitating the willful return of some refugees from the Central African Republic, CAR, living in Cameroon.

The tripartite agreement reached over the weekend also involved the government of the Central African Republic, which was represented at the signing ceremony by the country’s Minister of Humanitarian Action and National Reconciliation.

The agreement, signed Saturday in the conference hall of the ministry, is a legal framework setting up the voluntary return of CAR refugees to their country of origin in safety and dignity.

Territorial administration minister, Paul Atanga Nji, signed on behalf of the government of Cameroon, the Central African Republic Minister of Humanitarian Action and National Reconciliation, Virgine Baikoua, signed for her country while Buti Kale, the UN refugee agency representative in Central Africa put pen to paper on behalf of his organisation.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Atanga Nji said following international laid down principles on the management of refugees, the Head of State has instructed that all refugees living on Cameroonian soil be offered facilities to enhance their wellbeing.

“It has never been a government principle to allow refugees return to their countries when the conditions favourable for their social and economic reintegration have not been met,” he said.

He thus noted that the government of Cameroon has always opted for voluntary repatriation of refugees within strict respect of international conventions. He thanked the UNHCR for being there to support Cameroon give relief to the refugees. He also thanked the refugees for keeping their dignity in spite of the trying moments.

The territorial administration boss said refugees will always want to return to their countries of origin where they built their lives and their host countries would always wish they go back if the security conditions in their home countries warrant so. It is for these reasons that the tripartite agreement was signed for Central African refugees to return to their country.

The Central African Minister for Humanitarian Action, on her part, said the president of her country, Prof Faustin-Archange Toudera, since coming to power has given priority to the return of displaced persons and refugees to participate in nation building. She said following a peace accord signed by the government with some 14 armed groups in February 2019, many regions in the country that were hit by war, now witness relative calm, permitting the return of refugees. She hailed the brotherly ties existing between the two countries while thanking President Paul Biya and his government for making the Central African refugees feel at home in Cameroon. Minister Baikoua said her government regrets any uncivil acts committed by CAR refugees in Cameroon.

The parties, in signing the agreement, took note of the fact that refugees from the Central African Republic have spontaneously returned to their country of origin while some 6,000 of the over 280, 000 refugees still living in Cameroon having expressed their desire to return home.

As per the security situation in the Central African Republic, the parties noted that there has been some progress in certain potential areas of return, underlining that the implementation of the tripartite agreement will be conditioned on the restoration of conditions that are conducive for a safe and dignified return and will require close monitoring of the prevailing situation in the various areas of return.

The parties have launched an appeal to the international community to support the government of Cameroon and the UN refugee agency to continue providing the protection and assistance to those refugees who do not opt for voluntary repatriation.

The signing took place in the presence of the Resident Coordinator of UN Systems in Cameroon, Allegra Baiocchi, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Yaounde, leaders of the Central African refugee community in Yaounde, UN refugee agency partners and administrative officials.

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Gov’t engages UN agency to ease voluntarily return of CAR refugees.