Cameroon: UNHCR announces voluntary repatriation of 10,000 to 20,000 Central African refugees this year

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cameroon has announced plans to voluntarily repatriate between 10,000 and 20,000 Central African refugees this year. Yvette Muhimpundu, the UNHCR resident representative, made the announcement during a meeting with Cameroon's Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji. The repatriation is slated to commence in the coming days, with discussions focusing on the practical and logistical measures required for this significant return operation.

Muhimpundu commended the Cameroonian government for its hospitality and ongoing commitment to protecting Central African refugees, who have resided in Cameroon for about 15 years. The last notable voluntary return operation occurred on March 26, 2025, involving 523 refugees, coordinated by both governments and the UNHCR.

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the UNHCR resident representative in Cameroon, Yvette Muhimpundu, announced the voluntary repatriation this year of 10,000 to 20,000 Central African refugees to their country of origin.

According to UNHCR data, Cameroon is currently home to around 332,000 Central African refugees. Many live within local communities or in designated sites in the East, North, and Adamaoua regions. Since the official launch of repatriation operations in 2019, facilitated by an improving security situation in parts of the Central African Republic, over 22,000 refugees have voluntarily returned. This renewed humanitarian effort aligns with the tripartite agreement signed in June 2016 between Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the UNHCR.

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warmly congratulated the Cameroonian government for its legendary hospitality and its continued commitment to the protection of Central African refugees, hosted on Cameroonian soil for about fifteen years.