30 CAR Refugees Voluntarily Repatriated

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a total of 30 Central Africa Republic (CAR) refugees in Cameroon have been repatriated to their home country upon their request.

They were all based in Yaounde and arrived the Douala International Airport on September 9th for departure.

“They decided to return to their home country to resume life and send their children to school. We are always in contact with our UNHCR colleagues in Bangui on the state of security in CAR before we ensure their voluntary repatriation. We allow them go because the security situation has improved.” Marion Le GWEN, a Protection Associate at UNHCR Douala explains.

Some of the refugees said they really need to go back home in order to participate in the development of their country, get jobs and assist their families. They also expect that their home government greatly helps them, especially those who have spent between 8 and 10 years in Cameroon as a result of tensions in CAR.

” As a true and patriotic citizen I need to return home because the government needs youths like me to contribute on the construction of the country” a refugee who has spent 6 years in Cameroon says.

Other have mentioned they regret leaving Cameroon that has been very hospitable to them.

” I shall one day come back to Cameroon, not as a refugee but to visit this great country. I thank all those who supported me in every way” one of them tells CNA.

According to the UN Refugees Agency, they decided to give a green light to this return due to the improved security situation in CAR, following the peace deal signed in 2019 between the government and 14 armed groups, with the government forces regaining control of 70% of CAR territory.

Since the succession crisis started in CAR in 2013, hundreds of thousands of persons have been displaced in and out of the country including 346.784 in Cameroon.

Since October 2019, 6.958 Central African refugees living in Cameroon have benefited from a facilitated return to CAR by air and land transport.