Trapped in the crossfire of armed violence between Boko Haram and government forces, civilians in north Cameroon have seen their villages razed, loved ones slaughtered and families forced to flee in a country that has been named the world’s most neglected displacement crisis for two years in a row.
Despite immense need, the humanitarian response remained one of the least-funded appeals in the world last year, with donors showing little appetite to help the struggling African nation.
"Cameroon tops the list because the country barely makes headlines despite facing three separate emergencies and ranking the fourth-most affected sub-Saharan African country by Covid-19," Tom Peyre-Costa at the Norwegian Refugee Council told The National.
Cameroon’s worsening crisis is far from unique in being sidelined, with African countries accounting for 90 per cent of the most neglected displacement crises in the world, according to an annual ranking by the Norwegian Refugee Council.
The report, published on Wednesday, shows African nations topping the list for the fifth consecutive year, while Palestine and Libya, the two MENA countries included last year, have dropped out of the top 10.
“We can't unsee that the Middle East attracts more interest than Sub-Saharan Africa,” Mr Peyre-Costa said. “Crises in the Middle East are at the doorstep of Europe, so there is definitely more geopolitical interest.”
Cameroon was followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Venezuela, Mali, South Sudan, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Niger in the ranking, which analysed 40 displacement crises based on three criteria: lack of funding, lack of media attention, and political and diplomatic neglect.
Poor access for international journalists has also undermined the global coverage of crises in Africa.
In 2019 the DRC, with the second-largest hunger crisis in the world after Yemen and an internal displacement problem that’s second only to Syria, was the least-covered crisis in the world.
Last year, the DRC humanitarian appeal was only 37 per cent funded while the Syrian response reached 65 per cent. “Media coverage and international support feed each other. Everything is intertwined,” Mr Peyre-Costa said.
The situation is mirrored across Africa, where aid agencies say poorly funded appeals are especially concerning as Covid-19 spreads across the continent.
“Violence in many parts of Africa has not stopped because of Covid-19. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mali, and South Sudan, families continue to be forcibly uprooted, fuelling already-dire displacement crises now complicated by Covid-19,” Patrick Youssef, incoming regional director for Africa at the International Committee of the Red Cross, said.
“Our teams every day see the resilience of displaced families to carve out a living after losing everything to conflict, but now they face a crisis on top of a crisis. Physical distancing is impossible. Running water, soap and medical care are often hard to come by. And the rising price effect of Covid-19 hits empty stomachs hard. Violence and Covid-19 are a tragic combination for far too many.”
The more neglected the countries, the harder they will be hit by the economic shock of the pandemic, Mr Peyre-Costa told The National. "What is key is that the international community stands in solidarity with these nations so the virus does not add another humanitarian disaster to the myriad of crises they already face."
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
- If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Match info
Newcastle United 1
Joselu (11')
Tottenham Hotspur 2
Vertonghen (8'), Alli (18')
Teaching in coronavirus times