UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Cameroon Attacks on Humanitarians - OCHA
/
1:50
/
MP4
/
135.8 MB

Edited News | OCHA

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Cameroon Attacks on Humanitarians - OCHA

Cameroon: UN office strongly condemns attacks on aid workers

Harassment, attacks, abductions and extortions of aid workers are dramatically on the rise in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The situation has reached a point where aid delivery has had to be scaled back, putting many lives at unnecessary risk.

“Over the past two months we have seen a significant increase in attacks with six aid agencies reporting having had their workers kidnapped or illegally detained in live-threatening incidents” said Jens Larke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) speaking today to a virtual press conference at the United Nations in Geneva.

He added that “there is an increasing widespread practice by non-state armed groups of setting up illegal checkpoints along the main supply routes and abducting aid workers”.

All staff involved in these incidents have been released, but they are traumatised because of the death threats they received during the abduction.

These constraints have strongly impacted the work of humanitarian organisations with consequences for the people they serve.

The situation in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, which started as a political crisis, has been marked by violent clashes and has led to a complex humanitarian emergency with 1.7 million people in need in the region.

Quoting Cameroon’s humanitarian coordinator Allegra Baiocchi, the OCHA spokesperson said that “the increase of attacks is very troubling as it comes at a time where efforts are actually focused in scaling up in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added that “the Humanitarian Coordinator has reiterated the UN Secretary-Generals call for a global ceasefire to also apply in Cameroon”.

Aid workers and the assistance they provide to the most vulnerable populations can make the difference between life and death for entire communities in this part of Cameroon, OCHA says. In this context, the kidnapping of aid workers has a devastating effect on life-saving aid.

“Motives for these kidnappings are mostly predatory - kidnapping for ransom or theft”, Laerke said. “Armed elements have also enforced so called ‘ghost towns’ which is days where they prohibit people from venturing out, they have used improvised explosive devices in populated areas and closed transport routes between cities for several days”.

Cameroon security forces have also reportedly delayed the movement of humanitarian cargo.

“There is also an issue with the regular armed forces there, the Cameroonian armed forces, which have withheld and stopped trucks particularly with aid. They are having some reports of them detaining protective equipment that was to be used for humanitarian workers”.

According to OCHA; 450,000 of the 1,7 million people in need are displaced, 600,000 have already fled the violence to other parts of the country. A total of 2.3 million people in Cameroon need food, shelter, non-food items and protection as a result of the crisis.

1. Wide shot: exterior, UN Geneva flag alley.

  1. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “Over the past two months we have seen a significant increase in attacks with 6 aid agencies reporting having had their workers kidnapped or illegally detained in live-threatening incidents”.

3. Medium shot: Flag alley in front of UN Geneva building

4. SOUNDBITE (EN) - Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “There is an increasing widespread practice by non-state armed groups of setting up illegal checkpoints along the main supply routes and abducting aid workers”.

5. Close up: UN flag

6. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “The increase of attacks is very troubling as it comes at a time where efforts are actually focused in scaling up in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The Humanitarian Coordinator has reiterated the UN Secretary-Generals call for a global ceasefire to also apply in Cameroon”.

7. Medium shot: UN Geneva Palais des Nations

  1. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “Motives for these kidnappings are mostly predatory - kidnapping for ransom or theft. Armed elements have also enforced so called ‘ghost towns’ which is days where they prohibit people from venturing out, they have used improvised explosive devices in populated areas and closed transport routes between cities for several days”.

9. Wide shot: UN flag alley

  1. SOUNDBITE (EN) – Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “There is also an issue with the regular armed forces there, the Cameroonian armed forces, which have withheld and stopped trucks particularly with aid. They are having some reports of them detaining protective equipment that was to be used for humanitarian workers”.

11. Wide shot: UN flag, in background ICRC building

Similar Stories

DRC  UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu   Ravina Shamdasani UN Human Rights Spokesperson

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu Ravina Shamdasani UN Human Rights Spokesperson ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Sudan attacks

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Sudan attacks ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on deadly attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan 

Gaza City famine – UN OCHA, WFP, WHO, OHCHR 22 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , UNITED NATIONS , WFP , WHO

Gaza City famine – UN OCHA, WFP, WHO, OHCHR 22 August 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: Famine “irrefutably” confirmed, UN humanitarians unite in plea for aid access

Famine has been confirmed in Gaza Governorate by the world’s top authority on food security and will spread further within the Strip unless fighting stops and much more aid is allowed in, UN humanitarians said on Friday.