International Humanitarian Aid and the Role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Cameroon: The Case of Central African Republic Refugees

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) has resulted in mass displacement of people to the neighbouring countries with Cameroon receiving the bulk of the refugee population. This has naturally attracted media spotlight drawing international humanitarian organisations to the affected areas of Cameroon where the Central African Republic refugees are settled. I support the claim of most literature on the CAR refugees in Cameroon that holds that UNHCR Cameroon is operating under its international mandate of protection of CAR refugees in Cameroon. To confirm this I looked at the legal and operational framework of UNHCR at the international level, at the regional level and lastly national law all giving UNHCR its mandate of international protection of refugees.
The study is guided by the following research questions; why is the UNHCR failing in the protection of CAR refugees in Cameroon in spite of its organisational strengths and support from the international community?
What are the impacts on the introduction of refugees on the host communities?
To the above two questions I find inter alia that one of the major reasons for UNHCR’s failure in refugee protection in Cameroon is that government of Cameroon has relegated its responsibilities under international law to UNHCR which is over-burdening UNHCR’s already limited staff capacity with respect to the CAR refugee population as well as its resources
For the second question I find that the advent of CAR refugees in particular and refugees in general have been more beneficial to the image of the government of Cameroon. As the services provided by humanitarian agencies for CAR refugees as well as the activities of the refugees contribute directly or indirectly to the social, economic, political as well as diplomatic sectors, the immediate host communities are rather at the losing end with the advent of CAR refugees as there is a serious strain on the infrastructure (schools) and energy resources as well as their security is under threat with the massive and continued influx of CAR refugees.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Chapter1 1
• Introduction 1
• 1.1. Background to the study. 1
• 1.2. Conceptual Framework. 6
• 1.3. Objectives and justification of the study 7
• 1.4. Statement Problem/Research Question.. 8
• 1.5. Hypothesis. 8
• 1.6. Delimitation of the study 8
• Chapter 2 9
• 2.1 Literature Review:. 9
• The responsibility of Protection 9
• Geopolitics and humanitarian aid. 12
• Assessing UNHCRs Mandate in Cameroon. 13
• Urban Refugees 13
• 2.2. Method of Data Collection and research design. 14
• 2.3. Theoretical Framework. 14
• Part Two 17
• The operational framework for UNHCRs activities in Cameroon. 17
• Chapter3. International Refugee Regime 20
• Section A: International Refugee Law and Standards. 20
• 3.1 The 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees.. 21
• 3.2. The OAU 1969 Convention Governing the Specific Problems of Refugees in Africa. 25
• 3.3 Law No.2005/006 of 27 July 2005 on the Status of Refugees in Cameroon.. 27
• Section B: UNHCR Operational Framework 28
• 3.4. Statute and Mandate. 28
• 3.5. Governance, Structure and Membership 30
• 3.6. Functions and Power. 31
• Chapter Four Challenges faced by CAR refugees in Cameroon 33
• Section 1 33
• 4.1. Failures attributable to UNHCR in the protection of CAR refugees 33
• 4.2. Relationship between CAR and the International Community. 35
• 4.3. Relationship between CAR and International Organisations (UNHCR) 37
• 4.4. Humanitarian Assistance to CAR Refugees 38
• 4.5. Humanitarian Assistance to Cameroon for CAR Refugees. 40
• Section 2 45
• 4.6 Factors affecting UNHCRs ability to fully cater for CAR refugees 45
• 4.6.1 External Factors. 45
• 4.6.2 Institutional Factors 48
• Section 3 50
• 4.7 Impacts of the introduction of CAR refugees in the East and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon. 50
• 4.7.1 Direct social contribution... 52
• 4.7.2 Direct Economic contribution ... 53
• 4.7.3 Indirect Economic Contribution. 54
• 4.7.4 Political and diplomatic contribution. 55
• 4.8 Negative impacts of the introduction of CAR refugees on the host community 56
• Chapter 5 58
• 5.1 Conclusion/Findings and recommendation. 58
• 5.2 Bibliography. 60