France offers 260 million for refugees

This gift offered to WFP last Thursday in Yaoundé will contribute to the strengthening of food security in the North and East of Cameroon.

400 thousand euros, approximately 262 million is the amount involved in the signing of the document of funding between the World Food Programme (WFP) and the french government through the Embassy of France.

The ceremony of signing of this agreement was held Thursday in Yaounde between Christine Robichon, Ambassador of France in Cameroon and Jacques Roy, Director and representative of WFP in Yaoundé.

According to Christine Robichon, this gift to WFP is intended to strengthen nutritional and food assistance to refugees from Nigeria and the CAR as well as IDPs in the Extreme North, to the East and vulnerable local communities. It is intended according her to relieve the situation of vulnerable and malnourished populations. She added that this contribution represents the first installment of food aid planned by France in 2015.

The Ambassador of France expressed concerned about the precarious situation faced by the population in the Extreme North and the East, who suffer attacks of Boko Haram.

"This is why France has seen fit to participate in this solidarity and the mobilization of friends of Cameroon, bringing an additional contribution". Although at the moment, as explained by the diplomat, the exactions of Boko Haram have made farmers in thr far north to flee their fields. "These abuses have ruined businesses, agriculture and other actions carried out by these populations.

Meanwhile Jacques Roy expressed appreciation of the invaluable contribution of the France. According him, this gift will respond to the humanitarian needs of the ever-increasing refugees in Cameroon. He said in essence that the situation of insecurity along the Cameroon-Nigeria border has generated a huge flow of refugees in Cameroon.

"As well as the North regions of Cameroon regularly suffer shocks such as droughts and floods. What corresponds to a shortfall of 130 000 tonnes of grain for the crop year 2014-2015", said Jacques Roy.