The three parties signed this technical document on July 14, 2026, following a meeting of the Cameroon-UNHCR-CAR Tripartite Commission on the modalities for resuming voluntary repatriation of Central African refugees living in Cameroon.
Cameroon, the CAR, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have finalized the modalities to facilitate the voluntary return of Central African refugees still living in Cameroon. A related document adopted last Tuesday during a meeting of the tripartite commission contains the practical modalities of voluntary repatriation as well as the activity schedule for this repatriation.
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Presided over by the Cameroonian Minister of Territorial Administration, chairman of the Commission, Paul Atanga Nji, the meeting saw the participation of the Central African Minister of Humanitarian Action, Josiane Lina Bemaka-Soui, Saoudatou Bah-Mansare, acting representative of UNHCR in Cameroon, and William Chemaly, UNHCR representative in the Central African Republic.
At the end of the meeting, it was concluded that the resumption of voluntary repatriation of Central African refugees to the CAR is certain. The UNHCR resident representative reaffirmed her availability to continue providing technical and operational support to the Cameroonian and Central African governments while respecting the sovereignty of their States.
Minister Josiane Lina Bemaka-Soui thanked Cameroon, the country hosting Central African refugees since the outbreak of the post-electoral crisis of 2013, for its hospitality. She noted that health crises related to the cholera epidemic and security issues are currently affecting certain localities in the CAR. This reality will need to be taken into account in the voluntary repatriation process of the refugees.
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According to figures provided by the Minister of Territorial Administration, as of June 30, 2026, Cameroon hosts 412,521 refugees and 21,223 asylum seekers. Included are 287,056 Central African refugees mainly settled in the East, Adamawa, and North regions, as well as 31,941 refugees living in urban areas, particularly in Yaoundé and Douala. In total, about 283,000 Central Africans are still refugees in Cameroon.
Since the signing of the Cameroon-UNHCR-CAR tripartite agreement on June 29, 2019, repatriation operations have enabled the return of 28,067 Central African refugees to their country of origin. The Cameroon-UNHCR-CAR tripartite commission reaffirms the voluntary, safe, dignified, and durable nature of the repatriation.
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