Cameroon's minister of territorial administration, Paul Atanga Nji, asked the international community to increase its financial support for countries hosting refugees, speaking at the opening of the 77th session of the executive committee of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva on 13 October 2026.
Atanga Nji represented President Paul Biya at the session. He said the protection of vulnerable populations should not rest on host countries alone, and called for a fair sharing of the humanitarian burden and for the promotion of secure voluntary returns, according to the minister's remarks at the session.
Cameroon hosts about 500,000 refugees and 20,000 asylum seekers, mainly from neighbouring countries, the minister said. He asked international partners to turn their commitments into adequate resources and called for stronger operational capacity for the UNHCR under the Global Compact on Refugees.
The government also restated its support for the voluntary return of displaced people to their countries of origin once security and dignity conditions are met, a position it has held since the 2016 New York summit. The appeal comes as international humanitarian funding falls, putting pressure on Cameroon's public finances and local infrastructure.