Cameroon declared world’s ‘most neglected’ crisis amid aid cuts and global apathy

Cameroon has been named the world’s most neglected displacement crisis,according to the Norwegian Refugee Council’s annual ranking,which evaluates crises based on lack of funding,media coverage,and political engagement.

Surpassing Burkina Faso,which held the top spot for two years,Cameroon now leads a list that includes eight African nations. More than 3.4 million people in Cameroon urgently need assistance. The country hosts over 1.1 million internally displaced individuals and nearly 500,000 refugees from neighboring Central African Republic and Nigeria. The NRC highlights three overlapping crises in Cameroon: a separatist conflict in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest,armed insurgencies in the Lake Chad Basin,and instability spilling over from Central Africa. Despite the gravity,the crisis remains largely underreported and underfunded — receiving just 45% of the humanitarian aid required in 2024.

“Cameroon’s situation is a case study in global neglect: little diplomacy,underfunded and underreported,” said Jan Egeland,NRC Secretary General. “Displacement isn’t a distant crisis — it’s a shared responsibility.” The report also criticizes wealthier nations for slashing aid budgets. The United States,under President Donald Trump,froze foreign aid entirely,while several European countries redirected funds toward defense. Without renewed global attention and diplomatic efforts,the NRC warns,the crisis will deepen,leaving more lives shattered and more people forgotten.