Aprotocol agreement on the sharing of personal data of refugees and asylum seekers in Cameroon has been signed between the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX) and the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Signed on March 7, 2019 in Yaounde, External Relations Minister, Lejeune Mbella Mbella penned on behalf of the government and the Resident Representative of UNHCR, Lazare Kouassi Etien signed on behalf of his institution.

Giving clarifications to the press after the signing ceremony, Minister Mbella Mbella said the agreement had several objectives under the goal of giving more protection to re fugees and asylum seekers in Cameroon. « We want to make sure we have a good exchange of data on refugees between UNHCR and the government of Cameroon.

The agreement equally aims at bringing more protection to refugees in Cameroon. Our country is known for its hospitality and we have refugees from different nationalities in our country, » he stated. The Minister added that the protocol agreement is a testimony and indicates government’s engagement to always abide by legal instruments guiding refugees and equally gives a broader opportunity for government to collaborate with UNHCR to ensure that the rights of refugees are protected. The Resident Representative of UNHCR, Lazare Kouassi Etien on his part while giving credit to Cameroonian citizens for their hospitality towards refugees said the agreement indicates government’s will to protect refugees in her terri tory. « I will like to give credit to the humble citizens who make efforts together with the government to accommodate refugees and share in the burden of internationally displaced persons, » he said. The UNHCR Representative noted that his organisation will accompany Cameroonian authorities as concerns the protection of refugees. He revealed that Cameroon is host to refugees of between 1