“Ongoing clashes, different activities of armed groups and military operations have continued to put the population at risk, leading to frequent displacements into the forest and neighbouring towns in search of shelter, resulting in humanitarian needs,” says the UN organization. In these two regions, which have been in crisis since 2017, the UN counts 1.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Of these, more than 638,000 are internally displaced and 87,000 are refugees in neighbouring Nigeria. Despite this, more than 442,000 people were allowed to return home.

“Overall, humanitarian access remains challenging in the North West and South West, where humanitarian partners require constant engagement in order to reach affected populations and deliver humanitarian assistance. Vulnerability is exacerbated by insecurity, but also by rising prices, particularly in departments where movement and circulation are severely restricted,” the UN underscores.