Central African refugees return home from Cameroon after a decade in exile

The atmosphere in the Timangolo refugee camp in eastern Cameroon is filled with excitement as refugees from the Central Africa Republic (CAR) prepare for a long-awaited journey home.

Halimatou Sadia, 40, makes sure that her daughter’s hair is braided, henna applied to their hands, and that her boys are well-groomed. All their luggage, including household belongings, is labeled and loaded onto a waiting truck.

She is among more than 300 people who are about to leave for CAR more than 10 years after she fled her home country. She is looking forward to joining her husband who went back two years ago to prepare for the family’s return.

 “It has been a long time since we have seen each other, that is why I did my hair and put on henna for the children,” she says.  “I want to return and find my country at peace so that my children can go back to school.”

As the convoy of five trucks starts rolling, Halimatou waves goodbye to friends and neighbours who came to see her off. While it is an exciting moment, the journey evokes memories of the horrors she fled.

“They [armed groups] killed people or chased them away,” she says. “We came here and were welcomed and given food. They built us a shelter and our children were enrolled in school to study.”

Homecoming

Significant progress has been made in the Central African Republic with the implementation of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and the restoration of security in some areas. However, despite these efforts, the country still hosts over 507,000 internally displaced people, while many others remain refugees in neighboring countries. Decades of violence have left a profound impact, and ongoing floods and disease outbreaks, including mpox and dengue fever, continue to worsen the dire situation for vulnerable populations in displacement sites.

Following agreements between CAR and Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been supporting the CAR government by facilitating a voluntary repatriation programme to support refugees who wish to go back to areas that are deemed safe. Since 2017, more than 49,000 Central Africans have been assisted to return home including 12,000 so far this year from neighbouring countries.

After five hours of traveling on a rough road, Halimatou’s family reached Lolo, a small village in eastern Cameroon near the border, where they spent the night. The following morning, after receiving immigration clearance and health screening, they embarked on the final leg of their journey back home.

As the trucks crossed into CAR, villagers stood by the road waving branches to welcome their compatriots back home. Halimatou spent the following night in a transit centre in Berberati city before traveling to Makunji, her home village, where she reunited with her husband.

“I am happy to be in my homeland,” says Halimatou. “I found it very beautiful and when we crossed [the border], my heart was calm.”

An open door

Under the CAR Solutions Support Platform, a multi-year plan was approved by the CAR Government to facilitate the return of 300,000 Central African refugees from neighboring countries by 2028. This initiative aligns with the National Durable Solutions Strategy. Recent surveys in asylum countries, including Cameroon, revealed that 23 per cent of respondents (approximately 80,000 individuals) intend to return to CAR if basic services are accessible.

UNHCR and partners provide cash assistance to help returnees cope with the initial challenges of resettling back into their communities and to cover basic expenses, including transportation to their destination, food and household items. UNHCR is also working alongside partners to launch projects that promote social cohesion between returnees and host communities. These efforts focus on livelihood support, civil documentation and peacebuilding activities, all essential to reducing tensions and fostering long-term stability.

Haouaou Halidou made the decision to return in 2019 and was able to rebuild her life and integrate back into her community. She has opened a tailoring shop in her house, using skills she gained back in Cameroon.

“I benefited from a sewing training in Cameroon and I was even a trainer,” says the mother of four, who now lives in Berberati city. “It is my children who do marketing for me and bring me new customers. I make nice dresses for my daughters. When they go out, people admire them and want the same.”

Haouaou has joined a women’s savings group where she saves money to expand her business and support her children. She believes there is nothing better than being in one’s home country.

“The door is open for those who are still in exile,” she says. “Whatever you do when you’re abroad, it’s not home. It was the crisis that took us there [to Cameroon], but there’s peace now, so it’s better to come back and work for your country.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).