M.At least 30,000 people have fled to neighboring Chad from violent clashes in northern Cameroon. 80 percent of the newcomers are women and children, said the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Friday.
On Sunday, fighting broke out in the village of Ouloumsa between shepherds, fishermen and farmers over dwindling water resources, which have since spread to the neighboring villages, according to UNHCR. Ten villages were burned down. Fighting broke out in the economic metropolis of Kousseri on Thursday. It was said that the cattle market was destroyed.
Climate change has exacerbated existing tensions in northern Cameroon, UNHCR said. Fishermen and farmers have already tried to catch the water, which is becoming increasingly scarce due to the shrinking Lake Chad, in large trenches in order to be able to practice fishing and agriculture, according to UNHCR. However, cattle often get stuck in the muddy trenches and perish there, leading to anger and fighting.
Acute emergency in Chad
On Friday, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a three-year loan facility for Chad totaling $ 570 million. The pandemic, volatility in oil prices, heightened uncertainty and an emerging food crisis due to climate change have put a heavy burden on Chad’s already fragile economy, said Deputy IMF Director Kenji Okamura. The agreed extension of the credit line could at least cover the balance of payments and budget needs of the central African country.
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