The United Nation High Commission on Refugee (UNHCR) yesterday appealed for financial assistance from the international community to the tune of $500 million to enable the global body provide humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee conflicts in Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR)

A breakdown of the figure revealed that the commission would need a whopping sum of $198.7million to cater for about 230,000 Nigerian refugees in Niger, Chad, and Cameroon as well as 284,300 members of the host communities in the countries.

This was contained in the two Regional Refugee Response Plans (RRRP) formally presented at a donor briefing in Yaounde. The RRRPs was said to cover needs in the sectors such as protection, education, food security, health and nutrition, livelihoods, shelter, basic aid, water, hygiene and sanitation.

A statement signed by the UNHCR External Relation Officer, Hanson Ghandi Tamfu and made available yesterday to journalists in Abuja showed that the CAR appeal was made by 25 organizations, including UNHCR and other UN agencies as well as non-governmental organizations, while the Nigeria appeal was made by 28 organizations. UNHCR alone is seeking $189.54 million under the Central African Republic RRRP and $62.33 million for that of Nigeria.

The UNHCR Regional Refugee Coordinator for CAR and Nigerian situations, Liz Ahua said, “These two humanitarian crises must not be forgotten; they are not going away. The suffering is great and the needs acute among both the displaced and host communities

Ahua added, “Violence occurs on almost daily basis in north-eastern Nigeria and CAR, generating fear and new displacement in the region, citing suicide attacks, kidnapping, indiscriminate killings and massive human rights abuses.”

While calling need for a stronger commitment from African governments and international community to help re-establish stability and peace, Ahua urged donor to give more generously.