The United States has committed $30 million to support the UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) work in Cameroon, the US Embassy in Yaounde announced. The contribution aims to strengthen Cameroon’s efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of refugees and combat illegal immigration. The Embassy statement said this support promotes security, stability and opportunity for communities across the country. As the Embassy reported, Ambassador Christopher J. Lamora said: “Effective refugee protection and voluntary return are essential to regional stability, and this partnership with UNHCR helps advance those shared priorities with Cameroon.”
This contribution comes at a time when the United States is withdrawing from several international and United Nations systems. Recent announcements from the US administration state that the United States will exit from at least 66 international organisations, including 31 associated with the United Nations, citing national priorities. These include bodies such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UN Population Fund. The UN has responded that under the UN Charter, assessed contributions remain a legal obligation, despite the withdrawal announcements.
Economic Ties in Focus
Economic relations between the United States and Cameroon, while influenced by aid and humanitarian cooperation, also encompass trade and services. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, US goods and services trade with Cameroon totalled an estimated $694.8 million in 2024, an increase of 13.9 per cent from 2023. Within these figures, total goods trade was about $434.8 million, with US exports at $187.7 million and imports at $247.1 million in 2024. Imports from Cameroon surged 93.2 per cent, while exports fell by 13.9 per cent relative to the prior year.
Services trade also strengthened, with US services exports to Cameroon at $186 million, up 12.7 per cent, and services imports at $74 million, down 25.3 per cent, resulting in a services trade surplus of $112 million, up almost 70 per cent year-on-year. Since 1989, a Bilateral Investment Treaty has provided a legal framework for investment between the two countries, although Cameroon is currently not eligible for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits that facilitate preferential access to US markets.
US foreign assistance to Cameroon has historically focused on health and humanitarian programmes. According to public legislative data, in FY2023, approximately $120 million of bilateral aid was allocated to health, alongside smaller amounts for civil society and security training. Cameroon’s suspension from AGOA in 2019, tied to concerns over human rights issues, has also influenced trade relations, with discussions ongoing about potential re-engagement to support export growth.
UNHCR’s operational requirements for Cameroon in 2025 were estimated at about $134.4 million, of which only a fraction was covered by existing contributions, illustrating the ongoing funding needs for refugee protection and related services in the country. UNHCR statistics show that internally displaced persons and refugees represent a substantial socio-economic challenge within Cameroon.
At the end of 2024, more than 1 million internally displaced persons and roughly 443 000 refugees were registered in the country, with ongoing humanitarian needs in 2025. The US government’s $30 million allocation aims to address part of these complex humanitarian needs while reinforcing shared efforts to foster security, stability and economic opportunity across regions affected by displacement.
Mercy Fosoh
