In Minawao, access to water is becoming a major public health issue. CAMWATER and UNHCR are joining forces to protect refugees and host communities from water-borne diseases.
On 30 June 2026 in Yaoundé, the Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (CAMWATER), represented by its Director General Dr Blaise Moussa, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), represented by Ms Yvette Muhimpundu, signed a strategic partnership agreement. Objective: to sustainably strengthen access to drinking water for refugee and host populations in the Far North region, particularly in the sensitive area of the Minawao camp.
In a context of strong demographic pressure, access to drinking water is not just a matter of comfort; it directly conditions the health of populations. Diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid: these water-borne diseases thrive where water is scarce, shared or of uncertain quality. In refugee camps, where promiscuity further complicates prevention, any failure in the water supply becomes an additional health vulnerability factor for populations already weakened by
displacement.
It is precisely this risk that this partnership intends to limit. Part of the « Alternative Solutions for the Minawao Camp » project, carried out with the support of the European Union, German Cooperation (GIZ) and UNHCR, this agreement mobilises CAMWATER’s technical expertise for the design, construction and monitoring of water supply infrastructure. For its part, UNHCR will continue its support for refugee protection and the strengthening of their resilience, in liaison with the Cameroonian authorities.
Beyond infrastructure, a logic of health prevention is taking shape: reliable access to drinking water mechanically reduces exposure to water-borne diseases, eases the pressure on local health structures that are already in demand, and contributes to social cohesion between refugees and host communities, who are often in competition for access to the same resources.
For both institutions, this strategic collaboration is part of a broader response to the health challenges linked to water availability, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and CAMWATER’s public service mission. An additional step in the construction of a humanitarian response that places the health of vulnerable populations at the centre of priorities.
