by Denis Elamu
JUBA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- African countries have topped the list of the world's most neglected displacement crises, said a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) released on Thursday.
According to the report, Central African Republic (CAR) tops the NRC yearly list, followed by Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), Sudan, South Sudan and Nigeria, all African countries.
NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland said the international community has not only forgotten these crises, but has never really shown sufficient willingness to contribute to a solution.
"Many of the displaced people have fled their homes multiple times, and each time they get increasingly vulnerable," said Egeland.
Countries topping the list are characterized by insufficient economic support to meet the most basic humanitarian needs, limited media attention and lack of political will to solve the crises.
According to the report last year, only 38 percent of the UN appeal for humanitarian assistance to CAR was covered. The country also finds itself at the very bottom of the Human Development Index.
"One out of five Central Africans are displaced from their homes. Still, the displacement crisis rarely attracts any media attention, the funding to humanitarian assistance does not match the grave needs, and the violence in the country has been escalating further since the end of last year," said Egeland.
South Sudan is embroiled in the more than three years of violent conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 2 million people internally besides forcing 1.8 million refugees into neighbouring countries.
The violence has since disrupted the youngest nation's much depended upon oil industry to finance its nascent economy facing hyper inflation amid skyrocketing food prices.
The UN in February declared a "man made" famine in the northern Unity state's counties of Leer and Mayendit that has left 100,000 people starving and 1 million on the brink amid ongoing fighting between government troops (SPLA) and rebels.
Egeland said the five displacement crises topping this year's list are all unfolding in Africa, and in areas that are already prone to poverty.
"The fact that most of these people do not turn up at our doorsteps gives us no right to close our eyes to their suffering and does not remove our responsibility to assist," he added.
Egeland said that economic support to alleviate humanitarian crises must be given based on needs, and not be subject to geopolitical interests.
He also said that there is need to work for long-term political solutions, which can lift countries out of a negative spiral of violence, war and poverty.
