Fighting desertification in Cameroon: Refugees to the rescue

Armed men kidnapped the MSF employees on Feb. 24 from the group's base in Cameroon's Far North region in Fotokol, which is near Nigeria and Chad. Those kidnapped and subsequently released include a Senegalese, Chadian and Franco-Ivorian along with their two Cameroon security guards.

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, but is taking in the most Ukrainian refugees per capita. Berlin hosted a conference to support the country with an influx of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

German leaders have agreed on a package helping federal states accommodate and integrate Ukrainian refugees. This includes access to job centers and language courses.

Hardly a week goes by in Cameroon without a video emerging that documents violence against gay or transgender people. Our Observers, LGBT rights activists, brought this worrying phenomenon to our attention. In this episode of The Observers Direct, we visited them on the ground to see how they help victims and fight to change public attitudes.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to impact crucial food exports, wheat prices are soaring. Many African countries rely on Ukrainian and Russian grain exports and could face a severe food crisis. But in Cameroon, entrepreneurs are coming up with alternatives to wheat, which is used to make flour. Production of bread and cakes made from local cassava and sweet potato flour is now booming. These tubers are abundant in the country but are normally used unprocessed in traditional dishes. Our correspondents report.

Fleeing war means leaving one's home and taking only the bare minimum of belongings; leaving one's community, school or workplace and often embarking on a dangerous journey to get to safety. The world's nearly 30 million refugees have gone through these ordeals, which often create both short and long-term trauma. And yet, psychological assistance is often overlooked. Zarlasht Halaimzai, who was once a refugee herself, has founded Amna, an organisation that provides non-clinical, psychosocial support to the forcibly displaced. She joined us for Perspective.

German leaders recently agreed on a €2 billion package helping states accommodate and integrate Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's war. But money is not the only problem.

On tonight's show, our reporters bring you the latest from South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster over the deadly floods on the east coast, warning that rebuilding even basic services will take time. Around the city of Durban, at least 443 people have died, with 48 still missing. Some 10,000 troops have been deployed to help restore power and water and search for the missing.

More than 300,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Germany, many with no protection against COVID-19. Germany's local and regional authorities are trying to get in touch with these people to persuade them that vaccination will boost their chances.

Domestic violence is on the rise, but under-reported in Cameroon. Campaigners say official figures account for only a fraction of the women who have suffered - or even died - at the hands of their partners. And for those seeking justice, advocates say successful prosecutions are rare due to the failings and corruption within Cameroon's judicial system.

Over 3 million refugees have arrived in Poland since the war in Ukraine began. The majority are still in the country and many have found homes with Poles who took them in spontaneously. But many volunteers are exhausted, and the government says it needs help.

The COP15 conference is meeting to address issues of land degradation, advancing deserts and deforestation. Experts and activists hope that this will not be just another high-level conference with no concrete results.