At a conference in Oslo, the UN Refugee Agency presents steps to ensure protection, access and lasting solutions for displaced Nigerians returning home.

By: UNHCR staff

OSLO, Norway – As growing numbers of displaced Nigerians start to return home, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Friday co-presented a way forward for ensuring protection, access and lasting solutions for them.

“The two strategies of protection and solutions should go hand in hand. To do this we need access … this is the very big challenge,” stressed Grandi, who is in Oslo for a major international conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region.

He earlier said that at this important juncture in the displacement crisis, with an estimated 8.5 million Nigerians requiring humanitarian aid in 2017, it was important to ensure a principled and sustainable approach in the search for solutions.

To that end, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Nigerian Government presented a vision in Oslo for moving forward, entitled “Directions on Protection, Access and Solutions for IDPs and Returnees in North-East Nigeria.”

Discussed as part of a special thematic session at the conference, the document focuses on opportunities for solutions; critical protection needs; and empowerment and social cohesion.

With return movements of internally displaced people - some 950,000 since August 2015 - and refugee returnees from neighbouring countries under way in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, the document says “it is critical that these returns remain voluntary, occur in safety and in dignity, and that additional opportunities for solutions are identified and seized upon.”

It says the “effective protection of civilians leads to opportunities for durable solutions to displacement.” This includes protection from refoulement (forced return) and the fundamental requirements for informed and voluntary returns in safety and dignity. “Where these conditions are not met, returns will not be sustainable, and may result in further exposure of displaced persons to violence and new displacement.”

Under the directions paper, opportunities for solutions focusing on voluntary returns would be prioritized. In some of the return areas, people receive limited assistance but a sustainable return needs a significant increase in support from the government and donor community.

The paper notes that many protection issues in areas of displacement and potential return can contribute to violence and present obstacles to stability. It puts a priority on measures to ensure physical security, freedom of movement and humanitarian access and proposes stepped up response to sexual and gender-based violence as well as protection of children from violence exploitation and abuse.

Other calls include ensuring access to psychosocial support and resolution of land and property issues by creating effective and accessible arbitration mechanisms and providing support to local authorities and civil society to ensure legal services and assistance to displaced people in conflict-affected areas.

The document notes that the conflict in the north-east had dramatically worsened an already dire socio-economic situation and increased social exclusion, inequality, marginalization of some groups, tension and violence within and between groups.

“Systematically addressing these factors is a complex undertaking, but one which is fundamental to attaining and sustaining solutions.” It proposes promoting gender equality and inclusion; community reconciliation; peace-building; social cohesion; inclusion; empowerment, de-radicalization; recovery, reconstruction and development.

The document addresses several specific issues in more detail, including humanitarian access and participation in decision-making. “Specific measures must systematically be taken to ensure the full and equal participation, including in leadership structures of women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and other groups at risk of marginalization.”

Donor nations attending had earlier in the day announced substantial donations towards operations to help people in north-east Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. The Oslo conference was organized by the governments of Norway, Nigeria and Germany with support from OCHA, with the aim to raise awareness about a largely overlooked crisis and to seek funding as well as greater political commitment to solutions.

High Commissioner Grandi, who visited Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon last December to highlight the crisis, also took part in a panel discussion at a civil society conference on Thursday.

Approximately 26 million people in the Lake Chad region have been affected by the conflict, according to government figures, and more than 2.6 million displaced. The crisis has been exacerbated by conflict-induced hunger and malnutrition which have risen to critical levels. Some 14 million Nigerian in the six most affected states are in need of humanitarian assistance this year. About 200,000 refugees have fled to neighbouring countries.

At a glance – Nigeria’s displaced in need of protection and solutions 8.5 million

Nigerians in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States will require humanitarian and humanitarian assistance in 2017.i The conflict and its spillover into neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger has resulted in a regional displacement crisis in the Lake Chad Region with over 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, 87% of whom originate from Borno State, and nearly 200,000 refugees in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, along with the already sizeable internal displacement situations in these three main refugee hosting countries (Cameroon: 183,000; Chad: 89,000; and Niger: 121,000).

IDPs and refugees have started to return, a fact that has been observed in areas accessible for assessments. It is critical that these returns remain voluntary, occur in safety and in dignity, and that additional opportunities for solutions are identified and seized upon. At the same time, due to the ongoing conflict, new displacement occurs regularly, including to unsafe or inaccessible areas.

To address the complex protection dimension of the regional humanitarian crisis, the Governments of the Lake Chad Region – Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger – adopted the Abuja Action Statement on 8 June 2016 to galvanize a protection-focused approach to solutions for displaced persons.

The following three pillars build on the Abuja Action Statement, and serve as a basis for a range of essential protection actions which collectively aim to have a transformative impact on the protection environment and the realization of solutions for the displaced in North-Eastern Nigeria:

Changing Dynamics: Opportunities for Solutions

Ensuring voluntariness, safety and dignity as determining factors in shifting towards a comprehensive solutions approach for displaced populations. Informed choice is essential to the realization of sustainable solutions.
Opportunities for solutions focusing on voluntary returns will be prioritized, while other alternatives will be facilitated as appropriate.

At Stake: Critical Protection Needs

Improved physical security; freedom of movement and humanitarian access; prevention of and response to sexual and gender based violence , as well as protection of children from violence, exploitation and abuse, including children coming out of armed groups; access to targeted psychosocial support to persons; resolution of housing, land and property concerns are prioritized protection needs.

Excluded: Empowerment and Social Cohesion

Exclusion, marginalization and extreme poverty are among the root causes fueling conflict and violence, creating protection risks and impeding the realization of durable solutions.
Gender equality, inclusion, empowerment, community reconciliation and social cohesion are central to restoring rights, reducing violations and supporting solutions.

• Promesses de contribution à hauteur de $458 millions de dollars américains pour 2017 et $214 millions pour 2018 et au-delà, annoncées par 14 donateurs

• La conférence a donné une voix aux personnes touchées par le conflit et la crise

• Accord pour répondre aux besoins de développement à plus long terme et chercher des solutions durables aux crises

Oslo, 24 février 2017 – 170 représentants de 40 pays, de l’ONU, des organisations régionales et de la société civile se sont réunis aujourd’hui à l’occasion de la « Conférence humanitaire d’Oslo sur le Nigéria et la région du lac Tchad ». La conférence a été organisée conjointement par la Norvège, le Nigéria, l’Allemagne et les Nations Unies et fait suite à une réunion de la société civile qui a vu une forte participation de la société civile travaillant au Nigéria, Tchad, Niger et Cameroun.

La région du Lac Tchad fait face à une des plus grandes crises humanitaire au monde avec 17 millions de personnes vivant dans les zones les plus touchées. Environ 11 millions ont besoin d’une assistance humanitaire d’urgence. Lors de la conférence 14 donateurs ont annoncé $458 millions de promesses de dons pour l’aide en 2017 et un soutien additionel de $214 million pour 2018 et au-delà. Les promesses de dons ont été annoncées par la Commission européenne, Norvège, Allemagne, Japon, Suède, Suisse, France, Italie, Irlande, Finlande, Danemark, Luxembourg, Pays-Bas et la République de Corée.

Les partenaires humanitaires se sont mis d’accord pour augmenter leur réponse, afin d’atteindre les groupes les plus vulnérables menacés par la famine, y compris les enfants souffrant de malnutrition sévère. Une attention particulière a été portée sur les besoins de protection des femmes, des enfants et de la jeunesse, ainsi que sur la nécessité d’un soutien à plus long terme et des solutions durables pour les personnes déplacées.

Le ministre des affaires étrangères Børge Brende a dit:

« La conférence a contribué à accroître la sensibilisation autour de la crise et à augmenter le soutien aux millions de personnes affectées par la crise, notamment pour les nombreux enfants et jeunes personnes qui ne sont pas actuellement scolarisés. Il est crucial d’assurer et de protéger l’éducation afin de garantir leurs droits et de poser les bases pour un développement pacifique de la région. Notre but doit être d’assurer la qualité de l’éducation pour tous, pour les filles autant que pour les garçons. Il est également très important d’améliorer la protection des femmes et des filles, qui souvent, sont les principales victimes des crises et conflits, ainsi que de garantir l’implication des femmes dans les processus en cours liés à la paix et au développement de la région.»

Le ministre des affaires étrangères Geoffrey Onyeama a dit:

« Le Nigéria est confronté à un extrémisme violent et doit, parallèlement, faire face à une baisse du prix du pétrole et à une récession économique. Alors même que le gouvernement s’ engage à consacrer des allocations budgétaires importantes pour faire face à la situation sécuritaire et humanitaire résultant de l’insurection, nous avons également besoin de toute l’aide et soutien possible de la communauté internationale.»

Le ministre des affaires étrangères Sigmar Gabriel a dit:

«Avec les promesses de dons annoncées aujourd’hui, les agences humanitaires peuvent maintenant se concentrer sur leur travail, sauver des vies et offrir une assistance à ceux qui en ont un besoin urgent . L’Allemagne va contributer à hauteur de 120 millions d’euros à ces efforts sur les trois prochaines années. Nous fournirons 100 millions d’euros pour l’aide humanitaire et 20 million d’euros pour les efforts de stabilisation dans la région. Sur le long terme, nous devons renforcer notre partenariat avec les pays impliqués pour attaquer les causes profondes de la terreur, du déplacement et de la pauvreté. A cette fin, nous avons établi aujourd’hui un ‘Groupe consultatif sur la prévention et la stabilisation’ avec nos homologues dans la région.»

Le Secrétaire général adjoint aux affaires humanitaires et Coordonnateur des secours d’urgence Stephen O’Brien a dit:

«La crise humanitaire qui se déroule dans la région du lac Tchad, avec 10.7 millions de personnes ayant un besoin urgent d’assistance humanitaire, est véritablement une crise majeure. Sans notre soutien accru, les communautés touchées seront condamnées à la faim, aux maladies, aux violences basées sur le genre, et aux déplacements continus. Mais un autre avenir est à portée de main: étant donné que la communauté internationale renforce son soutien, nous pouvons empêcher que cette crise ne s’aggrave d’avantage et entraîne d’inimaginables conséquences pour des millions de personnes. Je suis reconnaissant du généreux soutien pour l’action humanitaire que nous avons entendu ce matin. Les Nations Unies et nos partenaires sommes prêts et mobilisés à intensifier notre réponse vitale - les personnes dans la région n’ont pas le temps d’attendre.»

Just north of the South Sudanese capital Juba lies Terekeka state, home to the Mundari, one of South Sudan’s 64 ethnic groups. Mundaris are predominantly cattle keepers but also practice small-scale agriculture and fishing along the Nile, whose water levels rise and fall according to the seasons. The area includes five natural lakes hidden in the swatches of land and inspiring the name Terekeka, which translates as “forgotten” in the local dialect.

The water is home to a wide range of fish, including the popular Nile Perch, Tilapia, the Cat- and Mudfish, and offers a great source of highly nutritious food for the community. Terekeka is also the main source of fish for the Juba markets. There is stiff competition among the fresh fish importers, as traders can no longer import from Uganda due to the economic crisis, so resorted to buying supplies locally. As most importers transport their fish on the back of a motorcycle, unrefrigerated, they run the risk of facing losses due to delayed deliveries as a result of the poor roads. Especially during the rainy season this is common, owing to flooding and breakdowns.

With food insecurity levels rising among Juba’s urban and peri-urban populations as soaring prices, limited income opportunities and disrupted supply routes place food beyond the reach of many, fish supplies are critically important to enhance nutrition.

However, fishing is not as widespread as it could be, according to Terekeka Fishing Cooperative Chairman, Clement Sebit, who says, “the Mundari’s, a pastoralist community, focus on their cattle while fishing is often seen as a poor man’s game. As the crisis intensified with many food shortages, there has been a change and we are seeing more people fishing. Especially after the July crisis in Juba, we have had more people come to this area seeking safety and with the fishing kits they are now fishing together with the other fisher folk.”

By distributing fishing kits to people affected by a crisis, FAO helps them to re-build their livelihoods and assure food availability for the community. In many cases, beneficiaries have fled from their homes and have lost all their assets and/or do not have the means to replace fishing gear that has been damaged. The fishing kits can provide an immediate source of food, providing a means to survive, but also offer income opportunities to enhance their ability to bounce back after shocks inflicted by the conflict. In 2016, FAO supported over 120,000 households with fishing kits which is estimated to give a family enough food for about six months either through household consumption or sales in the market.

As food insecurity has dramatically risen in 2017, FAO will be assisting over 155,000 households with fishing kits over the coming months. The main priority will be to distribute kits to households classified through our assessments as extremely vulnerable, residing mostly in the Upper Nile Region and Southern Unity. With famine declared in the parts of southern Unity on 20 February, these kits offer a life-saving source of food.

FAO South Sudan is responding to a complex emergency through the multi-donor Emergency Livelihood Response Programme, which includes the distribution of crop, vegetable and fishing kits and animal health interventions to a targeted 3.2 million people in 2017. This programme is funded by the Common Humanitarian Fund, Norway, UKAID and USAID.

169.9 M required for 2017

1.9 M contributions received, representing 1% of requirements

168.0 M funding gap for the Nigeria Situation

All figures are displayed in USD

KEY FIGURES

INSIDE SOUTH SUDAN

260,868 Refugees in South Sudan

1.853 M IDPs in South Sudan, including 223,994 people in UNMISS Protection of Civilians site US

$172 million Funding requested for comprehensive needs in 2017

US $125 million Funding requested for priority needs in 2017

OUTSIDE SOUTH SUDAN

1,569,792** South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries (as of 15 February, 2017):
 Uganda: 748,603
 Ethiopia: 342,414
 Sudan: 313,110
 Kenya: 92,540
 DRC: 68,188
 CAR: 4,932

US $649 million Funding requested by UNHCR for South Sudanese refugees in the region

US $166 million Funding received by UNHCR for South Sudanese refugees in the region

HIGHLIGHTS

 UNHCR completes verification for displaced refugees: In Doro refugee camp, UNHCR and partners completed the verification exercise of all the 9,000 displaced refugee families. The verification identified main challenges faced by the families and Persons with Specific Needs that require keen follow-up such as shelter, health and water.

 Relocation of refugees from Yida settlement to Pamir Camp continues: During the reporting period, UNHCR relocated 944 refugees to Pamir camp including new arrivals and refugees previously settled in Yida. Cumulatively, Pamir is hosting 8,342 refugees since opening in September 2016. Upon arrival, refugees received core relief items and residential plots.

 Government Commission for Refugee Affairs registers new arrivals in Western Equatoria’s Ezo County: The Commission for Refugee Affairs (CRA) has registered 102 households consisting of 297 refugee new arrivals from the Democratic of Republic of Congo (DRC) fleeing from fresh attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The refugees have reportedly fled from three locations: Mogoroko, Ngbamunga, and part of Kpanangbara. Refugees reported to the CRA that LRA rebels killed two DRC soldiers and their wives, and abducted many people and looted properties. The new arrivals are staying with refugees who had returned to the settlement in Ezo and with the host community. The CRA also noted a total population of refugees still residing in Ezo county of the 966 HHs (2809 individuals) before the most recent refugee arrivals. Since fighting broke out in Ezo county in 2015, UNHCR has had no access to the refugee camp in Ezo due to insecurity, with the camp officially closed in February 2016.

 UNHCR partner Internews distributes radio handsets in Bentiu: In Bentiu, UNHCR CCCM cluster partner INTERNEWS in collaboration with Mercy Corps & CARE International distributed 414 radio handsets to women support groups and hygiene promoters. The solar radios will promote access to information to the community.  UNHCR conducts protection monitoring mission to Pochalla: During the reporting period, UNHCR conducted a protection monitoring mission to Pochalla in Jonglei state.
The mission monitored the protection situation and updated the refugee database with new-born babies who are in the urban center and those in Alari settlement. UNHCR registered ten new-born babies bringing the population to 2,720 refugees.

 Government conducts first refugee status determination interviews. In Juba, South Sudan Government caseworkers conducted their first refugee status determination interviews for asylum-seekers seeking protection in South Sudan, an essential step towards the establishment of South Sudan’s asylum seekers system to adjudicate applications for refugee status

 UNHCR trains 200 refugee and host community youths in business and life skill in Unity: In Ajuong Thok and Pamir refugee camps, UNHCR in collaboration with the host community identified 200 youths for business and life skills training. This intervention aims to assist the youths to become self-reliant.

 NFIs Distributed to nearly 2,500 refugees in Western Equatoria: In Makpandu refugee settlement, UNHCR partner World Vision International (WVI) distributed nonfood items (NFI) to 2,412 refugees registered from 2008 up to 2013 present during the distribution. NFIs included kitchen sets, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, jerry cans, buckets and solar lanterns.

• Promesses de contribution à hauteur de $458 millions de dollars américains pour 2017 et $214 millions pour 2018 et au-delà, annoncées par 14 donateurs

• La conférence a donné une voix aux personnes touchées par le conflit et la crise

• Accord pour répondre aux besoins de développement à plus long terme et chercher des solutions durables aux crises

Oslo, 24 février 2017 – 170 représentants de 40 pays, de l’ONU, des organisations régionales et de la société civile se sont réunis aujourd’hui à l’occasion de la « Conférence humanitaire d’Oslo sur le Nigéria et la région du lac Tchad ». La conférence a été organisée conjointement par la Norvège, le Nigéria, l’Allemagne et les Nations Unies et fait suite à une réunion de la société civile qui a vu une forte participation de la société civile travaillant au Nigéria, Tchad, Niger et Cameroun.

La région du Lac Tchad fait face à une des plus grandes crises humanitaire au monde avec 17 millions de personnes vivant dans les zones les plus touchées. Environ 11 millions ont besoin d’une assistance humanitaire d’urgence. Lors de la conférence 14 donateurs ont annoncé $458 millions de promesses de dons pour l’aide en 2017 et un soutien additionel de $214 million pour 2018 et au-delà. Les promesses de dons ont été annoncées par la Commission européenne, Norvège, Allemagne, Japon, Suède, Suisse, France, Italie, Irlande, Finlande, Danemark, Luxembourg, Pays-Bas et la République de Corée.

Les partenaires humanitaires se sont mis d’accord pour augmenter leur réponse, afin d’atteindre les groupes les plus vulnérables menacés par la famine, y compris les enfants souffrant de malnutrition sévère. Une attention particulière a été portée sur les besoins de protection des femmes, des enfants et de la jeunesse, ainsi que sur la nécessité d’un soutien à plus long terme et des solutions durables pour les personnes déplacées.

Le ministre des affaires étrangères Børge Brende a dit:

« La conférence a contribué à accroître la sensibilisation autour de la crise et à augmenter le soutien aux millions de personnes affectées par la crise, notamment pour les nombreux enfants et jeunes personnes qui ne sont pas actuellement scolarisés. Il est crucial d’assurer et de protéger l’éducation afin de garantir leurs droits et de poser les bases pour un développement pacifique de la région. Notre but doit être d’assurer la qualité de l’éducation pour tous, pour les filles autant que pour les garçons. Il est également très important d’améliorer la protection des femmes et des filles, qui souvent, sont les principales victimes des crises et conflits, ainsi que de garantir l’implication des femmes dans les processus en cours liés à la paix et au développement de la région.»

Le ministre des affaires étrangères Geoffrey Onyeama a dit:

« Le Nigéria est confronté à un extrémisme violent et doit, parallèlement, faire face à une baisse du prix du pétrole et à une récession économique. Alors même que le gouvernement s’ engage à consacrer des allocations budgétaires importantes pour faire face à la situation sécuritaire et humanitaire résultant de l’insurection, nous avons également besoin de toute l’aide et soutien possible de la communauté internationale.»

Le ministre des affaires étrangères Sigmar Gabriel a dit:

«Avec les promesses de dons annoncées aujourd’hui, les agences humanitaires peuvent maintenant se concentrer sur leur travail, sauver des vies et offrir une assistance à ceux qui en ont un besoin urgent . L’Allemagne va contributer à hauteur de 120 millions d’euros à ces efforts sur les trois prochaines années. Nous fournirons 100 millions d’euros pour l’aide humanitaire et 20 million d’euros pour les efforts de stabilisation dans la région. Sur le long terme, nous devons renforcer notre partenariat avec les pays impliqués pour attaquer les causes profondes de la terreur, du déplacement et de la pauvreté. A cette fin, nous avons établi aujourd’hui un ‘Groupe consultatif sur la prévention et la stabilisation’ avec nos homologues dans la région.»

Le Secrétaire général adjoint aux affaires humanitaires et Coordonnateur des secours d’urgence Stephen O’Brien a dit:

«La crise humanitaire qui se déroule dans la région du lac Tchad, avec 10.7 millions de personnes ayant un besoin urgent d’assistance humanitaire, est véritablement une crise majeure. Sans notre soutien accru, les communautés touchées seront condamnées à la faim, aux maladies, aux violences basées sur le genre, et aux déplacements continus. Mais un autre avenir est à portée de main: étant donné que la communauté internationale renforce son soutien, nous pouvons empêcher que cette crise ne s’aggrave d’avantage et entraîne d’inimaginables conséquences pour des millions de personnes. Je suis reconnaissant du généreux soutien pour l’action humanitaire que nous avons entendu ce matin. Les Nations Unies et nos partenaires sommes prêts et mobilisés à intensifier notre réponse vitale - les personnes dans la région n’ont pas le temps d’attendre.»

Executive Summary

In recent years, violent conflict and human suffering have left an indelible mark on north eastern Nigeria and parts of Niger, Chad and Cameroon in and around the Lake Chad Region. The unfolding humanitarian crisis was largely overlooked prior to 2016 even as Boko Haram raids and suicide bombings wreaked havoc. However, over the course of the year momentum built rapidly for a response that was Nigeria “owned and led” and the establishment of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s (FGN) Inter-Ministerial Task Force (IMTF) to create a platform to support FGN’s humanitarian response in the north-eastern region of the country was widely welcomed.

Strengthened national leadership has been reflected in the government’s financial commitment to the humanitarian response mainstreamed through existing funding mechanisms. Whilst not the focus of this document, the Nigerian government has developed its own “mirror HRP” for the 7.1 million people it is targeting for assistance. Budgetary provision for over half of the 14 million in need in the 6 most affected states will be made through MDAs to alleviate hardship and to rebuild broken infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals etc. Staff within the Ministry of Budget and National Planning are working hard to disaggregate the spending within the 2016 and 2017 budgets. A guide figure of State and Federal spend as part of the humanitarian response is anticipated to be in excess of $1 Billion.

The Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) was set up as the operational arm of the IMTF coordinating response efforts. In the last quartile of 2016, coordinated plans relating to the 2016 United Nation’s Humanitarian Response Plan were developed and the platform for ensuring the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan is supported and aligned with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) humanitarian and development strategies,1 was secured.

On the tide of rising awareness and growing concern about the unfolding crisis, the humanitarian response was scaled up rapidly in the last quartile of last year and the 2016 humanitarian response was successfully achieved.

STRATEGIC OUTCOMES INCLUDE:

1. The establishment of the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) in record time

2. Establishment and operationalisation of the Nigerian HCWG

3. Development of the 2017 Humanitarian Needs Overview – Humanitarian Response Plan (HNO-HRP)

4. The National Bureau of Statistics taking a central role to ensure verifiable data

5. Organisation of strategic meetings with MDAs, international organisations and donor and diplomatic communities

6. High-level Emergency Directors’ Group

7. High-level mission of WFP Executive Director

8. Synergies harnessed between Federal and State actors with international partners

9. International representation/visibility

10. Private Partnerships and collaboration

11. Raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis within the general population in Nigeria

12. Significant resource mobilisation initiated Arrival and operationalisation of Humanitarian Hubs in deep field

13. Unprecedented scale-up of health and food security humanitarian activities

In addition to that, the Joint Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria 2017, partners will work to alleviate the most life-threatening needs of 6.9 million people located in the three most affected BAY states of North-East Nigeria, out of an estimated 8.5 million people in need in the same states. That is almost half of the total number - 14 million – in need in the 6 most affected states. As well as addressing the most urgent needs of food, nutrition and protection assistance, partners will increase equitable access to basic services for the most vulnerable people while building local capacity for humanitarian response.

Whilst initially, the priority was immediate life-saving interventions such as food security and healthcare provision, it is now clear and that the centrality of protection must be prioritised as a matter of urgency to ensure safe returns, access to livelihoods and ultimately to durable solutions. As the situation stabilises, gender based violence must come into focus.

The HCWG has facilitated civilian/military discussions and the gradual replacement of NAF by CivMil protection officers will also address some of the protection concerns. To date, over 3000 have been deployed.

Despite an unprecedented scale-up operation and significant achievements of the last year, process challenges remain including entry visas, non-governmental organisation (NGO) registration, import permits and tax waivers, access, providing other Items and services and, last but not least, funding.
The cost of implementing the Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria is $1.054bn. With a number of aid organisations vying for limited resources, securing finance to cover all the humanitarian needs in Nigeria has proven difficult. The forthcoming Humanitarian Conference in Oslo will focus on closing the funding gap.In addition to that, the Joint Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria 2017, partners will work to alleviate the most life-threatening needs of 6.9 million people located in the three most affected BAY states of North-East Nigeria, out of an estimated 8.5 million people in need in the same states. That is almost half of the total number - 14 million – in need in the 6 most affected states. As well as addressing the most urgent needs of food, nutrition and protection assistance, partners will increase equitable access to basic services for the most vulnerable people while building local capacity for humanitarian response.

Whilst initially, the priority was immediate life-saving interventions such as food security and healthcare provision, it is now clear and that the centrality of protection must be prioritised as a matter of urgency to ensure safe returns, access to livelihoods and ultimately to durable solutions. As the situation stabilises, gender based violence must come into focus.

The HCWG has facilitated civilian/military discussions and the gradual replacement of NAF by CivMil protection officers will also address some of the protection concerns. To date, over 3000 have been deployed.

Despite an unprecedented scale-up operation and significant achievements of the last year, process challenges remain including entry visas, non-governmental organisation (NGO) registration, import permits and tax waivers, access, providing other Items and services and, last but not least, funding.
The cost of implementing the Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria is $1.054bn. With a number of aid organisations vying for limited resources, securing finance to cover all the humanitarian needs in Nigeria has proven difficult. The forthcoming Humanitarian Conference in Oslo will focus on closing the funding gap.

South Sudanese families caught up in famine are hiding from marauding gunmen in the swamps and islands of the river Nile.

THONYOR, South Sudan, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Like thousands of other South Sudanese families caught up in famine, Sara Dit and her 10 children are hiding from marauding gunmen in the swamps and islands of the river Nile.

Read more on the Thomson Reuters Foundation

Background

The side-event is aimed at drawing increased attention to the need to provide regional longer-term solutions as people displaced by the protracted conflict in Nigeria’s north-east return to their areas of origin from other localities or refuge in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. The Boko Haram insurgency and its spill over into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger have caused the displacement of over 2.3 million people in the region, of whom 1.77 million are internally displaced in Nigeria, while some 201,600 Nigerian refugees have sought asylum in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. The refugeehosting countries also have sizeable IDP populations (Cameroon: 198,889; Chad: 103,876; and Niger: 121,391). Conflict continues to cause new and secondary displacement. At the same time, spontaneous returns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and of refugees have been observed in north east Nigeria, including in some newly recovered areas. These returns have not always been voluntary, safe or dignified. Access to food and basic services is considerably limited and often result in negative coping mechanisms. Livelihoods, including from cross-border trade, continue to be severely constrained, and the social cohesion among communities has been badly damaged. The situation is further compounded by the fragile socio-economic context of the Sahel, which includes chronic poverty, harsh climatic conditions, poor infrastructure and limited access to basic services.

Challenges

The search for solutions in Nigeria’s north-east is taking place against the backdrop of an environment which presents serious challenges, including insecurity and ongoing conflict. Infrastructure and access to basic services have suffered significant damage, while cross-border trade continues to be limited. Those returning have little or no resources to restart their lives owing to the depredations of conflict and prolonged displacement. The vast number of IDPs still remain in host communities with growing needs, risks and vulnerabilities. The UNHCR / World Bank joint assessment “Forced Displacement by the Boko Haram conflict in the Lake Chad Region” showed that Boko Haram related forced displacement also has a specific imp

An analysis based on actual persons registered in the UNHCR refugee database (proGres)

MAROUA, Cameroon – "My village was attacked by Boko Haram,” Sylvie Tokofi, 18, told UNFPA in Maroua, capital of the Far North Region of Cameroon. “They killed my uncle and all the men.”

After that, her village was no longer safe. “My mother, my six brothers and sisters, and I fled to the mountain," Sylvie explained. Her education was discontinued, and life in displacement cast a shadow over her future.

That was nearly three years ago.

And she is not alone. The number of internally displaced people in the Far North Region has more than doubled since 2015, reaching over 191,000.

The hostilities have left a deep mark on young people in affected communities. Some have become withdrawn and isolated, others have imitated the aggressive behaviour they experienced.

There has been “an escalation of violence in schools” and “an increase of attacks with knives among students,” said Rene Teswe, the programme manager at Saare Tabitha, a refuge and training centre for girls in Maroua.

The instability has also left some young people vulnerable to violent extremist messages and recruitment efforts.

“The radicalized youth is not only the one who wants to join Boko Haram, but he is also the one who is exposed to violence by armed groups and adopts violent behaviour in his environment," explained UNFPA youth expert Soilihou Mforain.

Reaching the “red zone”

The Far North is the poorest region in Cameroon, with 74 per cent of people living on less than $1.50 per day. Poverty, lack of opportunities and social exclusion are everyday realities for many young people.

UNFPA, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Development Programme have launched a pilot programme to reach those who feel adrift.

The project, supported with funding from the Government of Japan, aims to enhance ‘social cohesion’ in displaced communities and host areas in Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga, and Logone and Chari – areas in the conflict zone, also known as the “red zone.”

The initiative will reach over 500 vulnerable young people with messages about tolerance and peace. It will also provide psychosocial care and rehabilitation activities to over 100 youth who have been exposed to violent extremism, either as targets of attack or targets for recruitment.

Some 65 young people have already been trained, with support from UNFPA, to promote peace and tolerance among high-risk populations, such as out-of-school youth.

Samira, 26, has been trained to reach young people in her town, Tokombere. “I have already sensitized approximately 10 young women from my community," she reported.

A catalyst for change

The youth and social affairs ministries are also working with local organizations, such as JAPSSO, to identify youth in need of more intensive rehabilitation activities.

These youth are referred to one of two rehabilitation centres: Saare Tabitha, which serves girls, and the Institut Camerounais pour l’Enfance, which serves boys.

Survivors of violence and those who have been exposed to violent extremist ideas are separated and treated according to their individual needs, officials said.

The girls and boys receive psychosocial counselling and vocational training, which helps them build the skills to cope with their circumstances and to peacefully support themselves in the community.

“If we are able to sensitize and de-radicalize a handful of young people, they will become catalysts of change for the rest of the community and a model for other young people," said Ms. Teswe.

So far, 30 girls and 15 boys have been identified and referred to the respective centres.

Sylvie is one of the girls. She has become more confident, centre workers say, and she is learning to support herself as a seamstress.

– Olive Bonga

KEY FIGURES

INSIDE SOUTH SUDAN

260,868 Refugees in South Sudan

1.853 M IDPs in South Sudan, including 223,994 people in UNMISS Protection of Civilians site

US $172 million Funding requested for comprehensive needs in 2017

US $125 million Funding requested for priority needs in 2017

OUTSIDE SOUTH SUDAN

1,569,792 South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries (as of 15 February, 2017):

• Uganda: 748,603

• Ethiopia: 342,414

• Sudan: 313,110

• Kenya: 92,540

• DRC: 68,188

• CAR: 4,932

US $649 million Funding requested by UNHCR for South Sudanese refugees in the region

US $166 million Funding received by UNHCR for South Sudanese refugees in the region

HIGHLIGHTS

• UNHCR completes verification for displaced refugees: In Doro refugee camp, UNHCR and partners completed the verification exercise of all the 9,000 displaced refugee families. The verification identified main challenges faced by the families and Persons with Specific Needs that require keen follow-up such as shelter, health and water.

• Relocation of refugees from Yida settlement to Pamir Camp continues: During the reporting period, UNHCR relocated 944 refugees to Pamir camp including new arrivals and refugees previously settled in Yida. Cumulatively, Pamir is hosting 8,342 refugees since opening in September 2016. Upon arrival, refugees received core relief items and residential plots.

• Government Commission for Refugee Affairs registers new arrivals in Western Equatoria’s Ezo County: The Commission for Refugee Affairs (CRA) has registered 102 households consisting of 297 refugee new arrivals from the Democratic of Republic of Congo (DRC) fleeing from fresh attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The refugees have reportedly fled from three locations: Mogoroko, Ngbamunga, and part of Kpanangbara. Refugees reported to the CRA that LRA rebels killed two DRC soldiers and their wives, and abducted many people and looted properties. The new arrivals are staying with refugees who had returned to the settlement in Ezo and with the host community. The CRA also noted a total population of refugees still residing in Ezo county of the 966 HHs (2809 individuals) before the most recent refugee arrivals. Since fighting broke out in Ezo county in 2015, UNHCR has had no access to the refugee camp in Ezo due to insecurity, with the camp officially closed in February 2016.

• UNHCR partner Internews distributes radio handsets in Bentiu: In Bentiu, UNHCR CCCM cluster partner INTERNEWS in collaboration with Mercy Corps & CARE International distributed 414 radio handsets to women support groups and hygiene promoters. The solar radios will promote access to information to the community.

• UNHCR conducts protection monitoring mission to Pochalla: During the reporting period, UNHCR conducted a protection monitoring mission to Pochalla in Jonglei state. The mission monitored the protection situation and updated the refugee database with new-born babies who are in the urban center and those in Alari settlement. UNHCR registered ten new-born babies bringing the population to 2,720 refugees.

• Government conducts first refugee status determination interviews. In Juba, South Sudan Government caseworkers conducted their first refugee status determination interviews for asylum-seekers seeking protection in South Sudan, an essential step towards the establishment of South Sudan’s asylum seekers system to adjudicate applications for refugee status

• UNHCR trains 200 refugee and host community youths in business and life skill in Unity: In Ajuong Thok and Pamir refugee camps, UNHCR in collaboration with the host community identified 200 youths for business and life skills training. This intervention aims to assist the youths to become self-reliant.

• NFIs Distributed to nearly 2,500 refugees in Western Equatoria: In Makpandu refugee settlement, UNHCR partner World Vision International (WVI) distributed nonfood items (NFI) to 2,412 refugees registered from 2008 up to 2013 present during the distribution. NFIs included kitchen sets, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, jerry cans, buckets and solar lanterns.

In Numbers

1.89 million internally displaced people (OCHA)
1.5 million South Sudanese refugees (UNHCR)
223,926 seeking shelter with the UN (UNMISS)
4.9 million people facing severe food insecurity from Feb-April 2017 (IPC, Feb. 2017)

Highlights

• Latest IPC update warns that as many as 5.5 million people—about half the population—could face severe food insecurity over the coming months.

• WFP mobile teams deployed to Leer County to deliver lifesaving assistance to populations facing famine conditions.

• WFP and World Vision commenced disbursement of cash to participants in the Juba urban response.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Signature of the Five-year action plan to transition the high schools management of camps to the Chadian Government.
  
• Nutrition survey results show alarming level of malnutrition in certain refugee camps in the East.
  
• Resettlement departures to the US resumed after the US Presidential Executive Order was halted by the Courts.

Highlights

• In 2017 WFP Chad plans to assist 1.4 million people and requires a USD 191 million budget. USD 35.9 million are urgently needed to cover the requirements from February to July, and particularly to enable prepositioning of food and nutritious products in Eastern Chad before the rainy season, which cuts off access routes.

• WFP launched cash-based assistance in Kerfi, Eastern Chad for 373 refugee households from Sudan and CAR. Nearly 1,360 people received vouchers and exchanged them for food provided by local traders.

• The European Union has announced support to Renewed Efforts Against Child Hunger and Undernutrition (REACH). REACH is a joint initiative of United Nations Agencies

• WFP, FAO, UNICEF, WHO - and aims to reinforce the national nutrition policy and coordination.

Operational Updates

Country-wide
The continued presence of refugees, returnees and IDPs presents important challenges to humanitarian actors. Road transportation in Chad is limited due to a combination of factors: poor infrastructure, vast distances, insecurity; and flooded roads during the four to five months of the rainy season. In this context, UNHAS is essential. The UNHAS steering committee took place on 25 January. The budget requirements for 2017, amounting to USD 15.3 million, was discussed and several donors announced pledges. WFP is seeking further funding to ensure continuity of operations beyond February.

One of the main topics discussed was the feasibility of an airstrip in Baga Sola where humanitarian assistance has been scaled up to respond to the Lake Chad crisis. The cost for a runway is estimated at USD 1 million and a preliminary survey has identified a possibility to rehabilitate a civilian airstrip not used since 8 years.

PRRO 200713:
After discussions with local authorities, refugee committees and UNHCR and sensitization regarding the launch of the new modality, Sudanese refugees from Kerfi Camp, Eastern Chad, received, for the first time, food assistance through vouchers. In exchange of a voucher worth XAF 6,000 (or nearly USD 11), refugees were able to choose products (cereals, oil) grown or bought locally (except for sugar and salt imported from Sudan) and provided by local traders, pre-identified by WFP. Refugees expressed satisfaction over this scheme.

The provision of food assistance through cash transfers or vouchers present a broader range of opportunities for people and enable them to take control over their food basket. In addition, this modality is cost-efficient and enables WFP to maximize the impact of assistance in a constrained resourcing environment. Refugees from C.A.R. have received cash transfers or vouchers for the past 5 months and WFP Chad intends to extend it to an increasing number of Sudanese refugees in 2017.

EMOP 200777 (Lake Chad crisis):
The strike of civil servants, and amongst them teachers, ongoing since September, has been suspended early January allowing schools to open. The emergency school meals programme has resumed in the Lake Chad region in 13 schools. WFP is planning to progressively scale up the programme to reach 25,000 children.

UNMISS “Protection of Civilians” (PoC) Sites

• As of 23 February 2017, a total of number of civilians seeking safety in six Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites located on UNMISS bases is 223,895 including 118,851 in Bentiu, 33,191 in Malakal, 38,942 in Juba UN House, 1,976 in Bor, 681 in Melut and 200 in Wau, in Western Bahr El Ghazal adjusted area 300,54.

BRUSSELS - Contributing a total of €6 million, the Belgian Development Cooperation (DGDC) has helped the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) provide crucial air transport services for the humanitarian community across Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Yemen in 2016 and will continue to support services through 2017.

The desperately needed funds were received just in time for UNHAS operations in Nigeria in 2016, where the complex emergency had reached a critical level. Since early 2012, insurgent activities across the country have resulted in a volatile security environment and caused widespread displacement of the population, particularly in the north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Increased insecurity has disrupted food supply, seriously hindered access to basic services, and has limited agricultural activities leaving the population in need of shelter, food and other basic social services.

“The funding received from Belgium has allowed UNHAS Nigeria to continue flying and providing humanitarian access and assistance to the people who need it most,” said Eric Perdison, Chief of WFP Aviation Service. “Without UNHAS, the delivery of aid would be significantly more challenging, if not impossible, for humanitarian organizations on the ground.”

Vast distances, the unpredictable security situation and the dearth of commercial air service providers that meet UN Aviation Standards make aid delivery in Nigeria particularly difficult. UNHAS has enabled humanitarian organizations to access beneficiaries, effectively monitor their projects and also scale up activities in order to reach affected populations.

“To bring humanitarian assistance to the world’s most remote and challenging locations, you need sound logistics. That is why Belgium is supporting UNHAS. Without the efforts of UNHAS, the most vulnerable people would not have access to life-saving humanitarian assistance,” said Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation

Since the establishment of the operation in August 2015, the service has transported over 12,200 passengers and over 50,250 kg of cargo for more than 60 humanitarian entities, including NGOs such as International Rescue Committee (IRC), Action Contre la Faim (ACF), and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Belgium’s contribution, alongside those of other international donors, enabled the operation in Nigeria to expand its fleet in 2016 with the addition of two helicopters, with the potential of a third helicopter soon. The use of helicopters is vital to effectively reach areas which are inaccessible by fixed-wing aircraft thereby increasing humanitarian access to vulnerable populations.

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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.

Follow us on Twitter @WFPLogistics

For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Jane Howard, WFP/Rome, Tel. +39 06 65132321, Mob. +39 346 7600521
Gregory Barrow, WFP/London, Tel. +44 20 72409001, Mob. +44 7968 008474
Bettina Luescher, WFP/Geneva, Tel. +41 22 917 8564, Mob. + 41-79-842-8057

Food insecurity and poverty pose major challenge to goal of ending hunger by 2030 in sub-Saharan Africa

FAO report stresses need to increase agricultural productivity

24 February 2017, Freetown - Some 153 million people, representing about 26 percent of the population above 15 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa, suffered from severe food insecurity in 2014-15, according to a new FAO report.

The second edition of the Regional Overview of Food Insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (2016) underscores how severe food insecurity and poverty pose a major challenge to the region's ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030.

"What it means is that, around one out of four individuals above 15 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa was hungry, meaning they did not eat or went without eating for a whole day for lack of money or other resources for food," Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, said commenting on the findings of the report.

"This assessment underlines the significance of the challenge facing the region in meeting SDGs' target 2.1 and the relevance of sustainable and substantial support to food security and nutrition policies and programmes in the region," he added.

At the aggregate level, sub-Saharan Africa achieved adequate food availability, in terms od dietary energy supply, over the 2014-2016 period. However, several countries in the region remain highly dependent on food imports to ensure adequate food supplies, with some sub-regions depending on imports for up to a third of their cereal needs.

This indicates that substantial demand for food exists for these countries, and there is a need to increase agricultural productivity, food production and value addition, among other things.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Sierra Leone's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Patrick Monty Jones, noted that the agriculture sector in sub-Saharan Africa is strongly based on household, small-scale farming, and that the majority of African farmers cultivate less than 10 per cent of their land, which could be attributed to many factors including poor governance of land tenure and shocks and stresses due to climate change resulting in food insecurity.

"To overcome these challenges, the agricultural sector's strategic objectives and priority activities should include increased production and productivity of staple food crops through a value chain approach for food security, promote commercial agriculture; promote and increase value-adding activities for agricultural products, increase the production and export of cash crops, and improve access to finance for farmers", he recommended.

The report recognizes the need to spur a broad-based economic transformation, particularly in the agricultural sector, which is the major source of income in sub-Saharan Africa, to generate a substantial reduction in poverty and improve food accessibility.

It cites unstable food markets and commodity prices and natural disasters - including severe droughts and floods leading to failed crops, insufficient pasture feed and water for livestock - as well as persistent political instability, conflicts and other forms of violence, as the main triggers of food insecurity and malnutrition in the region.

The report noted that on average per capita income, is three times lower in sub-Saharan Africa than in other regions of the world in 2014, although the region witnessed a 30 percent increase between 1990 and 2014.

Also, poverty levels declined in the region but remained the highest in the world, with the region being far from halving the proportion of people living in poverty.

Moreover, even though some progress is being made in reducing malnutrition, evidence shows that many countries in the region suffer from a triple burden of malnutrition, that is, undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity, the latter being responsible for rising levels of non-communicable diseases.

Key social intervention strategies

According to the report, a varied number of comprehensive social protection policy frameworks and institutional arrangements have been introduced in the region to integrate nutrition and agriculture.

In this regard, Bukar Tijani observed that " it is imperative for countries to adopt multisectoral and multidisciplinary approaches in integrating agriculture, nutrition, social protection and related measures by realigning, integrating and coordinating activities and accountability mechanisms to deliver evidence-based sustainable nutrition solutions and outcomes."

The report also calls on countries to review and exert efforts in order to improve the translation of political commitments and declarations into effective programmes on the ground, particularly in the context of the ambitious targets set in the Malabo Declaration for 2025 and the Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030.

It laments that several documented policy commitments and strategies are yet to generate the expected results, but says that many country experiences illustrate the feasibility of eliminating hunger and malnutrition through the right combination of cross-sectoral policies and programmes.

Policy reforms

The report advocates for continued policy reforms to sharpen their focus, and the creation of an enabling environment for investment and participation by all relevant stakeholders, saying that this is critical to ending hunger, and achieving food security and improved nutrition.

It specifically calls for the development of innovative resource mobilization from a broad set of stakeholders from the public and private sector and financial instruments that would enable the implementation of actions in a sustained and widespread manner to scale up food security and nutrition programmes in sub-Saharan Africa.

"As the magnitude and impact of crises and disasters increase - aggravated by the overexploitation of natural resources and climate change - more and more households, communities and governments in the region are less able to absorb, recover and adapt, making them increasingly vulnerable to future shocks," the report said.

The report urges governments to intensify their efforts to ensure that years of gradual agricultural development gains are not wiped out by recurrent shocks, adding that increasing the resilience of agricultural livelihoods and promoting and financing climate-smart agricultural practices would be a powerful lever to reach the pledge of the Sustainable Development Goals "to leave no one behind".

Furthermore, immediate short, medium and long-term measures are needed to promote and scale up appropriate technologies to adapt and mitigate climate variability and change, to develop resilience monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and to minimize the impacts of El Niño on affected communities.

"Building resilience through peace-building efforts is critical to food security and nutrition. In armed conflict and protracted crises, protecting, saving and rebuilding agricultural livelihoods to save lives and create the conditions for longer-term resilience is a key step towards ensuring peace and stability. The critical role of the agriculture sector in crisis situations must not be overlooked and necessary investments need to be made," the report recommends.

It is one of the largest humanitarian crises of the present day: millions of displaced persons and refugees who are urgently in need of assistance are living in the Lake Chad region. Germany is making available 120 million euros in financial assistance and, as co-host of a donor conference in Oslo, mobilised additional international support on Friday (24 February).

They have left everything behind: their villages were plundered, friends and family members killed or kidnapped. The terrorist group Boko Haram has been on the rampage in north-eastern Nigeria for many years. Millions of people, many of whom are severely traumatised, have fled to the Lake Chad region to escape the violence. However, the region is one of the poorest on the continent. It does not have the resources to provide for millions of refugees. The most basic supplies are lacking: food, safe water and medical care are urgently needed. Yet the humanitarian disaster that is looming in the region receives hardly any coverage here.

Preventing the most acute suffering

An international humanitarian initiative is needed to tackle the crisis and prevent the most acute suffering. To this end, Germany, Norway, Nigeria and the United Nations convened an international donor conference in Oslo. In Oslo today, Gabriel, together with his foreign minister colleagues, forged an alliance for more and better coordinated humanitarian assistance in the region. Germany, Norway, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and the United Nations have formed an advisory group in which they will coordinate their assistance measures on an ongoing basis.

Germany earmarks 120 million euros

Speaking in Oslo, Gabriel declared, “We have to act together, and we have to act now.” Germany announced its contribution to this assistance today: over the next three years, Germany will make available 120 million euros for humanitarian assistance in the Lake Chad region. The funds pledged at the conference in Oslo are to be used to alleviate the most acute needs of the people in the region as quickly as possible. Food, water and also education programmes for children and young people are to be provided as emergency humanitarian relief measures.

Fighting the causes of the suffering

Yet this is about more: Germany is working to tackle the root causes of the emergency situation. Initiatives for reconciliation and cohesion are needed to stop the spiral of violence in north-eastern Nigeria. To this end, 20 million euros from Germany’s contribution are to be invested in conflict mediation and deradicalisation projects in the region. If stable development is to be seen in the long term, the ownership of the local population in the reconstruction process needs to be strengthened. The Federal Foreign Office has increased its humanitarian assistance funds considerably in recent years, including its financial support for Africa. In 2016 alone, the Federal Foreign Office was able to double the size of its assistance measures compared to the previous year and thus contributed around 270 million euros for aid projects in Africa. The Federal Foreign Office provided a total of over 1.3 billion euros to respond to humanitarian crises around the world in 2016.

Find out more:

Humanitarian aid in the Lake Chad region

Speech by Foreign Minister Gabriel at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria an the Lake Chad Region