The United Kingdom is committing supporting a total of £12.6 million this financial year to support Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic to help combat Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terror in the Lake Chad Basin region.
The UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, who spoke on Monday on the “growing threat of Daesh-linked groups in Africa, including so-called Islamic State West Africa,” said at the meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh in Rome, Italy, that “two years since Daesh’s territorial defeat in Iraq and Syria, the threat of Daesh and its hateful ideology has not gone away. Worryingly it continues to grow in Africa which is why we must work with our Coalition partners to fight its poisonous propaganda on all fronts.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our African partners to tackle the growing threat from Daesh-linked groups across Africa, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin.”
The UK Foreign Secretary stated that the funds will be used to support regional forces to counter the Daesh threat, encourage fighters to leave the group, and support the stabilisation of areas for local communities, improving community security and restoring essential infrastructure and basic services, through support to the regional stabilisation facility
Raab told the Foreign ministers from more than 45 countries meeting to discuss deepening cooperation to combat Daesh and its affiliate terrorist groups, including emerging threats across the African continent, noted that the current funding would bring into being new Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) programme for the Lake Chad Basin region of West Africa, where Daesh’s affiliate, ISWAP, is responsible for significant violence.
The new regional fund, he noted, replaces the previous North East Nigeria CSSF fund.
According to a stating from the UK High Commission, Abuja, “this will support regional military efforts to counter Daesh and other groups, as well as efforts to safely demobilise suspected low-level members of terrorist groups.
“The UK Government continues to work with Nigeria to respond to the drivers of the conflict, through a comprehensive package of security support and supporting a civilian-led process for stabilisation. The UK is also providing humanitarian assistance to respond to the lifesaving needs of people affected by the conflict.”
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, said that “the UK remains absolutely committed to the lasting defeat of Daesh and affiliates such as Islamic State West Africa.”
“I welcome this announcement of new funding which will enable us to continue to support the efforts of our Nigerian and other regional partners. Together we will tackle this pressing threat and address the longer-term drivers of conflict.”
According to the UK High Commision statement: “Daesh recently released a new speech by its spokesman, the first since October 2020. The spokesman congratulated affiliates for their attacks, including in West Africa. Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin regularly issues propaganda boasting horrific violence against both civilian and military targets. The funding announced today will help counter such propaganda.
“As set out in the Government’s Integrated Review, the UK is committed to burden-sharing with its security allies, and to serving as a “force for good in the world.”
