The World Bank on Tuesday said Nigeria cannot lift 100 million of its citizens from poverty without first returning peace in the Lake Chad region.
World Bank Country Director, Shubaham Chaudhuri, said in Abuja while speaking at the maiden Annual International Forum on the Development of the Lake Chad Region with the theme, ‘Lake Chad Basin: Climate Change, Security, Resilience and Development Recovery,’ that “the basic factor is that Nigeria cannot achieve that goal of raising 100 million Nigerians out of poverty unless we have all succeeded in our global mission in bringing peace to the Lake Chad region.”
On his part, the Managing Director/CEO North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Alkali said Lake Chad has borne the double burden of climate change and forced displacement over the last several years.
He stressed that the latest estimates show that the region hosts 2.5 million refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) – most of whom are children.
Alkali noted that this forced displacement crisis has added pressure on host communities around the region.
The Managing Director said despite the Lake’s potential of being a driver for development in West Africa, it was being challenged by multiple and interrelated drivers of conflict and fragility.
He lamented that the Boko Haram insurgency alone has affected over 23 million people in the four countries surrounding the Lake -Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
Alkali explained further that the Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC) conceived in 2018 was designed to contribute to the recovery of the Lake Chad Region through a set of investments, focused on supporting regional coordination, acute humanitarian and forced displacement crises in the four countries.
He stated: “This Forum hopes to achieve the following aims, among others: Developing a roadmap to address issues of development around the Lake Chad Region; Discussing and planning new initiatives and cooperating to enhance the impact of actions on stabilisation in the Lake Chad Region; Mobilising the necessary financial and political support for the sustainable development of the Lake Chad Region.”
Also, the Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Basin, Mr. Mamman Nuhu said the maiden edition of the Forum was expected to set the foundation for subsequent fora to serve as effective mechanisms for regional cooperation and coordination of stabilization and recovery interventions across the region.
He said the platform was envisaged to proffer concrete and practical solutions toward building resilience and improving the livelihoods of the people of the region.
Nuhu stressed that it was therefore not surprising that the expressions of interest from individuals and organisations within and outside the Basin wishing to attend and contribute to the development of the affected areas was so overwhelming.
He stressed that the Forum was also aimed at advancing the implementation of the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of the Areas of Lake Chad Basin affected by Boko Haram insurgency (RSS) through PROLAC and MCRP.
Nuhu said it should be noted that in line with its mandate to promote regional integration and safeguard peace and security in the Conventional Basin, the LCBC was tasked with the management and coordination of regional initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges posed by Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorism in the region.
