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UN to spend $2.5b on humanitarian needs in North East

By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
08 October 2018   |   4:07 am
The United Nations Development Programme Administrator (UNDPA), Achim Steiner, has disclosed plans to spend $2.5 billion on humanitarian needs in the northeast.

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The United Nations Development Programme Administrator (UNDPA), Achim Steiner, has disclosed plans to spend $2.5 billion on humanitarian needs in the northeast.

Steiner made the call in Maiduguri at a media briefing alongside the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock.

At their official visit to Bama and Ngwom communities in Borno State, he urged partners to “reinforce joint efforts” to address the dire humanitarian needs in the region.

They solicited accelerated activities to rehabilitate the three million people in urgent need of healthcare, shelter and education in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

“We are here to support the government’s leadership towards solutions in the Northeast.

“We are committed to Nigeria and to the people affected by the nine-year Boko Haram insurgency,” he said.

According to him, humanitarian aid alone, without identifying the root cause of conflicts, would only be a temporary solution.

He disclosed that the $2.5 billion (N1.44 trillion) that was pledged at last year’s Berlin conference was specifically meant for humanitarian,
stabilisation and recovery projects in the Lake Chad region.

He said: “The $600 million (N216 billion) were expended for the provision of healthcare, shelter and education for three million people in the northeast.”

He promised to partner the UNDP administration on humanitarian and development efforts.

This, he, added was necessary to “save life and help in stabilising the situation, as well as rebuilding lives and communities for the future.”

Steiner implored the UN to do everything to prevent the crises from escalating.

On development challenges, he said: “Helping people affected require us to tackle immediate humanitarian needs and the root cause of the crises.

“We have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to communities across the northeast of Nigeria.”

He added that 7.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the area, following the spill over of the crises into Lake Chad region.

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