Syrian Crisis Dealing BIG BLOW To Nigeria – UN

The United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms Fatma Samoura has stated that the UN is having challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria’s Boko Haram-ravaged North-east in view of the humanitarian crises in other parts of the world. She made the declaration yesterday during a visit to Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima at the Government House in Maiduguri, the state capital, Followng Governor Shettima’s position that the $800 million set aside by the World Bank to rebuild the Northeast, is ”grossly inadequate”, Ms. Samoura, the UN representative, expressed regret over the situation, saying the crisis in Syria is hindering support for Nigeria’s North-east “As we all know, the Syrian crisis that is affecting Europe is also taking a heavy toll in terms of funding from our traditional donors. “We are trying our best to ensure that our advocacy and our communication strategy are up to the level where we will be receiving more attention from the donor community. “The humanitarian response plan, as we speak, is just 10 per cent funded, meaning we have only received 24 million dollars. “This is out of 248 million dollars budgeted for the North East of Nigeria for 2016,” she said. Samoura, however, pledged that the UN would continue to complement the World Bank and the EU support to address the root causes of poverty and exclusion in the North East. “The UN will also support the Borno Government in its work on recovery and rehabilitation for the safe return of the IDPs back to their areas of origin,” she said. Samoura said her visit to Maiduguri was to demonstrate the sympathy of the UN to the appalling situation of the 1.8 million people who have been displaced by insurgency. She commended the strong leadership and commitment of the governor to finding sustainable solutions to safe and voluntary return of the IDPs to their places of origin.

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