ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The European Union, the United States of America and the United Nations have called on the international donor community to increase their financial support for populations affected by violence following the humanitarian crisis in Lake Chad Basis of Cameroun, Chad and Niger.
The Sahel region continues to be affected by extreme poverty, chronic food insecurity and malnutrition, climate change, and violent extremism. In Lake Chad Basin, where 20 million people live, 9.2 million are in need of humanitarian aid, 5.2 million are severely food insecure and in need of emergency food assistance and 2.7 million have been forced from their homes.
While those hosting the displaced are sharing their already very limited resources, the local population is facing a very steep increase in the price of food. The main priorities of the humanitarian response are: protection; food assistance; nutrition; healthcare; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); shelter; and, emergency education.
“The United States is deeply concerned by the current situation faced by displaced and refugee people as a result of continuing violence in the Lake Chad Basin, whether it is here in Chad, Cameroon or in neighbouring countries of Niger and Nigeria. The US recognises the efforts made by governments in the region which has seen 2.7 million people forced from their homes and is pleased to increase its support for UN agencies and NGOs by $27 million to a total of $112 million in the current fiscal year,” Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration of the US Department of State, Ms. Anne Richard said in a statement sent to Sundiata Post.
Corroborating the views of Richard, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Mr. Christos Stylianides, expressed concerned over the serious humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad basin.
Stylianides disclosed that the European Union restates its solidarity with the populations impacted by this regional crisis.
“They have our full support. We will continue to provide assistance wherever it is needed. As we reaffirm our commitment to this region, I am announcing that the EU has decided to allocate €58 million in 2016 to support the people most in need. With this assistance, we will help provide food, shelter, clean water, and healthcare, as well as protection to the conflict affected populations,,” Stylianides said.
He continued “It also aims at preparing the population better to withstand shocks, therefore increasing their resilience. This funding is part of the overall European Union humanitarian action in the wider Sahel region of over €200 million this year” Stylianides said.
UN Assistant Secretary-General Toby Lanzer expressed gratitude for the funding from the US and EU.
“Together with support from the Central Emergency Response Fund which has provided over $102 million for humanitarian aid in the Lake Chad Basin, UN agencies and their partners can scale up their work for survivors of the crisis, including displaced persons and communities hosting them, in line with our 90-day plan which we issued at the beginning of July,” underlined Lanzer.“
He, however, expressed optimism that other members of the international donor community will follow the US and EU‟s example and support our response in order to avoid a deeper, broader and more costly crisis in the months to come.
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