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Recognize ‘enormous challenges’ facing northern Nigeria to forge new hope, Guterres urges |


António Guterres made the comments after visiting a United Nations-supported reintegration center for children who had joined armed groups, in Maiduguri, the capital and largest city of Borno state.

Borno is one of the epicenters of violent extremism and terrorist activity in Nigeria and throughout the wider Sahel region.

Insecurity over the past 12 years involving armed groups, including the terrorist group Boko Haram, has livelihoods were disrupted and resulted in the displacement of about 2.2 million people, according to the United Nations.

The head of the United Nations visited the Bulumkutu Respite Care Center, which opened in June 2016. This transit center has provided accommodation, protection and other life-saving services to 7,036 people, during there are 4,018 children (2,756 boys and 1,262 girls) to prepare to reintegrate back into their communities.

Many of these children forced – or selected, due to lack of other opportunities – to join terrorist groups and take up arms as warriors. Some were taken into custody and later released after being suspected of being involved in violent acts.

In Bulumkutu, they are being given a new chance to start a new life as local religious leader Imam Mallam Abba Bilal Goni explains. “We have established a repentance and reward program as part of the reintegration process. We provide education and job training, so these young people and possibly have a future. ”

After meeting with a group of children, Mr. Guterres said: “I was surprised to see today at the center there are children who were ex-terrorists who want to integrate and contribute to society. The policy applied here is the policy of reconciliation and reintegration. ”

Overlapping crises

Terrorism and the violence and insecurity it has inflicted on communities not only in Nigeria but also in many neighboring countries are among the symptoms of a complex mixture of crises. overlapping.


United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meets with children at the Bulumkutu Respite Center in Maiduguri in Borno State.

UN photo / Ekinder Debebe

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meets with children at the Bulumkutu Respite Center in Maiduguri in Borno State.

Changing climatic conditions, including lower rainfall, have led to competition and sometimes conflict over limited resources; Deforestation and overgrazing further negated the environment on which the mainly nomadic peoples of the Sahel depend for survival and forced many of them to migrate to different areas, putting pressure on to already stretched basic services, such as health and education. Thousands of schools were forced to closeMainly because it’s not safe.

Large-scale humanitarian need

UN says humanitarian needs in northeast Nigeria continued on a large scale, combined by COVID-19 pandemic and worsening food security situationdue to the challenges farmers face both growing and selling their produce.

An estimated 8.4 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection. Among them, about 3.2 million people do not have enough food to eat.

Nigeria’s Humanitarian Response Plan calls for US$1.1 billion to assist those in need in the northeast of the country and is currently only funded by 8.7%.

The cost of humanitarian operations has increased recently, in part due to the effects of the war in Ukraine, at a cost of Diesel oil is up 52% ​​from the pre-crisis period, while fertilizer prices are up nearly 49%.

Mr. Guterres said it was “It is absolutely necessary to understand that, in a situation like this, humanitarian assistance is not enough. He called on the international community to “invest in the Borno of hope, supporting the projects of the Borno government and of civil society to create the conditions for real development, the conditions that schools , hospitals work and jobs exist; conditions for everyone to live in peace and unity. ”

He added that the international community needs support.”not just a state of hope, but a state of reality in which there is no room for terrorism. ”


About 3.2 million people do not have enough to eat in northeastern Nigeria.

UNOCHA / Damilola Onafuwa

About 3.2 million people do not have enough to eat in northeastern Nigeria.

Nigeria’s ‘big role’ on the world stage

Talk to journalists on Wednesday along with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the head of the United Nations said the country would help its people,”play a huge role in shaping solutions to global crises engulf our world. ”

Nigeria is a pillar of global and continental cooperation – and a steadfast partner of the United Nations”, he added.

Above all, Nigeria is a country where “Africa’s promise and potential comes to life”, he said, noting the meetings he had earlier in the day with women and young people. , “whose vision and commitment were deeply inspiring. ”

“I also met with religious and cultural leaders who represent the beating multi-ethnic heart of Nigeria, and business leaders who are driving the Nigerian economy forward,” he told reporters. pellets.

Referring to his visit a day earlier to Borno, he said he had left the state, knowing that Nigeria would defeat the terrorist threat that had plagued the northeast for so long.

“We are very active in supporting the humanitarian efforts of the Nigerian government, and that is why we have called for an additional $351 million out of a total of $1.1 billion for the humanitarian response plan for the country. Nigeria.

But despite all they’ve seen and endured, the people I meet remain hopeful and committed to returning to the community and getting on with their lives.”

Mr. Guterres said the “spirit of hope in trouble – and solidarity in struggle” – was at the heart of his discussions with President Buhari.

“We have discussed the importance of laying the groundwork to ensure peaceful and democratic elections next year – and the full participation of Nigerian women and youth in all fields. We also discussed government measures to address security challenges across the country.”

Senegal and Niger

Secretary-General’s Trip to the Region start in Senegal weekend. Then he traveled to Niger, where he called more resources available to combat the terrorist catastrophe in the region, and met some of them Thousands of people have been displaced due to a combination of terrorism, widespread insecurity and other factors such as climate change.





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