The United Kingdom government has reiterated its support to
Nigeria and neighboring countries to defeat the destructive Boko Haram
terrorists in the Northeast and the Lake Chad Basin region...
Paul Arkwright The
country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, made the pledge
in his statement on Wednesday at the Security Council briefing on the Lake Chad
Basin. Rycroft said it was clear that the Security Council members should all
redouble their efforts to implement the commitments that they made in
resolution 2349 against Boko Haram. “The UK will play our part. We remain
committed to partnering with Nigeria and its neighbors to degrade and defeat
Boko Haram. “We remain committed to helping people in need in the region,
having scaled up our humanitarian support to 130 million dollars this year. “We
also announced an additional 260 million over four years, as part of the North
East Nigeria Transition to Development programme. “But we all need to play our
part in the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund launched in February with an appeal for
one billion dollars this year. “As of last month that appeal is less than half
funded. As the Secretary-General’s report makes clear, insufficient funding
from the donor community continues to limit the provision of food aid,
development and recovery activities. “And just as the international community
must act, so too should governments in the region. “We look to the Government
of Nigeria and affected countries to provide greater resources where they can
and to further prioritise the humanitarian response. “We also call on them to
expedite all remaining registrations for humanitarian organisations in the
region, as the Secretary-General’s report notes. “We welcome the increased
civil-military coordination in the humanitarian effort and urge this to
continue,” he said. Rycroft, however, regretted that six months on from the
visit of Security Council Fact Finding Mission to the Lake Chad Basin, the
situation remained deeply troubling. “Yes, Boko Haram has been degraded, yes
territory has been reclaimed, but Boko Haram is far from a spent force. They
are down but not out, shifting their tactics from land grabs to opportunistic
attacks. “Maiduguri now faces weekly suicide attacks, many from girls forced to
be suicide bombers. Over 400 people have been killed since we visited. “Boko
Haram’s shameful, sickening abductions of young women and girls continues
unabated. “Those that return continue to face stigma and discrimination, which
is why the UK will host a ministerial event here on the 18th of September to
launch a new set of global principles to tackle such stigma. “The continuing
barbarity is only exacerbating the humanitarian crises. Since we visited, the
number of Nigerians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries has only marginally
decreased. “Nearly two million people are still displaced in North East Nigeria
and over eight million in need of urgent, life-saving assistance. “And while
the numbers of forced returns have fallen, we have seen thousands of people
pressured back into areas where they don’t feel safe,” the UK envoy said.
According to him, it is clear that a long term solution will only be found
through addressing the root causes which led to Boko Haram’s emergence. “That,
I think, was the main lesson for many of us on our visit. That search for the
longer term root causes requires a regional plan to address the political,
economic, governance, transparency and accountability issues. “So we support
calls for greater funding to strengthen the UN’s monitoring presence on the
ground. “In short, Mr President, there is a lot more that all of us need to do.
Six months on from our visit, we cannot afford to lose focus,” he said. (NAN)
The United Kingdom
government has reiterated its support to Nigeria and neighbouring
countries to defeat the destructive Boko Haram terrorists in the
Northeast and the Lake Chad Basin region.
Paul Arkwright
The country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, made
the pledge in his statement on Wednesday at the Security Council
briefing on the Lake Chad Basin.
Rycroft said it was clear that the Security Council members should all
redouble their efforts to implement the commitments that they made in
resolution 2349 against Boko Haram.
“The UK will play our part. We remain committed to partnering with
Nigeria and its neighbours to degrade and defeat Boko Haram.
“We remain committed to helping people in need in the region, having
scaled up our humanitarian support to 130 million dollars this year.
“We also announced an additional 260 million over four years, as part of
the North East Nigeria Transition to Development programme.
“But we all need to play our part in the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund
launched in February with an appeal for one billion dollars this year.
“As of last month that appeal is less than half funded. As the
Secretary-General’s report makes clear, insufficient funding from the
donor community continues to limit the provision of food aid,
development and recovery activities.
“And just as the international community must act, so too should
governments in the region.
“We look to the Government of Nigeria and affected countries to provide
greater resources where they can and to further prioritise the
humanitarian response.
“We also call on them to expedite all remaining registrations for
humanitarian organisations in the region, as the Secretary-General’s
report notes.
“We welcome the increased civil-military coordination in the
humanitarian effort and urge this to continue,” he said.
Rycroft, however, regretted that six months on from the visit of
Security Council Fact Finding Mission to the Lake Chad Basin, the
situation remained deeply troubling.
“Yes, Boko Haram has been degraded, yes territory has been reclaimed,
but Boko Haram is far from a spent force. They are down but not out,
shifting their tactics from land grabs to opportunistic attacks.
“Maiduguri now faces weekly suicide attacks, many from girls forced to
be suicide bombers. Over 400 people have been killed since we visited.
“Boko Haram’s shameful, sickening abductions of young women and girls
continues unabated.
“Those that return continue to face stigma and discrimination, which is
why the UK will host a ministerial event here on the 18th of September
to launch a new set of global principles to tackle such stigma.
“The continuing barbarity is only exacerbating the humanitarian crises.
Since we visited, the number of Nigerians seeking refuge in neighbouring
countries has only marginally decreased.
“Nearly two million people are still displaced in North East Nigeria and
over eight million in need of urgent, life-saving assistance.
“And while the numbers of forced returns have fallen, we have seen
thousands of people pressured back into areas where they don’t feel
safe,” the UK envoy said.
According to him, it is clear that a long term solution will only be
found through addressing the root causes which led to Boko Haram’s
emergence.
“That, I think, was the main lesson for many of us on our visit. That
search for the longer term root causes requires a regional plan to
address the political, economic, governance, transparency and
accountability issues.
“So we support calls for greater funding to strengthen the UN’s
monitoring presence on the ground.
“In short, Mr President, there is a lot more that all of us need to do.
Six months on from our visit, we cannot afford to lose focus,” he said.
(NAN)
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/uk-pledges-support-nigeria-neighbours-defeat-boko-haram/
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/uk-pledges-support-nigeria-neighbours-defeat-boko-haram/
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