The World Bank has budgeted $800
million in support of the rebuilding of infrastructure devastated by
years of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast. The United Nations (UN) Resident and
Humanitarian Coordinator, Fatma Samoura, who disclosed this on Thursday,
stated that the global body was increasing its presence in Borno and
other Northeastern states devastated by insurgency.
Samoura, who is also the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Nigeria, spoke
in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during a courtesy visit to
Governor Kashim Shettima.
She, however, expressed regret that the
UN was having challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria in view of
the humanitarian crises in other parts of the world.
She said:
“Yesterday (Wednesday), we had a long discussion with the World Bank team that came from Washington D.C. to attend the workshop.
“The workshop is for validating the year findings of the recovery and peace-building assessment. They have promised to leverage 800 million dollars for the Northeast in response to recovery, rehabilitation, de-mining, waste management and debris processing for the Northeast of Nigeria,” she said.
“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 communications strategy are up to the levels 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. This is out of $248 million budgeted for the Northeast of Nigeria for 2016,” she explained.
Samoura, however, pledged that the UN would continue to complement the World Bank and the EU’s support to address the root causes of poverty and exclusion in the Northeast.
“The UN will be on your side in order to address the humanitarian situation. The UN will also support the Borno government in its work on recovery and rehabilitation for the safe return of the IDPs (internally displaced persons) back to their areas of origin,” Samoura assured her host.
Her visit to Maiduguri, she said, was a
demonstration of the sympathy of the UN to the deplorable situation of
the 1.8 million people displaced by insurgency, even as she applauded
the strong leadership and commitment exhibited by the governor in
exploring lasting solutions to safe and voluntary return of the IDPs to
their original homes.
In his response, Shettima thanked the UN
for identifying with the government and people of Borno in finding out
the causes, as well as exploring lasting solutions to insurgency.
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