The time to forge a new pathway to resolve the myriad of challenges in Lake Chad Basin is now, eight governors from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic said at a meeting in Maiduguri.
They include the governor of Diffa in Niger Republic whose country formally exited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) yesterday.
The governors spoke in turns at the opening of the 5th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum being hosted by the Yobe State Government in Maiduguri. The meeting is focusing on sustainable solutions to promote security, peace and development in the region.
The theme of the week-long event is ‘Rebuilding the Lake Chad Basin: Consolidating Gains, Commitment to Peace, Cross-Border Cooperation, Security, and Sustainable Development for a Resilient Community’.
The forum provides space for humanitarian, development and peace actors as well as donors and security actors to engage directly to define concrete and actionable plans for stabilising and guiding efforts to support the recovery and long-term development in the region.
The meeting is expected to address critical issues, such as food security and climate resilience, focusing on strategies to build sustainable food systems in the face of regional challenges.
It will also explore managing exits from armed groups, fostering transitional justice, and promoting reintegration to enhance social cohesion.
The discussions will further highlight pathways for durable solutions for displaced populations, ensuring stability for IDPs and refugees.
Our forum remains a beacon of hope – Buni
Governor Mai Mala Buni, who was the Chief Host, underscored the need for unity of purpose, and rekindling the age-long brotherhood among the member states.
He said Nigeria’s critical role is to support the basin’s affected population, which accounts for 74 per cent of the region’s total.
According to him, the meeting is to consolidate efforts to stabilise, recover and rebuild the Lake Chad Basin.
“This forum remains a beacon of hope, serving as the cornerstone for strengthening and promoting good governance, cross-border cooperation, dialogue, and coordinated action among the basin’s eight territories.
“The conversations and commitments we make here are instrumental in shaping policies and interventions that will address the root causes of instability and lay the foundation for sustainable development,“ he said.
Lake Chad is the future of Africa – Zulum
Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, said the Lake Chad Basin has the potential to shape the future of Africa and the world at large.
“I must emphasise that beyond mere rhetoric, the Lake Chad Region is indeed the future of Africa,” he said.
Zulum regretted that the poor state of infrastructure, particularly roads, and the lack of basic social amenities had continued to hinder progress in the Lake Chad region.
“Therefore, on behalf of my colleagues, I make a passionate appeal to the donor community and all our partners to support our efforts both technically and financially.
“Together, we can ensure the success of our collective vision for a more prosperous, secure and resilient Lake Chad Region,” he said.
He identified food security as a critical priority, alongside concerted efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and develop effective disaster response mechanisms.
The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, said the region is going through the worst shrinking of water resource, loss of biodiversity and threat of wildlife migration.
He said the shrinking of Lake Chad has left a big void for fishing, reduced agricultural productivity and increased competition for scarce water resources in the region.
He noted that climate change, environmental degradation had also pushed people in the region into poverty, aggravate terrorism and make youth vulnerable to recruitment into crime.
I’m happy Governor of Diffa, Niger is here – CDS
In his goodwill message, the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the presence of the governor of Diffa Province in Niger Republic was heartwarming.
“I’m happy that Governor of Diffa, Brigadier General Muhammad Ibrahim, is here. We shall work together, challenges will always come, but we must prevail; we are determined to confront all the security challenges as together we shall succeed.
“It’s time for action. I want to thank you for the support of the multinational joint task force, and we want to continue to do more but we can only do more when we get more support,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Amb. Mamman Nuhu, said the forum’s meeting “serves as a critical platform for fostering dialogue, enhancing collaboration, and reaffirming our collective commitment to addressing the multifaceted challenges facing the Lake Chad Basin.”
He said the meeting would reflect the immense progress achieved so far and the work that needed to be done to develop the region.
Tinubu urges govs to tackle poverty, root causes of insecurity
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for a multifaceted response to terrorism, climate change, insurgency and other forms of security threats in the region.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that while a kinetic approach is necessary to contain the security threats, non-kinetic strategies must be adopted to address the root causes.
“It is a tragic irony that Africa, a continent with the youngest population in the world, sees its youths become cannon fodder for destructive ideologies and the drivers of conflict. This is the challenge before us: to transform this demographic dividend into a force for good.’’
He told the governors that it is only by sticking to the vision for which the forum was created, pursuing and adopting partnerships that benefit the people can be achieved.
The representative of United Nations, Leonardo Simão, said the governors and traditional institutions have helped the region to ensure sustainable peace.
“The governors and member states had over the years fostered inclusiveness and collaboration across borders in the quest for sustainable peace and development in the Lake Chad area.
“While efforts to combat terrorism have begun yielding positive results, new challenges have emerged, demanding sustained and focused attention from all stakeholders,” he said.
He assured them that the UN would remain a strong partner for the coordination and stabilization of the region.
Also speaking, Ms. Cynthia Rowe, Development Director for the British High Commission, Nigeria, and representative of International Support Group, commended the governors, adding that the region has recorded marked improvement in the face of daunting challenges.
She noted that displaced people have returned to their homes, and hope has been restored, even though the challenges at the Lake Chad Basin still remain; poverty, complex crises, and climate change still persist.
Governors in attendance included Abate Edi’i Jean, Governor, North Region, Cameroon; Brig-Gen. Mahamadou Ibrahim Bagadoma, Governor of the Diffa Region, Niger Republic; Ildjima Abdraman of Hadjer Lamis Region, Chad Republic; Midjiyawa Bakari of the Far North Region, Cameroon; and Gen. Saleh Haggar Tidjani of the Province of Lac, Chad.