Lake Chad has shrunk from a peak of 25,000sq.km to 1,350sq.km! The UNSCR 2349 (2017) on Boko Haram and Lake Chad Basin was adopted by the UNSC at its 791th meeting in March 2017, following a visit to the Lake Chad Region. The resolution of the UNSC gave birth to the Lake Chad Basin Governors' Forum, which involves Governors of three north-east states affected by the insurgency. Other members are Governors of regions in Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
The Forum, which is supported by the UNDP and international donors, also seeks to promote peace-building and conflict prevention efforts as well as provide a path to sustainable development and peace in the region. The following are some of the participants:
*Kashim Shettima - Governor of Borno state, Nigeria & Chief host
*Mohammed Suraj - Representative of Governor of Yobe state, Nigeria
*Issa Moussa - Governor of Zinder,
*Bakabe Mahamadou - Governor of Diffa, Niger
*Mahamat Abali Sallah - Governor of Lac, Chad
*Aboubakar Djibrile Aboubakar - Governor of Hadjer-Lamis, Chad
*Midjiyawa Bakary - Governor of Extreme Norde, Cameroun
*Sen. Mohammed Umar Jibrilla - Governor of Adamawa state, Nigeria
*Ibrahim Geidman -Governor of Yobe state, Nigeria
*Edward Kallon - UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria
*Amb. Georg Schmidt - Africa Director of the German Foreign Office
*Daniel Wolven - Director/Deputy Head of Africa Department, Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
*Birgitte Markussen - Deputy MD Africa/European External Action Service, European Union
*Dr. Sarjoh Bah - Head of Crisis Management & Post-Conflict Reconstruction Division, Peace & Security Department, AU Commission
*Dr. Ibn Chambas - UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa & the Sahel
*Francois Lounceny Fall - UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa
*Major-General Leo Irabor - Force Commander, MNJTF
*Roel Debruyne - UN OCHA Regional Office
*Samuel Bwalya - UNDP Country Director in Nigeria
*Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi - Shehu of Borno
*Amb. Mamman Nuhu - Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission
*Fatima Askira - Executive Director, Borno Women Development Initiative
*Major-General Bamidele Shafa - Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor
*Fernando Medina - Stabilisation, Transition, Recovery & Reintegration Officer, IOM
*Pastor Wuye - Chief of Party, Interfaith Mediation Centre
*Imam Ashafa - Deputy Chief of Party, Interfaith Mediation Centre
*Maidama Hadiza Malam Manzo - Niamey Tribunal
*Joanna Garbalinska - Acting Director, Nigeria INGO Forum
*Tom Mugoya - Africa Development Bank
Some of the major decisions arrived at after two days of intensive deliberation are:
*The Lake Chad Basin Governors' Forum for Regional Cooperation on Stabilisation, Peacebuilding & Sustainable Development was formally launched as a platform for fostering regional cooperation on stabilisation, peacebuilding and sustainable development for the region devastated by the Boko Haram (BH) crisis.
*The Forum meetings, to be held annually, should rotate between Governors of the four countries - Nigeria, Chad, Cameroun and Niger in the spirit of shared ownership. The next meeting is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019 in Niger Republic.
*A community-based approach is essential for sustainability.
*The Forum should be used to facilitate a bottom-up approach to stabilisation and peace-building in the Lake Chad region.
*The Forum shall support on-going efforts at stabilisation in the Lake Chad region.
*The Forum needs to come up with viable solution as regards what to do with ex-BH militants who have concluded the 16-week rehabilitation course but cannot be re-integrated because they are rejected by their communities.
*The need to draw up a road map for collaborative and concerted multi-level approach to stamping out BH in the Lake Chad region.
*The re-invigoration/re-charging of the Lake Chad Basin via inter-basin water transfer. This should be adopted as an African strategic project specifically for the Lake Chad region
.
*There should be more judicious use of funds from the donor basket. Such monies should be put directly into viable projects that would benefit the target communities. The implication of this is that the input of the citizens as regards the projects they need is vital.
*There should be more judicious use of funds from the donor basket. Such monies should be put directly into viable projects that would benefit the target communities. The implication of this is that the input of the citizens as regards the projects they need is vital.
*At the national level, open and 'good' governance should be encouraged.
*The projects in the region should be aligned with the SDGs for maximum impact.
On the whole, the inaugural #LCBGFORUM was indeed very successful. It is anticipated that the Forum would bring a significant level of relief to an otherwise devastated region...
Related Links
*What doesn't break BH in Niger makes it stronger https://issafrica/iss.org/iss-today/what-doesnt-break-boko-haram-in-niger-makes-it-stronger
*Economics of terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin https://globalsentinelng.com/2019/07/12/economics-of-terrorism-in-lake-chad-basin/
*Cameroon's Far North: A new chapter in the fight against BH https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/central-africa/cameroon/263-extreme-nord-du-cameroun-nouveau-chapitre-dans-la-lutte-contre-boko-haram
*Shrinking Lake Chad forced many into crime allafrica.com/stories/201912/shrinking-lake-chad-forced-many-into-crime/
*Deby's death, security in the Lake Chad Basin & democracy by Jibrin Ibrahim premiumtimes.com
*BH & Covid-19: Lake Chad Basin's war on two fronts issafrica.org
*Lake Chad Basin Governors are not restoring livelihoods, so locals make deals with violent extremists http:''ow.ly/PN8l50IEPgG
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