Boko Haram: World Bank votes $80m to rebuild North East
(Nigeria) The World Bank has earmarked $800 million to
support the rebuilding of the infrastructure destroyed in the North East by the
Boko Haram insurgency.
The United Nationa Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms
Fatma Samoura, made the disclosure on Thursday in Maiduguri, Borno State during a courtesy
visit on Governor Kashim Shettima.
Samoura, who is also a UN Development Programme, UNDP,
Resident Representative, said the UN was scaling up its presence in Borno and
other North Eastern states ravaged by the insurgency.
"We had a long discussion with the World Bank
team that came from Washington 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
North East to response to recovery, rehabilitation, de-mining, waste management
and debris processing for the North East of Nigeria,’’ she said.
The UN representative regretted that the UN was having
challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria in view of the humanitarian
crises in other parts of the world.
``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 communication strategy
are up to the level 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 $248m
budgeted for the North East of Nigeria for 2016,” she said.
Samoura, however, pledged that the UN would continue to
complement the World Bank and the EU supports to address the root causes of
poverty and exclusion in the North East.
``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 back to
their areas of origin,” she said.
Samoura said her visit to Maiduguri was to demonstrate the
sympathy of the UN to the appalling situation of the 1.8 million people who
have been displaced by insurgency.
She commended the strong leadership and commitment of the
governor to finding sustainable solutions to safe and voluntary return of the
IDPs to their places of origin.
Responding, Gov Shettima commended the UN for standing by
the government and people of Borno in identifying the root causes and also
finding lasting solutions to the insurgency.
Shettima, however, described that the $800 million pledge by
the World Bank as grossly inadequate in view of the enormous challenges left
behind by the insurgency.
“It is in the interest of humanity to rally round Nigeria
over Boko Haram. The developed world gave Turkey two billion dollars to
resettle refugees from Syria. There are about two million IDPs from Borno and
20 Local Government Areas were overran by Boko Haram and there is food crisis
now in the state,” he said.
He, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his
support to Borno and victims of insurgency.
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