Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has called for a united and well-coordinated strategy to deal with the worsening security and humanitarian challenges in the Sahel region.
Zulum made the call on Sunday while delivering a keynote speech at the 5th Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development held in Aswan, Egypt.
Speaking during a roundtable discussion, the governor said the ongoing crisis in the Sahel cannot be solved by military action alone.
“The problems of instability, terrorism, and displacement in the Sahel cannot be resolved through military means only,” Zulum said. “We must go beyond the battlefield and adopt a combined approach that includes security, development, and humanitarian support.”
Zulum, whose state has long suffered from the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad region, also called for stronger regional cooperation. He noted that extremist groups operate across borders, making it necessary for countries in the region to work together.
“In the Sahel, the challenges go beyond just two or three countries,” he explained. “We must consider the wider Sahel region, as defined by the United Nations Strategy, which includes 10 countries such as Mauritania, Gambia, and Guinea.”
He stressed that collaboration among all Sahel countries is essential for lasting peace.
The governor identified poverty, lack of education, and climate change as major factors driving the crisis. He said that while humanitarian aid has helped many people, it is not a long-term solution.
“For the past 15 years, Borno State has received many humanitarian interventions, but they are not sustainable,” he said. “We need lasting solutions that focus on development. Without development, there can be no peace or security.”
Other speakers at the forum included Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdelatty; Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop; and Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré.
