The Director General of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, along with the Chief of Mission to Nigeria and an IOM delegation led by Mr. Lourent Debock, paid a courtesy visit to Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.
The main focus of the visit was to explore potential avenues and establish effective partnerships with the state.
The primary goal was to discuss and strategize on providing humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region.
The IOM aimed to work collaboratively to assess and determine the most effective ways to address the needs of IDPs and contribute to their well-being.
Governor Zulum expressed concern about the 3 million people in IDP camps facing food shortages.
He also highlighted the potential risk of groups like ISWAP and Boko Haram attracting those in camps, posing a danger.
To tackle these issues, the approach is to address root causes such as poverty, infrastructure deficits, and climate vulnerability.
Zulum emphasized the demographic challenges in the Northeast, with the population expected to grow to 40 million, with 60% being youths.
He underscored the risk of youth recruitment into extremist groups, emphasizing potential regional and continental consequences.
The Governor mentioned the commitment to dignified resettlement of displaced people, not through force, but by providing security during the return, along with essential services like education, healthcare, water supply, and support for livelihoods.
Over the last four years, more than 1 million people have been resettled, leading to increased access to agricultural land and a boost in farming activities.
Following the demise of Boko Haram leader Shekau, there has been an influx of repentant Boko Haram members, exceeding 160,000 in the last two years, contributing to an improvement in the security situation.
Governor Zulum expressed gratitude to partners but highlighted two crucial needs: support aligning with Borno State’s objective to dignify resettlement according to the Kampala Declaration and assistance in managing repentant Boko Haram members.
To address these needs, the Borno State Government established the Regional Stabilisation Facility under the UNDP, featuring a fund basket for donations.
The focus includes providing security to return areas, establishing basic social infrastructure (health, education), and ensuring livelihoods for the returning community.
Additionally, a basket fund called One UN Offer aims for coordinated efforts despite potential limitations in some organizations’ rules.
In welcoming the IOM to Borno State, Governor Zulum emphasized the importance of coordinating activities to ensure clarity on each organization’s role.
Director General Amy Pope expressed satisfaction with the government’s intervention areas, highlighting the alignment with IOM’s future plans.
Emphasizing that short-term solutions are no longer sufficient, Amy conveyed IOM’s commitment to assisting in settling people, ensuring a future with livelihoods, support, and necessary training for independence.
She commended the government’s priority to prevent duplication of efforts and achieve better outcomes, assuring full support from IOM to align with the outlined strategy plans.
The emphasis was on a united effort to address the challenges faced by the community effectively.
