The G7 group of nations have committed the sum of $382 million to tackle the growing food crisis and famine in Nigeria’s Northeast region and fix the causes.
This was disclosed by Catriona Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, on Thursday in Abuja, in a meeting with stakeholders and the federal government on the launch of the G7 Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Compact.
She said that the humanitarian concerns in Nigeria’s Northeast are rising, which caused the G-7 to commit to the problem in a bid to fight the famine.
READ: CBN blames herdsmen and bandits for galloping inflation rate
What she said
“We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in the North East where 8.7 million people need assistance, and 1.9 million people have been displaced because of the conflict, with another 300,000 having fled to neighboring countries.
As a result of the conflict, we continue to see alarming rates of malnutrition and elevated risks of famine across parts of the Northeast.
Through the G7, our countries have committed to act now to avert further crisis. This landmark commitment agreed in May by the G7 is critical to the needs and tackling the root cause of famine.
READ: Food crisis: Should Nigeria arm farmers to halt food price Inflation?
This is not only about money, it is also about diplomatic actions, smarter financing and more effective approaches to crises.
The G7 has agreed to urgently provide an initial $7 billion US dollars in humanitarian assistance. This includes $382 million US dollars desperately needed in Nigeria’s North East.
She added that in 2016, 2017, international engagements responded to food insecurity alerts and averted a famine in the North East, citing that with conditions returning to similar levels today, the G-7 and FG must act early with no regrets to save lives and tackle the drivers of acute food insecurity.
Catriona Laing also stated that the G-7 will continue to support governments to address crises and tackle conflicts, including working in close partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the State Governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
READ: Nigeria records debt service to revenue ratio of 98% between January & May 2021
What you should know
Nigeria’s Northeast has risked falling into a famine since last year as Nairametrics reported that the United Nations announced that it will support Nigeria, Yemen, Afganistan, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the sum of $100 million to prevent possible famine, which it says is caused by insecurity, climate change, and poor economic environment.
