UN Warns of Catastrophe in an African Country
The United Nations sounded the alarm, warning of a humanitarian catastrophe in an African country.
The UN agency stated that the situation in northeast Nigeria, torn apart by conflicts, has become disastrous, with an increasing number of people in need of assistance in the troubled region.
For the past 14 years, the region has been plagued by a prolonged conflict between the army and terrorist groups, including Boko Haram, which has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 people and the displacement of two million, leading to one of the most severe humanitarian crises of the 21st century.
Matthias Schmale, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, stated in a press conference in Geneva, “We must act swiftly to prevent the situation in northeast Nigeria from deteriorating into an ongoing catastrophe.”
He added that around 6 million people are in need of assistance this year, an increase from 5.5 million last year. The number of people facing severe hunger in the states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe has risen from 4.1 million to 4.3 million.
Schmale said, “More than 500,000 people are facing levels of food insecurity that require urgent intervention. They are just one step away from famine. We are sounding the alarm.”
The United Nations’ humanitarian response plan for 2023 for the situation in northeast Nigeria aims to raise $1.3 billion, but only 25% of the required funding has been secured so far.
The UN official stated, “The world must not forget the population of northeast Nigeria.”
David Stevenson, the Director of the United Nations World Food Programme in Nigeria, stated that among the 4.3 million people in need of food assistance in northeast Nigeria, the World Food Programme was unable to plan to reach 1.4 million of them due to the “difficult choices” they had to make.
Hopes for Peace
Schmale mentioned that the number of children under the age of five at risk of severe acute malnutrition, which threatens their lives, has doubled to 700,000 this year.
Christian Mondoi, the Nigerian representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said, “We have already run out of essential supplies. In the face of moderate acute malnutrition, our stocks will surely be depleted by August, and for severe cases, those that truly need life-saving interventions, our stocks will be depleted by September.”
President Bola Tinubu, 71 years old, assumed power in Nigeria on May 29th, succeeding Muhammadu Buhari after winning the February elections.
Schmale said, “We hope to see renewed momentum towards achieving peace under the new president.”
He added that the humanitarian situation has worsened due to climate and food security crises, as well as rising food, fuel, and fertilizer prices, along with years of failed development.
He stated, “The path to ending this situation does not lie solely in reaching a peace agreement and ending the conflict, but in fact, addressing the underlying development crisis.”
He continued, “Even if the conflict ends and peace is achieved, if basic necessities for decent living, such as education, healthcare, and livelihoods, are not provided, the drivers of war and conflict will remain formidable.”
