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General News of Friday, 20 August 2021

Source: punchng.com

UN warns Nigeria of impending food crisis

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The United Nations on Thursday cautioned Nigeria about impending catastrophic food insecurity if preventive measures were not scaled up and enhanced across the country.

UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said 8.7 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states needed humanitarian assistance in 2021, requiring a total of $ 1.01bn.

He disclosed this at the 2021 World Humanitarian Day with the theme, ‘Building Resilience to Climate Change: Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus and Localisation’.

The event to commemorate WHD 2021 was organised in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Kallon said, “The ongoing conflict continues to be the main driver of humanitarian needs in North-East Nigeria with the several challenges, including deteriorating security situation and shrinking humanitarian space.

“Others are increasing humanitarian needs and declining funding, security and access challenges, increasing food insecurity and risk of catastrophic food insecurity if preventive measures are not scaled up and enhanced especially during the lean season.

He further disclosed that “about $1.01bn was required for urgent humanitarian assistance for over 8.7 million displaced persons in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.”

Kallon, however, noted that over $3.2bn was mobilised for humanitarian response in the North-East from 2017 to 2020, adding that the fund provided life-saving assistance to over 5.5 million people annually.

He said the ongoing insecurity across the country had led to the displacement of 1.4 million in the North-West and over one million in North-Central who were now in need of humanitarian assistance.

Kallon added, “The ongoing conflict has resulted in a serious protection crisis with continued violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, violations of the rights of children, abduction, rape, arbitrary killings, gender-based violence and the collapse of traditional coping mechanisms.”

On her part, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, said the government had developed a framework to reduce vulnerabilities, support and promote peace and stability across the country.