The G7, a group of the world’s wealthiest countries, has promised to aid Nigeria’s fight against the decade-long fight against Boko Haram insurgency with $389 million.
The British High Commissioner in Nigeria Catriona Laing said the fund will help combat the worsening humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s northeast. The region is the most impacted by the insurgency. “I welcome the G7’s commitment of £276 million for North-East Nigeria,” Laing said.
“It is vital we act now to avert further deterioration in the food security situation of millions of people affected by the conflict,” Laing said in the statement.
“Just as the UK is working with Nigerian partners to find solutions to the crisis in the North East, the G7 are working together to find global solutions to global problems and protect those hardest hit by these challenges. Together we can shape a better future.
The British High Commission in Nigeria said in a statement that Britain will lead G7 humanitarian effort this year.
The G7 at a meeting in London last Wednesday agreed to provide an initial £5 billion in humanitarian assistance to 42 countries one step from catastrophe or famine, with further funding to follow over this year.
“The initial funding includes £1 billion in aid prioritised to the three countries at greatest risk –Yemen, South Sudan and Nigeria – to be provided as soon as possible to save lives.”
The British High Commission in Nigeria called for more efforts to ensure safe access to humanitarian workers saying in the northeast, noting that “communities daily suffer the consequences of war, including the estimated one million people inaccessible to humanitarian actors due to insecurity.”
The Boko Haram insurgency has killed about 36, 000 people and displaced about two million people since 2009.