The Norwegian government has pledged to provide a further NOK60 million (N2bn) to the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, a fund for stability and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa (EUTF for Africa).
This funding will be divided between the Sahel, the Lake Chad region, North Africa and the Horn of Africa. This is a substantial contribution towards a common EU solution to the challenges associated with illegal migration.
Norway has already provided NOK140 million (N5bn) to the EUTF for Africa, and this new allocation will bring Norway’s total contribution to the Fund to NOK200 million (N8bn).
As parts of the Lake Chad dry up, most farmers and cattle herders have moved towards greener areas, where they compete for land resources with host communities. Others have gone to Kano, Zamfara, Borno and other northern states in Nigeria in search of greener pastures.
This move by the EU can somewhat try to reduce insurgency in these parts of Nigeria to an extent, as Nigeria has been under threat of Boko Haram insurgents, and various conflicts between farmers and herders for over a decade have forced several Nigerians into IDP camps.
Lake Chad is located in the Sahelian zone of West-Central Africa, in the interior basin, which used to be occupied by a much larger ancient sea sometimes called Mega Chad. The lake is historically ranked as one of the largest lakes in Africa. However, its surface area varies by season as well as from year to year.
Lake Chad is mainly in the far West of Chad, bordering on northeastern Nigeria. The Chari River, fed by its tributary the Logone, provides over 90 percent of the lake’s water, with a small amount coming from the Yobe River in Nigeria/Niger.
According to Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ine Eriksen Søreide, “Norway is participating actively in EU cooperation to address the challenges associated with migration and forced displacement. We will continue to work together with EU countries to provide assistance to the most vulnerable migrants. These efforts will also help to tackle the root causes of migration, such as poverty, a shortage of paid jobs, and poor governance.”Job creation, vocational training, conflict prevention and stabilisation efforts are among the EUTF for Africa’s key focus areas. Priority is given to projects that strengthen the capacity of African countries to deal with migration.
With the help of funding provided by the EUTF for Africa, 17,000 vulnerable migrants have been evacuated from North Africa, and 70,000 people have received assistance to support their reintegration into their home countries.
The EU is working closely with the African Union (AU) and the UN on these projects. All projects supported by Norway through the EUTF for Africa must ensure respect for human rights and must be in line with Norway’s international obligations.
Søreide further said, “It is vital that European countries work with countries of origin and transit to deal with flows of refugees and migrants. We must also fight organised crime and strengthen efforts to combat people smuggling and exploitation, and reduce the number of lives lost on the journey across the Sahara and the Mediterranean.”
Most of the people arriving in Europe are economic migrants. At the same time, the number of people fleeing from war and conflict in the world today is at a record high.
“Norway is providing a substantial amount of humanitarian support to alleviate refugee crises in various parts of the world. The Government has increased Norway’s humanitarian budget by around 65 percent since 2013,” she said.
The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa was established at the 2015 Valletta Summit on Migration, which brought together leaders from EU and African countries, including Norway’s Prime Minister, Erna Solberg.
