International humanitarian agencies have called for more assistance to tackle the crises fuelled by the growing number of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria and other West African countries, stressing that donor agencies are beginning to get ‘fatigued’ in the face of the mounting humanitarian challenges in the sub-region.
This development emerged during the technical session of the Delocalised Meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament Joint Committee on Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources and Sustainable Development, Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and Industry, Human Rights, Child Protection and Other Vulnerable Groups going on in Lome Togo.
Speaking while making the presentation of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday, a Senior Regional Public Affairs Health Officer with the Commission, Gislaine Ada Ngaska, noted that Nigeria, Mali and other countries worst hit by the crises of refugees and IDPs in the sub-region are threatened constantly by violent extremism and ethnic clashes, which have paralysed economic activities in parts of the countries and displaced more people. It called on national governments to address the root causes of these crises.
Nigeria has since 2009 been grappling with the violent attacks perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern parts of the country. This crisis has killed nearly 30,000 people since 2009 and displaced over 2.168 million people in the most populous West African country.
About 10.9 million Nigerians living in the three most affected states in northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa are in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 228,000 refugees fled to Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
The UNHCR said its overaching objectives are; to ensure that all refugees, IDPs and returning nationals have enhanced access to protection; ensure that persons with specific protection risks are safe and receive appropriate preventive, responsive and restorative services; ensure that refugees and IDPs are assisted through a comprehensive solutions approach and ensure that refugees and other persons of concern receive documents and their rights to nationality and upheld.
It noted further that despite its immense contributions to ameliorate the deplorable conditions of the victims, more resources needed to be committed to ensure food security, adequate health care, education,shelter, infrastructure for the victims of displacement.
The Commission added that armed insurgency and jihadist violence in Mali have led to the IDPs crisis extending to neighboring countries such as Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
“Mali is also a country of concern because the crisis in that country has affected Ghana, Burkina Faso and Niger. We must have a comprehensive approach,” the Commission said.
Out of a total figure of 4.8 million of Refugees and displaced persons in West Africa Nigeria has highest number of IDPs with 2.168 million, followed by Mali with 129, 000 and Burkina Faso with 47,000.
The UNHCR also lamented the plight of the girl-child and women saying,” there is the chronic issue of violence against girls. We have seen abductions of young girls in Nigeria and in Mali, where rape against girls and women is an instrument of war,” it said.
It noted that although the commission has the mandate of the United Nations General Assembly to ensure international protection of refugees in partnership with national governments, governments have the main responsibility to ensure protection of refugees who are within their territory.
Also making its presentation during the session, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said its mandate is to intervene in the case of armed conflicts to help the vulnerable who are not involved in armed conflicts.
Presenting its report through its Legal Adviser, in charge of International Human Law, Pelagie Manzan Dekou, the Red Cross said, “we take into account not only people who are displaced but the communities which accommodate them in order to avoid competition for resources, which may increase the vulnerability of the already displaced.
“We assist in providing for basic needs such as food, shelter and also provide medical assistance for those who are wounded in the course of their displacement,” she said.
ICRC noted that the states, which are welcoming the IDPs do not have all the resources so the Committee provides for programs in agriculture to support the IDPs in finding independent ways to rebuild their lives, protect their rights and facilitate their sustainability.
The situation in Africa is not rosy, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to more than 26% of refugees worldwide because of the current crises in the region. Thus, all ECOWAS Member States are faced with the challenge of refugees and displaced persons.
Innocent Odoh, in Lome, Togo
