Supporting displaced people is not charity, but a pathway to economic development – UN official

Mohammed Malick Fall, United Nations (UN) resident coordinator for Nigeria has stated that supporting displaced people should not be seen as charity, but as a pathway to economic development. He made this remark during the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) 2024 Africa roundtable on private sector solutions to internal displacement themed “Bridging Futures: Converging for Solutions” held in Lagos recently.

The aim of the roundtable is to stimulate private sector interest in investing in regions affected by internal displacement across Africa.

According to Fall, “Displacement exacerbates poverty and climate change is a growing driver of displacement, especially in states like Borno. However, supporting displaced people should not be seen as charity, but a pathway to economic development”.

In a similar vein, Raouf Mazou of UNHCR underscored the importance of viewing displaced individuals as active economic agents. “Even when displaced, people can contribute to the economy, therefore there needs to be a shift from dependency on humanitarian aid to fostering self-reliance, advocating for inclusive and sustainable responses”.

Participants examined strategies to promote economic resilience and social inclusion for displaced populations, aiming to position Africa as a leader in addressing internal displacement.

To achieve this goal, the speakers emphasised the importance of fostering stronger collaboration between governments, the private sector, and development agencies.

Moreover, they also highlighted the mutual business and social benefits of such investments, while tackling the challenges associated with private sector engagement in fragile contexts, offering practical insights and solutions to overcome these obstacles.

The key figures during the panel sessions included Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, Nigeria’s minister for humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction; Robert Piper, UN special adviser on solutions to internal displacement; Raouf Mazou, assistant high commissioner for operations at UNHCR; and Amal Hassan, CEO of Outsource Global Technologies. Others are Olivier Buyoya, regional director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Dr Tope Fasua, special adviser to the Nigerian president on economic matters.

Piper highlighted the severity of the displacement crisis in Africa, noting that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has tripled.  “There are now 35 million IDPs on the continent, with Sudan alone accounting for over 11 million,” he stated.

Piper stressed the need for long-term solutions, remarking, “Nigeria is leading with the first government-led initiative shifting from an emergency stance to a solution-focused approach.”

Private sector innovations 

Amal Hassan, CEO of Outsource Global Technologies, shared her company’s approach to training some displaced individuals for global markets, competing with India which is a leader in the business process outsourcing market globally.

“We’ve trained people from low-income backgrounds to work in customer service and telemarketing, for international markets like the United States”.

Hassan recommended that the private sector start to consider Nigeria as an outsourcing market for garment manufacturing. According to her, these  IDPs can be trained in garment manufacturing for top brands in developed countries similar to what is obtained in countries like Bangladesh which produces garments for the U.S. UK and other European clothing brands.

She argued that this model may offer sustainable employment for IDPs. The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima Mustapha GCON, well-represented by Dr Tope Fasua echoed this sentiment, emphasising the efficiency and innovation the private sector can bring.

“Governments will never have enough resources to manage these crises alone. Private sector involvement is essential for long-term solutions,” he remarked. He also pointed to Nigeria’s progress, noting the government’s efforts to combat banditry and support IDP integration.

Olivier Buyoya from the IFC stressed the importance of strategic partnerships between organisations like the UNHCR and IFC. “Our focus is economic development. We need to view IDPs not just as beneficiaries of aid but as participants in economic growth,” he said.

He pointed to successful projects in Chad and Kenya, where long-term refugees have gained access to financial services and connectivity.

Government and community collaboration 

The discussions underscored the need for innovative, scalable solutions with government and community collaboration. Dr Fasua concluded, “The real, lasting solution lies in preventing conflicts and addressing climate change. This roundtable is a step towards finding practical models to integrate displaced populations into the economy, with the private sector playing a critical role.”