Countries in the Lake Chad Region – Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad – are to benefit from the European Union’s (EU’s) €102.5 million humanitarian aid, according to the bloc.

A statement signed by the bloc indicated that the EU pledged at the third High-Level Conference on the Lake Chad Region, holding in Niamey from January 23 to 24.

The conference is a critical international political forum convened to facilitate regional, cross-border consensus around the required adjustments for effectively dealing with the prevailing multi-faceted challenges in the region.

The Lake Chad region, located in the far west of Chad and the northeast of Nigeria, and extends to Niger and Cameroon, is one of the world’s most protracted conflict and crisis environments.

According to the bloc, the EU has pledged €102.5 million in humanitarian funding for Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

The funding will help vulnerable communities in the four countries, given the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region.

The group said that the funding would address the violence in the area, where the civilian population increasingly becomes victims of targeted attacks.

The bloc added that the increasing attacks have resulted in large-scale displacement of persons, disruption of livelihoods, and the lack of access to basic services.

The bloc further said the EU funding is specifically “responding to the most acute food needs of households and communities affected by conflict and treating severe acute undernutrition in children under five.

“Giving access to healthcare to populations that are newly displaced or outside the reach of health authorities, and improving access to safe water and sanitation as well as supporting emergency education for displaced children and those in hard-to-reach areas.

“Lastly, strengthening disaster preparedness (e.g. early warning systems and climate resilience actions).”

The statement quoted the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, as saying at the event that “more than 24 million people in these four countries are estimated to need humanitarian assistance of an increase of 9.5 per cent over that of 2022.

Details of the funding for 2023 indicate that the total amount will be disbursed as follows: Nigeria (€34 million); Niger (€25 million); Chad (€26.5 million); and Cameroon (€17 million).

As announced last week, the funding is part of the total €181.5 million allocated this year for the Lake Chad basin, the Central African Republic and the Sahel.

In 2022, the EU provided about €189.5 million to support humanitarian interventions in the four countries of the region.

(NAN)