UN, EU move to resolve Nigeria’s 3.5m internal displacement crisis

The United NationsUnited Nations and the European Union (EU) have called for a strategic shift from managing humanitarian crises to implementing long-term, community-owned development projects to address the plight of over 3.5 million displaced persons in Nigeria.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, made the call at the UN House in Abuja during a high-level dialogue of the project steering committee on durable solutions for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) indicates that the displacement crisis affects about 3.5 million people in Nigeria. Fall noted that internal displacement has transcended being a mere humanitarian emergency to becoming a complex development, peace, and human rights challenge.

Fall noted that “When you engage directly with an affected population, the message often is very simple. People want safety, stability, and the opportunity to support themselves again.

“Through our Common Programme, we will reach close to 200,000 children and adolescents with education and skills training. Close to 150,000 people will be supported to access sustainable livelihoods.”

EU Head of Cooperation in Nigeria, Massimo De Luca, disclosed that the bloc plans to phase out short-term livelihood assistance in conflict affected regions, shifting its financial focus toward private sector led development.

He said this strategy will guide the EU Support for Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria (SIDPIN) project, covering Yobe, Adamawa, Benue, and Kano States, as well as the Support for Protection, Assistance and Durable Solutions (SPADS) project in Sokoto State.

“I personally don’t think that livelihood assistance is part of our mission.

“Let’s review all our livelihood interventions and development projects to see how they can contribute to the purposes of durable solutions. We need to move out from humanitarian-style interventions,” De Luca stated.

Meanwhile, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has revealed that 50 per cent of supported internally displaced households in Sokoto State have successfully migrated from camps into urban communities.

The Program Manager for the North West, Victory Daniel, stated during a presentation on the ‘Direct and Effective Social Inclusion of Displaced Families’ project that the initiative utilises the “Green Graduation Approach” to lift displaced families out of extreme poverty.

“One of the immediate results we’ve seen is that 50 per cent of the supported households initially living in the camps have moved out,” Daniel said, adding that a survey indicated 63 per cent of displaced families prefer permanent integration into urban towns.