UNOWAS E-Magazine ISSUE 2
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UNOWAS E-Magazine N2 Quarterly E-Magazine of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel l Together for Peace IN THIS ISSUE Focus The United Nations’ support to tackle insecurity in Lake UNOWAS, MISAHEL, Lake Chad Basin Chad Basin Commission and The Multinational Joint Task Force discuss the security Since 2009, when the erstwhile leader of Boko Haram Mohammed Yusuf died in police custody, the level of killings and destruction, enslavement of girls and situation of the region women, and the loss of livelihoods inflicted by the group has caught the world’s attention. In response, the United Nations has adopted an approach that- at tempts to bring together the organization’s vast experience...Read more P.3 Baga-Sola (Lake Chad) Few fishermen dare venture on the waters of the Lake since the beginning of the Nigerian crisis. Crédit: UN CHAD As part of his joint visit in Chad with President Buyoya, Head of the African Union Mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL)...Read more P.4 West Africa and the Sahel, key topics of the 71st United Nations General UNOWAS delegation meeting with the Nigerian Air Force HQ in Abuja © UNOWAS Assembly Session Editorial “Not to take our eyes off the ball” By Mohamed Ibn Chambas t is well known that the overall humanitarian assistance across the security situation in the Lake region, including 7 million that are Nigerian refugees arrive on Lake Chad islands in Niger. (UNHCR partner in south Niger) / September 2014 Chad Basin area remains severely food insecure, and about precarious and volatile. The 480,000 children facing acute West Africa and the Sahel regions figured promi- Iefforts exerted by the international malnutrition. And malnutrition nently in the discussions during the 71st session community to confront and rates are expected to increase in of the General Assembly, which opened on 19 curb the horrendous violence the coming months. September 2016..Read more P.5 perpetrated by Boko Haram are commendable, yet the group is I repeat these statistics to remind all of us of the appalling conditions Interview still able to continue its campaign of terror. While it is avoiding direct of daily life suffered by the affected Toby Lanzer: “The Lake Chad Basin combat, it relies on ambushes, use communities, not to take our today witnesses the greatest tragedy of Improvised Explosive Devices eyes off the ball, to keep in mind of its history”P.11 and suicide bombers targeting that women, children and elders vulnerable groups. remain most vulnerable. That is Reportage what I had in mind when I visited As a result, the humanitarian Maiduguri, the capital of Borno UNHCR provides a safety net for Nige- situation has worsened, with State. Maiduguri is a symbol of rians at lakeside camp in Chad. P.8 an increasing number of people the suffering caused by the Boko suffering from food insecurity and Haram-instigated violence, with From Nigeria to Cameroon: a journey malnutrition. According to OCHA, the hundreds of thousands of through hunger. P.10 of the 21 million people living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected areas in Nigeria, Chad, it is hosting, yet at the same time Portrait Cameroon and Niger, about 2.4 a demonstration of the courage, Fatima Kyari Mohammed: the sense million have been displaced by resilience and hospitality of its of commitment. P.14 the insurgency. Additionally, over people. UNOWAS E-magazine - №2 9 million people are in need of December 2016 1 ...Page 2 Infography ...Editorial Internally Displaced Persons During my visits to the NSG and Bakasi Camps, which host and Refugees in Lake Chad respectively 17,000 and 10,000 IDPs, I could see, through Basin P.13 the distress in their eyes, that these statistics are a reflection and a consequence of a human-made ordeal. I assured the 12 things to know about people of Borno State of the commitment of the UN to UNOWAS P.17 support them during these challenging times, and I appealed to the surge of UN humanitarian assistance. I wholeheartedly commend the Nigerian government, the Nigerian Army, and the military coalition of the Multi To read National Joint Task Force in the fight against Boko Haram. Investing in Peace and the It is imperative that the international community provide Prevention of Violence in West Africa concrete and effective support to the Task Force to enable them achieving even better results. It is very worrying that and the Sahel-Sahara: Conversations the 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan for the Lake Chad on the Secretary-General’s Plan of Basin region, necessitating US $739 million, is still only 41 Action per cent funded. It goes without saying that additional $163 million pledged by donors in September is welcomed. The needs are enormous, and an appropriate response should continue to help us provide much-needed support to the suffering populations. It has now become common knowledge that addressing the roots causes of violent extremism and terrorism remains the key to curb the untold campaigns of violence we have been witnessing over the last years. This calls for a more equitable distribution of national resources, and meaningful action by policy makers to address structural issues of exclusion, social injustice, and deprivation. In the same vein, it is worth underlining that the armies comprising the Task Force are national institutions, which are regulated by codes, principles and rules of engagement. According to these rules, the strict observance of standards of human rights and humanitarian laws must guide their action under all circumstances. State Security apparatuses Link: http://bit.ly/2g6iKKg and institutions should not resort to methods in combating terrorists that are likely to not only turn the population against them but also push them to the side of the insurgents. Follow us on: Once again, I wish to reiterate the active solidarity of the UN and the entire international community with the unowas.unmissions.org governments and the peoples of the Federal Republic of twitter.com/UN_UNOWAS Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, in the fight against facebook.com/UNOWAS international terrorism which has manifested itself the Lake flickr.com/UNOWAS Chad Basin countries in the form of Boko Haram terrorist activities. UNOWAS Quarterly online E-Magazine informs you about UNOWAS activities. It is designed and Mohamed Ibn Chambas prepared by the Office of Communications and Public Information. Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General For more information on the content, please write to: and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel [email protected] 2 UNOWAS E-magazine - №2 December 2016 Focus The United Nations’ support to tackle insecurity in Lake Chad Basin Since 2009, when the erstwhile leader of Boko Haram Mohammed Yusuf died in police custody, the level of killings and destruction, enslavement of girls and women, and the loss of livelihoods inflicted by the group has caught the world’s attention. In response, the United Nations has adopted an approach that attempts to bring together the organization’s vast experience, organizational capacity, and political leverage to ad- dress the multi- faceted challenges in a remote terrain stretching across national boundaries and touching upon sensitive interests. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon himself has twice visited the region, to drum up and coordinate support for the affected populations in Nigeria and neighboring countries. On the ground, UNOWAS is at the forefront of translating policies into advocacy and action. Together with the United Nations Office to the African Union and the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), UNOWAS provided advi- ce to develop the Concept of Ope- rations of the Multi National Joint Task Force, and continues lobbying to mobilize support for the Force. In bilateral visits, SRSG Ibn Chambas engaged participating countries to UNOWAS delegation meeting with the Nigerian Air Force HQ in Abuja put aside rivalries and pool resour- ces. SRSG Mohamed Ibn Chambas UN response ched by the Secretary-General negotiated access for dedicated have highlighted abuses not only The UN’s response is clustered humanitarian flights, and after an by terrorist groups, but also by the attack on aid convoys facilitated around political engagement, hu- security forces that are meant to manitarian assistance, human ri- the resumption of assistance. In protect civilians, urging govern- addition, as requested by the UN ghts, recovery and development, ments to take corrective action. law enforcement and justice, and Security Council, UNOWAS is also support to regional military ef- A holistic manner coordinating with other anti-ter- forts. rorism organizations, and is sup- While massive displacement is porting the Integrated Assistance On the military front, the UN has still prevalent, the UN is already for Countering Terrorism Initiative worked very closely with the Afri- assisting government to put in initiated by the G5-Sahel regional can Union to set up and support place plans for recovery and the body. Together with the SRSG Ab- the Multi-national Joint Task For- return of refugees and displaced doulaye Bathily of UNOCA, SRSG ce headquartered in N’Djamena. persons. A regional project on Ibn Chambas continues to encou- Mechanisms established with the Preventing Violent Extremism has rage regional leaders to address Lake Chad Basin Committee have also already started in the Lake the Boko Haram crisis in a holistic greatly helped to push countries Chad Basin countries. The UN’s manner, taking into account eco- to work together, overcome dis- Counter-Terrorism Committee is nomic, social, political, and reli- trust, and share intelligence. working closely with countries in gious grievances of the affected the region to strengthen regional populations. Since 2015, the two In the humanitarian field, advo- cooperation in the areas of legis- cacy tours by numerous UN enti- SRSGs conducted three joint visits lation, financing of terrorism, law to Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Ni- ties helped raising the profile of enforcement, border control and the crisis and gather support for geria, to come to a shared asses- related areas.