By Nneka Ikem Anibez
New York – The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has called on world leaders to proffer solutions for a more resilient society by promoting peace and stability for future generations.
Umar Farouq made the call when the Ministry hosted a Side Event at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York at the weekend themed ‘STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINING DEVELOPMENT: A Humanitarian Approach to Leaving No One Behind.
In her opening remarks, the minister noted that the rise in hunger, poverty, insecurity and disasters has impeded humanitarian and development efforts globally. She called for concerted efforts to tackle the myriad of challenges confronting humankind to save generations unborn.
“The world today is facing complex humanitarian crises. Increasing poverty, rising inflation, high energy and food prices; unemployment and violent extremism continue to impede humanitarian and development efforts. In 2022, geo-political conflicts, coupled with climate change have led to dramatic rise of food insecurity in several parts of the world, including Nigeria.
“In these challenging times, we are reminded, once more, of the important role we play as leaders, in charting the way out of these turbulent times to a future that promotes peace, stability and progress, in order to create a more resilient society that guarantees the safety and prosperity for all and future generations.
“At this year’s General Assembly, we have been guided in our discussions by the theme: “A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges”.
“A very fitting theme to our contemporary issues that have interwoven side effects and consequences, hence our choice of the theme for this side event: “Strengthening Resilience and Sustaining Development: A Humanitarian Development Peace Approach to Leaving No One Behind.
“The interconnectedness of today’s world underscores the importance of multilateralism and partnerships. In this regard, we must act in a concerted manner in order to tackle the myriad of challenges confronting humankind if we are to achieve Agenda 2030. The 2030 Agenda provides us with the framework to eradicate poverty, build peace, foster prosperity, and improve livelihoods in a manner that preserves the environment, protects vulnerable populations and empowers women,” the minister noted.
In his keynote address, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR stated that the recent Covid -19 Pandemic is a reflection of the global uncertainty and emphasized role of leaders in ensuring world peace to save mankind and humanity.
According to Present Buhari, “The uncertainty and unpredictability of our world in the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, catastrophic weather events and conflicts have reminded us of the important role we play as leaders, whose citizens entrust upon us the responsibility of charting a future of peace and prosperity. This we can only guarantee through strategic foresight and visionary leadership.
“My administration’s pronouncement on the 21st of August 2019, for the establishment and creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development was a strategic intervention and underscores Nigeria’s commitment to consistently strengthen resilience and sustain development through improved coordination and synergy between international, regional and national humanitarian and development actors, peace building partners and governments.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry, its Agencies and Programmes, has developed policies, frameworks, programmes and plans that form the foundation necessary to build resilience. These activities have helped to deepen dialogue in a bid to reinforce existing capacities and strengthen coping strategies.
“We have also implemented targeted policies, frameworks, programmes and plans that support the agenda 2030 and resilience building of our citizenry through the National Internally Displaced Persons Policy, the Revised National Emergency Management Plan, the National Emergency Flood and Response Plan, the National Policy for Aging for Elderly Persons, the Poverty Reduction Plan, and the revised National Policy on disability, and National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) Bill recently approved by the Federal Executive Council, all aimed at supporting my Administration’s strategy to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by the year 2030”.
The President however harped on the need to implement all the policies and frameworks within a collaborative and tenured plan to help Federal Government reduce conflict and enhance efforts on Humanitarian Coordination and integration of the National Humanitarian Development Peace Framework.
“The National Humanitarian Development Peace Framework is a multi-track, multi-agency and multi-stakeholder approach that supports the growth of local capacities for post conflict or post disaster reconstruction activities. This is achieved through equitable policy making and investment aimed at building resilience and guaranteeing better response mechanisms to man-made or environmental catastrophes in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is prioritizing the development of a digitized and integrated management information system to address operational gaps across agencies and programmes. The institutionalization of automated processes and procedures through the coordination framework will facilitate real time monitoring while ascertaining frequent performance reporting”, he opined.
The President called on stakeholders to actively engage in leveraging the existing coordination Frameworks and the National Humanitarian Development Peace plan to activate more private sector participation, enable the consolidation of partnerships and accelerate the collaborations required to realize a triple nexus approach to leaving no one behind.
Other Speakers included the UN Deputy Secretary General Ms Amina Mohammed, Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ugochi Florence Daniels IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, Martha Helena Lopez, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources in the Department of Management, Strategy, Policy and Compliance at the UN, Amb. Lisa Carty, Head of ECOSOC Division, US Permanent Mission to the UN who was represented by Ambassador Christopher P Lu , Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform and Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Administrator, Director, UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa .
There were goodwill messages from the Governor of Borno state Prof Babagana Umara Zulum and the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.
Also in attendance was H.E Ambassador Prof. Tijjani Muhammad- Bande, Amb/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to UN General Assembly, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami SAN, Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ohanire , Heads of Agencies, amongst other eminent personalities and stakeholders.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development’s Side Event at the UN General Assembly aimed at deliberating and strategizing with all critical stakeholders involved in humanitarian action and disaster mitigation on more efficient, collaborative and resourceful means of integrating and sustaining humanitarian interventions for improved livelihood for Nigerians.
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