By Samuel Solomon
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced the launch of a new 61 million Euro United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Programme aimed at consolidating peace and supporting recovery efforts in the state over the next two years.
Governor Zulum said this while briefing journalists after the fourth UN Offer Board and Peacebuilding Fund Steering Committee meeting at Government House, Maiduguri.
He said the meeting was convened to formally close the first phase of the programme, which received a lot of support from the Government of Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and other development partners over the last two years.
According to the governor, the funds were deployed for peacebuilding activities across the state, adding that the successful implementation of the previous phase informed the decision to commence a new and expanded intervention.
“Another new phase of the UN offer has also been launched, amounting to about 61 million euro, which should be spent within the next two years,” Zulum said.
Governor Zulum said Germany had already contributed about 10 million Euros to the new basket fund, and expressed optimism that the United Kingdom, Switzerland and other partners would make additional contributions.
He added that Borno State Government would also commit funds to the basket to demonstrate its ownership of the programme and support its implementation.
The Governor commended the United Nations Resident Coordinator, the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and development partners for their continued support to peacebuilding in the state.
He particularly thanked the governments of Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland for their contributions, noting that sustained international partnership remains critical to rebuilding communities affected by insurgency and promoting durable peace in Borno State.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, lauded Borno State’s multi-partner coordination framework as a model that could be replicated across the country and in other countries facing similar humanitarian and development challenges.
He noted that the Borno model provides a unified funding mechanism and shared understanding among government, the United Nations and development partners, to address the state’s post-insurgency recovery needs in a more coordinated and sustainable manner.
Chargé d’Affaires of Germany to Nigeria, Johannes Lehne, announced that the German government will commit another 10 million Euros to implement the project.
“We had a very successful meeting on the implementation of the Borno law model. Germany will commit another 10 million Euros to this endeavour for the next two years, and we hope under the leadership of the governor and the government of Nigeria this will be a big success and bring peace and prosperity to Borno State,” Lehne said.
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Mohammed Malick Fall, said all hands are on deck to address the challenges befalling the state and the region in a coordinated manner.
“We cannot be successful unless we have the leadership and the vision we want, and this has been demonstrated by the Honorable Minister of Budget and Planning. It has been demonstrated almost on a day-to-day basis by His Excellency the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum,” Fall stated.
