Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation announced on Wednesday that $5 billion will be raised annually for Nigeria’s Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund by the Federal Government, the UN, and other development partners.
It stated that in addition to the government, development partners, UN agencies, and ambassadors, other parties also pledged to a coordinated strategy and long-lasting solutions for Nigeria’s humanitarian response.
During a humanitarian coordination meeting at the United Nations House in Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, engaged ambassadors, UN agencies, and NGOs to commit to a durable, smart, and coordinated approach to humanitarian crises in the country.
The meeting resolved to raise $5bn annually for the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund in Nigeria by the Federal Government, other countries, private sector, donor agencies, and development partners.
Edu expressed President Bola Tinubu’s appreciation for the efforts of UN agencies and development partners in easing humanitarian challenges in Nigeria. However, she emphasized the need for a more coordinated approach to the humanitarian response, especially in the face of dwindling resources.
The government must take the lead in coordinating efforts and aligning with government priorities. Edu emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to reduce, prevent, mitigate, and respond adequately to the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, thereby reducing poverty by 50%.
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, expressed support for the government in its efforts to tackle humanitarian challenges.
“We’ve heard very clearly from you that humanitarian needs span the rest of the country. We are here as United Nations agencies to support in ensuring proper coordination, develop review and implementation response plan, mobilise resources for country response, as well as align to the Federal Government priorities,” he said.