JEDDAH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced to host a high-level ministerial donor conference with the support of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on October 26, 2024 to address the acute humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
According to an OIC statement on Friday the United Nations estimates nearly 33 million people need humanitarian aid and protection across the region, including around 11 million people who have been internally displaced and refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad Region.
The conference, co- hosted by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) with the cooperation of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), aims to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts to provide critical aid to save lives, protect civilians and promote efforts to help affected people.
The countries located in the Sahel and Lake Chad region have been facing a multifaceted crisis for over a decade. The region encounters significant challenges, resulting in ongoing economic and social instability, and disruption of livelihoods. Furthermore, the drying up of Lake Chad, a lifeline for millions, has aggravated the humanitarian situation.
The conference seeks to mobilize resources for humanitarian and development measures targeting the affected population, including displaced people and refugees, with a special focus on UN-coordinated humanitarian response plans (HRPs). Other major goals include raising awareness of the multifaceted crisis and how to address it; building strong partnerships to promote an effective humanitarian response and greater support for longer-term solutions.
Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of KSrelief, stated, “We recognize the importance of supporting the people of the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. This conference is a critical step towards mobilizing the necessary resources and forging partnerships to address the pressing humanitarian needs in these areas. Jointly, we can bring hope and relief to millions.”
The OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said: “I am proud of our role in the implementation of the Resolution by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. This Donors’ Conference seeks to mobilize humanitarian assistance in support of refugees and displaced persons in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. To that end, I am calling on OIC donor Member States, donor Institutions, and international partners to seize this opportunity and extend the necessary financial resources to help improve the conditions of vulnerable communities in these troubled regions”.
Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya said the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin are facing an unprecedented crisis. “This conference represents a critical opportunity for the international community and affected countries to come together to mobilize more resources and more support – not just for the immediate humanitarian response, but to help the region emerge from crisis and realize its enormous potential,” he said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said conflict, instability, and violence continue to drive millions to flee their homes in the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin – an area of the world that must increasingly contend with the destabilizing effects of climate change and food insecurity.
“We are grateful to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the OIC and our partners for their efforts to mobilize attention and the resources needed to address the severe funding shortage plaguing the region, to support refugees and populations in need,” he said.
