President Bola Tinubu has urged regional leaders and international partners to demonstrate greater commitment to address security, social and economic challenges bedevilling the Lake Chad Basin.
He said this at the inauguration of the 5th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, on Monday in Maiduguri.
Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the president stressed the need for sustained cooperation, effective governance and investment in development, to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.
Tinubu, who highlighted the progress made through the implementation of the Regional Stabilisation Strategy, Recovery, and Resilience initiatives, however, acknowledged nagging problems of insecurity, climate change and mass displacement affecting the region.
“The Lake Chad Basin is at a crossroads. The stability of this region is paramount not only to the countries that share its borders but to Africa and the world at large.
“We must remain vigilant and committed to the task ahead,” he said, adding that the journey towards lasting peace and prosperity was far from over in spite of the resilience shown by communities in the face of prolonged violent extremism and other crises.
He underscored the importance of addressing the root causes of the conflict, to bolster cross-border cooperation between the affected countries.
“We cannot afford to be complacent. The security of our region, the welfare of our people, and the health of our environment depend on our collective action,” the president said.
Tinubu stressed the need for the implementation of a people-centered approach to stabilise the region, and called for greater investment in youth and women.
He charged the stakeholders to focus on rebuilding programmes to restore livelihoods and strengthen inclusive and sustainable governance systems.
The president highlighted the importance of international support in stabilising the region, citing the active engagement of multilateral partners, private sector and civil society as critical to achieving the set goals.
“Together, we can build a future of peace, security, and prosperity. Let this forum be a defining moment in our shared journey towards a better tomorrow,” he said.
The forum attracted participants from countries affected by the Boko Haram insurgency including Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.
The forum seeks to provide a platform for sound deliberations on security, environment, social and economic challenges affecting the region as well as offer lasting solutions to the problems.
It came at a time when the region was recovering from the devastating impacts of terrorism, environmental degradation, climate change and massive displacement.
(NAN)
