Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced the launch of a new €61 million United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Programme aimed at consolidating peace and supporting recovery efforts in the state over the next two years.
Zulum disclosed this while briefing journalists after the fourth UN Offer Board and Peacebuilding Fund Steering Committee meeting at the Government House in Maiduguri.
The governor said the meeting formally marked the completion of the first phase of the programme, which received support from the governments of Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and other development partners.
According to him, funds from the first phase were deployed to peacebuilding activities across Borno, while the successful implementation of the programme 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.
He disclosed that Germany had already committed about €10 million to the new basket fund, expressing optimism that the United Kingdom, Switzerland and other development partners would make additional contributions.
Zulum also said the Borno State Government would contribute to the basket fund as part of efforts to demonstrate ownership and support the implementation of the programme.
The governor commended the United Nations Resident Coordinator, the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other development partners for their continued support for peacebuilding efforts in the state.
He particularly appreciated the governments of Germany, the UK and Switzerland for their contributions, stressing that sustained international partnerships remain critical to rebuilding communities affected by insurgency and promoting durable peace in Borno.
Meanwhile, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, described Borno’s multi-partner coordination framework as a model that could be replicated across Nigeria and other countries facing similar humanitarian and development challenges.
Bagudu said the framework provides a unified funding mechanism and a shared understanding among government, the United Nations and development partners in addressing Borno’s post-insurgency recovery needs in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
Also speaking, Chargé d’Affaires of Germany to Nigeria, Johannes Lehne, announced that the German government would contribute another €10 million to the implementation of the new phase.
“We had a very successful meeting on the implementation of the Borno 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.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohammed Malick Fall, said stakeholders were working together to address the challenges confronting Borno and the wider North-East region through a coordinated approach.
Fall commended the leadership of Governor Zulum and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning for their commitment to the peacebuilding process.
“We cannot be successful unless we have the leadership and the vision we want, and this has been demonstrated by the Honourable 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.
The new €61 million initiative is expected to deepen peacebuilding, recovery and development interventions across Borno over the next two years, with contributions from government and international development partners.
