From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The United Kingdom (UK) has donated the sum of £15 million to tackle insecurity and malnutrition in the North East.
The British High Commission, Abuja, in a statement made available to Daily Sun, said the UK humanitarian funding will deliver life-saving assistance in the North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
The British High Commission also said 4.1 million people in the region are expected to face acute food insecurity unless emergency action is taken.
“The UK has announced that it will spend £15 million of emergency humanitarian funding to provide vital food and nutrition assistance for vulnerable people in North East Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
“The money will fund the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver life-saving activities to respond to crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity and malnutrition for vulnerable people, including malnourished women and children.
“This food assistance funding is part of the UK’s wider commitment to prioritise life-saving humanitarian aid to communities around the world who are most vulnerable due to the ongoing combination of crises,” the British High Commission said.
The British High Commission also said the UK is proud to be supporting the work of its delivery partners, particularly the World Food Programme and UNICEF whose aid workers put themselves at great risk in order to reach those suffering most.
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“This emergency funding supports the UK’s work alongside the Nigerian government to build security in the face of growing instability in the north of the country.
“The UK has also announced further humanitarian funding to several West African countries in the Sahel region today, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger. When combined with the £15 million funding allocated to North East Nigeria, this humanitarian funding totals £37.65 million,” the British High Commission also said.
Reacting to the development, Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Atkinson said: “As the conflict continues, 4.1 million people are facing a food crisis in North East Nigeria. Through this emergency funding, the UK has allocated £15 million of humanitarian assistance to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition among the region’s most vulnerable people, including women and children.
“This life-saving aid will help stave off starvation and support people to become more resilient.”
On her part, UK Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford said: “Millions of people across the Sahel and West Africa are unimaginably suffering from hunger and malnutrition.
“That’s why the UK will step up with an urgent £38 million of humanitarian funding, reaching those most vulnerable and saving lives across the region.
“The number of people facing starvation is at its worst for a decade. Whilst this UK funding is a necessity, it has to be part of a bigger international effort. We are calling on international partners to enhance our collective support and scale-up intervention to halt this humanitarian catastrophe.”