“Governors’ Forum Would Bolster Support Towards Eradicating Terrorism, Poverty”

What are the major stakes of the third Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum?
The Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum is a vehicle for integration, peer review and a platform for cross-fertilization of ideas and best practices for development and resolution of the challenges confronting the region. The Forum is a mechanism for regional cooperation, economic prosperity, peace and security as well as a platform where various actors and development partners of the region can meet under a unified umbrella to proffer sustainable solutions to the challenges of the region. The aim of the Governors’ Forum is to enhance joint efforts, coordination and regional ownership in the resolution of the crisis of the region by promoting cross-border dialogue, cooperation and exchange, and to support ongoing national, regional and multilateral efforts towards stabilisation in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB). Accordingly, the third Lake Chad Basin Governors Forum would, among others, enhance regional cooperation and integration; open more ways for cross-border trade and investments; and improve the security situation in the region. The long-term stabilization of the Lake Chad Region and improving the resilience of the people of the region are critical issues for discussion at this meeting.

At what level is the Commission with the implementation of recommendations of the last Forum which was held in Niamey? 
Since the second meeting held in Niamey in July 2019, the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) as well as the Governors of the region and our partners have remained resolute towards the implementation of the Regional Stabilization Strategy and key outcomes of the second Forum. Although the period under review equally coincided with the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we did nonetheless sustain efforts at operationalising the strategy. Key implementation frameworks achieved include; launch of the Lake Chad civil society organizations (CSOs) platforms at both regional and national levels across all the territories to boost the engagements of CSOs as active agents in the implementation of the strategy. Also, the operationalisation of the regional platform of implementing partners working across the pillar working groups was also achieved for synergy and coordination of actions. The Civil-Military Coordination cell of the MNJTF was operationalised, inclusive of the recruitment of a dedicated CIMIC adviser to the region. I am glad to inform that these efforts are yielding the desired results. Medical and educational outreaches have successfully been conducted across the sectors of the MNJTF with the support of our partners. Within the period, we equally witnessed enhanced bilateral engagements among the Governors of the region as a way of boosting cooperation. It would be recalled that the Governor of Borno State of Nigeria, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, embarked on bilateral visits to his counterparts in Diffa, Niger Republic, Far North Region of Cameroon, and Lac Region of Chad to ...