Nigeria vice-president, Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria will continue to provide shelter for Africans displaced by conflict and natural disasters.
He made this statement in Abuja on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the State House.
Shettima assured the delegation that President Bola Tinubu would wholly support initiatives outlined to mitigate the suffering of displaced persons within and outside Nigeria’s borders.
“I know how vital the UN system is. You have assisted us tremendously in addressing our challenges in the north-east and the nation as a whole,” the vice-president said.
“For Nigeria, we will continue to accommodate our brother Africans displaced by conflict and natural disasters. I want to assure you that our partnership with the UN family will only be strengthened.
“We are open to new ideas for collaboration, especially the UN’s emphasis on sustainable resettlement of refugees.
“By embracing sustainable pathways in resettling people, we can avoid donor fatigue.”
The vice-president added that the government acknowledged and understood the arduousness of the situation in the Sahelian region soiled by a shaky economy, insecurity, poverty, and climate change.
He assured that Tinubu is working “round the clock” to get things right.
Whilst speaking, Raouf Mazou, the UNHCR assistant high commissioner for operations, applauded Nigeria’s treatment of refugees, saying that the agency is working to transition towards sustainable development strategies.
“The World Bank has a facility for refugees and host communities, and we would be accessing these facilities to see how we can bring additional support primarily to help the host communities,” Mazou said.
“We are now focusing on a shift primarily from providing humanitarian assistance to development. We are making sure that people become more self-reliant as much as possible.
“We are working with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation to tap into the resources of the private sector for this sustainable programming.”
Mazou mentioned that this new approach aspire to address perpetual issues of dependency on aid and facilitate easier reintegration when refugees return to their home countries.