The federal government has finalized its operational strategies for enhanced humanitarian response across the country.
The minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management and social development, Sadiya Umar Farouq who chaired the National Humanitarian coordination Technical Working Group meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, said “we are here today to review and validate three strategic documents.
The blueprints are the National Humanitarian Peace Development (NHDP) Plan, National Action Plan for the implementation of the IDP and National Cash Voucher Assistance Policy (NCVA).
Farouq was represented by Permanent Secretary of the ministry Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Said “NHDP is envisioned to provide adequate guidelines on how humanitarian, peace and development actors can work together more effectively to meet vulnerable people’s needs while mitigating risks, reducing vulnerability and ensure durable solution to affected population towards peace and stability in Nigeria
“We have no doubt that the finalization of these strategic blueprints will be watershed innovation that will shape up humanitarian operations in Nigeria towards peace and development.
Therefore, it is our expectation that the participants gathered here who are carefully selected based on expertise and organizational mandate will assiduously review the draft policy documents and validate them for Federal Executive Council (FEC) ratification before the end of the present administration.”
In her goodwill message Representing UNOCHA Nigeria, Etsy Sutyoko sated that “together with partners of the humanitarian community/ both international and national/, work towards supporting a two-year Humanitarian Strategy for 2022-2023/ as developed by the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT)
“The Strategy is supported by annual humanitarian response plans/ put together in collaboration with the government and humanitarian partners//. This strategy outlines a two-track process firstly,meeting immediate and urgent needs//; and, secondly/, by reducing vulnerability/, improving resilience.”
On his part, representing UNHCR, Ramcho Kudevski, said that ‘regarding the strong role that is played by the government, not only on federal level, but also state level two, to really advance and the assistance to those that are in need of humanitarian assistance. We applaud the ministry’s high level coordination and leadership which is every member of the high table already acknowledged it’s it be seen across the tape,
Also speaking,Swiss ambassador, His Excellency Nicolas Leung,who was represented by Nicholas Martin, said “The humanitarian development and peace plan will be a fundamental tenet of Nigeria’s efforts to ensure that humanitarian development and peace actors work together in a cohesive and efficient manner. While the national action plan of the IDP policy will serve as a compass for all interventions in Nigeria to lift people displaced and affected by crisis out of humanitarian needs, and enable them to find sustainable solutions to their displacement. Switzerland has been a very close partner as mentioned and a really close ally and friends to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs since its establishment, building on years of prior collaboration with its agencies, including NCFR my on behalf of the Swiss ambassador, His Excellency Nicolas Leung, I’m really proud
On his part, representing World Food Programme Nigeria, Heads of Program, Sergie Loum said “WFP Nigeria has three mechanisms to support Nigeria towards achieving SDG 2 of Zero Hunger and the other interlinked goals. The three layers of support are: direct assistance, taghnical and enabling support. It is in line with this strategy that WFP Nigeria has deliberately included capacity support to both Federal and State institutions in its current Country Strategic Plan – CSP (2023 -2027).
” We are glad to have supported the development of the National Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy by seconding a consultant to the FMHADMSD and supporting the consultative engagements with other stakeholders in the last one year.”
