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The United Kingdom says
it is currently supporting initiatives to increase economic opportunities for
marginalised youth in northern Nigeria with development funding worth nearly 50
million dollars (N15 billion). Mr James Roscoe, the UK Ambassador on General
Assembly Matters to the United Nations, stated this at a UN Security Council
meeting on peace and security in West Africa, in New York on Monday.
Roscoe said the UK was providing additional 28
million dollars (N8.5 billion) in funding for projects to “reduce young
people’s vulnerability to recruitment by violent extremist groups” in Borno.
The gestures, according to him, are part of the UK’s contributions, working
with its partners in West Africa, to support domestic efforts at preventing
extremism and intercommunal violence in the region.
Earlier at a briefing, Mohamed Chambas,
Special Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel
(UNOWAS), said the region had been “shaken by unprecedented violence” in recent
months. Chambas said “relentless attacks on civilian and military targets have
shaken public confidence”, citing last week’s attack by militants on a military
base in western Niger that left 71 soldiers dead. He blamed the situation
partly on poor management of national resources, inequalities and marginalisation,
corruption and the failure of governments in the region to provide security and
justice. The special envoy, however, noted that “recipes against violent
extremism” were being put in place in many West African countries.
Specifically, chambas said that some grassroots initiatives, such as
inter-faith coalitions in Nigeria, were in place to curtail recruitments by
Boko Haram. He added that grassroots reconciliation initiatives were being
evaluated across the region for bilateral assistance at the country level. The
security council, he said, could play a decisive role in accompanying such
efforts and more. He reminded the council that, in addition to donor and
technical support, assistance on security-related and law enforcement matters
remains vital. “Curbing the financial and supply corridors used by armed
groups, and the links with illegal trade requires international cooperation.
“Targeted sanctions and other measures recommended by panels of experts, are
relevant for leverage,” Chambas recommended. In separate remarks, council
members stressed the need for efforts to be focused on tackling the underlying
causes of violent extremism and intercommunal conflicts in the region.
Vanguard News Nigeria
FAD360 TV
