Governors’ Forum on Lake Chad Basin to Address Regional Security, Development Challenges
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is set to host the 5th Edition of the Governors’ Forum of the Lake Chad Basin.
Scheduled as a platform for dialogue, coordination, and cooperation, the forum will take place to consolidate progress made in stabilizing the region affected by Boko Haram insurgency and other socio-economic challenges.
The event aims to strengthen transnational efforts in addressing security, humanitarian, and developmental issues across the eight territories most affected by the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin.
Under the theme “Rebuilding the Lake Chad Basin: Consolidating Gains, Engaging for Peace, Cross-Border Cooperation, Security, and Sustainable Development of a Resilient Community,” the forum will engage regional stakeholders to chart paths toward sustainable peace and development.
Key objectives of the forum include deepening understanding of the security and humanitarian landscape, advancing demobilization and reintegration efforts, accelerating the implementation of Territorial Action Plans (TAPs), and promoting cross-border trade for socio-economic recovery.
The strategy for stabilizing the Lake Chad Basin, known as the Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience (RS-SRR), has seen notable successes since its inception in 2018. It has led to the rebuilding of essential infrastructure, restoration of social order, and the return of displaced populations.
According to a statement by the LCBC, the forum will also assess the impact of drug trafficking and substance abuse on violent extremism and explore ways to enhance the role of civil society, especially women and youth-led organizations, in fostering peace and resilience.
Efforts to address food insecurity in the face of climate change and solutions for internally displaced persons and refugees are also expected to dominate discussions.
The forum will begin with a two-day pre-event featuring sessions for civil society organizations, traditional leaders, technical experts, and other stakeholders.
Participants will include representatives of the governments of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, regional economic communities, international and national NGOs, traditional leaders, UN agencies, and donor organizations.
The LCBC expressed optimism that the forum would solidify regional cooperation and chart new directions for long-term stability, peace, and development in the region.
