Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, says Nigeria is presently hosting and providing international protection for about 100,000 refugees in addition to over 8,500,000 IDPs.
She announced the statistics when she joined the UN agencies, humanitarian and development organizations, NGOs, refugee-led organizations and faith-based groups at the Global Refugee Forum in Palexpo Geneva, Switzerland to brainstorm on global migration, refugee problems and durable solutions.
Presenting Nigeria’s position at the gathering, the Minister said “As a nation, we have opened our hearts and borders, offering international protection to those in dire need.”
“Consequently, the Federal Government has made pledges: To include refugees, IDPs, returnees and their host communities in National development plans,” Dr Edu added.
“This is to strengthen its protection capacity, ensure the availability and access to durable solutions for refugees and IDPs and continue playing active and constructive roles in regional and sub-regional efforts to address the root causes of displacement,” she said.
According to her, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to fulfil the pledges had resulted in the development and adoption of a roadmap for the implementation of the GCR, which was first adopted by the Federal Executive Council.
To facilitate the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees based on the following five National pledges, the Minister said that Nigeria’s determination was to enhance self-reliance with 25% of working-age refugees participating in economic development programs, complete inclusion in the National Social Registry for poor and vulnerable refugees, and aiming for at least 5% benefiting from social protection.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, said to make this Global Refugee Forum a moment of unity, all of us must join forces to ensure that those who flee because of their life, freedom and security are threatened can find protection.
He assured that everything is done to resolve their exile as soon as possible and referenced the global divisiveness and unprecedented number of conflicts as the cause of displacement.
Grandi, called upon Nations to ensure that all refugees, regardless of where they come from, receive attention and support.
The 2023 Forum which was co-convened by five states – Colombia, France, Japan, Jordan, and Uganda – and co-hosted by the Government of Switzerland and UNHCR is held every four years.
The forum provides the opportunity for stakeholders to announce concrete pledges and contributions, highlight progress made, share good practices, and take stock of the challenges and opportunities ahead.