Shettima: 35m Internally Displaced Persons in Africa Unacceptable

•Robert Piper: Govts should lead from the front 

•Malick Fall: Climate change major driver of displacements in Nigeria

Charles Ajunwa

Vice President Kashim Shettima has described as unacceptable the 35 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) recorded in Africa out of 76 million worldwide.

The Vice President who expressed his displeasure yesterday at the first-ever Africa roundtable on private sector solutions to internal displacement themed ‘Bridging Futures: Converging for Solutions’ organised by the Nigerian government in collaboration with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in  Lagos, said the private sector should be provided with the right incentives to deal with forcibly displaced communities on the continent.

Shettima, represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Mr. Tope Fasua, expressed gratitude to 11 African countries, UNHCR and the private sector participating at the two-day event, saying the forum should be able to come up with new innovative solutions not only in the management of conflicts and displacement but also in prevention.

The Vice President who specifically thanked  the Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement, United Nations Assistant Secretary General (UN ASG), Mr. Robert Piper, for his several assistance to Nigeria, stressed: “This is one key step in your great sacrifice to humanity. Our common goal in the next few days is to find ways to support the private sector to engage actively with internally displaced persons and to help find solutions to their plight in the coming years.

“It has become evident over the years that governments alone cannot handle the deluge and the depth, astuteness and dynamism and of course the human capital, and many of the private sector will be a game changer.

“Not only towards providing for people who are unfortunately caught in the process of displacement but to also ensure that these mediums return quickly to comfort, to regularity, a solid and positive mental state and productivity for themselves and for society at large.

“We are right at the epicentre of things. Africa unfortunately holds half of the world’s economy of displaced persons.

“This is unacceptable. 35 million women, men, girls and boys have been forced, and men as well, have been forced to place their lives at risk due to conflicts, violence, human rights abuses, climate change and other crises and solutions are becoming harder to come by way of conflicts spanning decades instead of weeks or months.

“We believe that in this forum we shall be able to respond to and tease out new innovative solutions not only in the management of conflicts and displacement but also in prevention.

Speaking on the devastation caused by climate change, especially in the area of new IDPs camps springing up, Shettima emphasised that “the big issue called climate change is making resources faster than ever before as water, land, power, food are all becoming points of conflict today in our communities due to increasing inadequacy and wastage in many parts of the world.

“Climate change is not only a major factor behind environmental cataclysms but is leading to phenomena such as desertification, flooding, crop failures and other extreme weather events, thereby negatively affecting the value chains of these critical essentials in today’s world.

“But in Nigeria, we have had to accumulate the working closely with the United Nations Secretary General on solutions to climate displacement, Mr. Robert Piper, and this has made a lot of our lives a little easier.

“Mr. Piper’s contributions and leadership has helped us soar ahead and achieve considerable. In honor of the leadership of the President, what I meant to say is that we have launched state action plans for remote Yobe, Adamawa, and are developing plans to continue in other states. We are excited to learn that Mr. Piper’s mandate is coming to an end in December 2025.

“We wish him even greater achievements in his next assignments around the world.”

The Vice President was emphatic that while governments bear the primary responsibility for their citizens, “our development partners and the United Nations are always there to support a mode of society approach that is needed to combat this very growing crisis. We cannot be successful without the active engagement of the private sector and, indeed, we see this as a win-win.

“A healthy, optimal population is essential for the continued growth of the private sector enterprises, for the robustness and stability of the purchasing power, for healthy, strong, and emotionally stable workers.

“The sacrifice of our private sector partners should not, therefore, be considered strictly as loss-lead as a charity, but as critical investment into the future of societies and communities where these displacements are taking place, and even beyond, for the whole world at large.

“However, the private sector, from small businesses to large conglomerates, must be provided with the right incentives to work with forcibly displaced communities, often in remote locations.”

He further said: “The regulatory frameworks must allow for the conducive environment to establish companies and work with IDPs. The risky facilities and access to financing are critical for them to engage in situations where, often, the overhead costs of building capacity, infrastructure and security may be more expensive than normal. The first step is not to see such transactions as losses, but as investment in human capital development.

“We are delighted to see our partners from the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Africa Development Bank, and other strong supporters of Africa amongst us today. You know our primary priority is to ensure that nobody is left behind, including IDPs.

“We have bilateral and development partners who have worked on a wide range of issues from power to entrepreneurship and financing these past decades.

“We have our UN sister agencies that have boots on the ground and work closely with some of the most disadvantaged communities across the continent. And we have government from 11 key countries, all friends of Nigeria. I believe that together we can find ways to unleash the power of the private sector.

“Over the next few days, I invite you to engage actively in the sessions. There is something for everyone. I personally recognise some of the brightest minds in Nigeria among the private sector partners in the room.

“People who know Nigeria well but have made a difference in the lives of millions over the decades. Please be assured of our continued gratitude and respect at all times.

“I wish to thank the UNHCR for organising this event together with the government of Nigeria and the Office of Mr. Robert Piper.

“Also, we are grateful to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, for co-hosting this event. I wish to thank everyone for attending and wish you all a productive two days of interactions.”

Piper, who spoke during a panel session tagged ‘Making The Business Case for Engagement in Internal Displacement Contexts’, said to tackle the problem of IDPs that governments must own the project and lead from the front instead of taking a back seat.

According to him, there is a place for the private sector in creating a sustainable business model for the IDPs, noting that “Africa is demonstrating to the world how to lead these displaced people.”

In his welcome address, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, said: “Recent reports have shown that by the end of 2020, an estimated 76 million people were internally displaced worldwide, with nearly 35 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Here in Nigeria, over 3.5 million people are internally displaced.

“In recent years, we have seen climate change having a significant impact as a driver of displacement in Nigeria. In the global stage, many of those who were first displaced by conflict for several years have been now drastically harmonised by the devastating climate that we have experienced recently.

“Farmers’ health crisis in the North-central region is now the stark reminder of the intersection between climate, livelihood, and displacement.

“Displacement exacerbates poverty and inequality, putting mass pressure on most communities and hindering progress towards a sustainable development goal. Addressing internal displacement is therefore not just a humanitarian priority, but a development imperative.

“It is critical to achieve fundamental stages and deliver on the promise that we made to the world to leave no one behind.

“At the recent Summit of the Future, the United Nations Member States reaffirmed their commitment to addressing the root cause of forced displacement through the path of the future.

“This agreement calls on facilitating global solutions for internally displaced persons while supporting resilience of the host community. To make this vision a reality, we must unite across all sectors – government, community, private sector – and have an innovative partnership that generates mutual benefit.

“For the private sector today, my call is in three areas. The first one is inclusive value chain. Businesses can deliberately include displaced persons in their production value chain.

“By locating part of their value chain initiative in the area hosting displaced populations, companies can create livelihoods for those affected while enhancing the product of their business.

“Just as environmental, social and governance principles have reshaped global business practice, we can make the social dimension the driver of inclusion and innovation. My second call is on the investment in skill and innovation.

“Displacement disrupts education and skills development, particularly for young people and children. The private sector has an opportunity to bridge this gap by investing in training programs and innovating innovation hubs in partnership with public institutions.

“These initiatives can equip displaced individuals with the skills needed to contribute to the company and strengthen their resilience.

“The third point is on the corporate social responsibility. The CSR must go beyond the short-term and the long-term to support long-term solutions. For people in states like Borneo, Nairobi, Kadamalor, Benue, we have to help states now which are comprehensive and address global solutions to the displacement required.

“I urge the private sector to consider aligning their resources and expertise with the state-led plan to achieve lasting improvement. It is time to reiterate how we view internal displacement. Rather than see it as a burden, let’s recognise it as an opportunity to drive sustainable development.

“Displaced people bring skills, aspirations, and potential that can be harnessed to create shared value for business. Let me reiterate the words of the United Nations Secretary-General. Supporting displaced people is not a charity, it is an investment for the future.

“This roundtable provides an incredible opportunity to chart a new course for the private sector engagement in the displacement context. I look forward to our discussion and to the concrete outcome that can serve as a model for future collaboration.

“Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities, and I am sure that no one is left behind.”

Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, was represented by Fatima Mamman-Daura, Director, Internally Displaced Persons National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs.