FG, UAE To Partner On Humanitarian & Poverty Alleviation Support Programmes . . . Blames Climate Change For Humanitarian Crises In Nigeria
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by Oyagiri Chime-emeleThe United Arab Emirates has expressed its readiness to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by contributing to every efforts that would lead to a reduction of humanitarian crises as well as eradicate poverty in Nigeria by 2030.
The UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al- Shamsi made this known when he received the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu in his office.
The Envoy who described Nigeria as “my country” said, “I am very committed to Nigeria because I am representing the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria. Nigerians are the nicest people I have ever met.” He promised to convey the request to support the federal government initiative in tackling hunger, poverty, and humanitarian challenges facing the country to the necessary authorities, assuring that the partnership would work.
He invited the Minister to attend the UN Climate Change Cop 28 to be hosted by the Government of the UAE, explaining that the meeting will bring together world leaders committed to tackle issues around climate change which has led to natural disasters which has exposed many to humanitarian crises and poverty.
Speaking, the Minister said that her visit to the Ambassador was a follow-up on the discussion they had with the UAE Government at the UNGA meeting. She said Nigeria – UAE bilateral cooperation has made the two countries recognize their areas of common comparative advantages.
According to the Minister; “Climate change is one of the factors responsible for the humanitarian and poverty crisis in Nigeria. With the floods, drying up of the lake chad basin and other natural disasters associated with climate change, many Nigerians have been displaced and have lost their sources of livelihood resulting in humanitarian crises and poverty.”
She assured the Ambassador that she would be in the team led by President Bola Tinubu to attend the Cop 28 which will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.
“Climate change is one of the factors responsible for Humanitarian crises and multiculti-dimensionality poverty in Nigeria. This is evident from temperature increase, rainfall variability, drought, desertification, rising sea levels, erosion, floods, thunderstorms, bushfires, landslides, land degradation, more frequent, extreme weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity as well as drying of the Lake chad basin by climate change,” she maintained.
All these factors according to Dr. Edu, continue to negatively affect the population. The President is committed to addressing this and the UAE should support.
