The Nigerian Government in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees has validated the Global Compact on Refugee Roadmap.
Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria, Imaan Ibrahim-Suleiman declared the validation in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Commissioner stated that the validation shows that Nigeria is committed to fulfilling her pledges.
” It’s is not about what we are going to do differently, but about what we are going to do more. As you can see, we are on the right track. We just need to address gaps and intensify efforts and work better as a team across all levels, the Sub national, National, States and LGAs,” Imaan said.
According to her, the Global Compact for Refugees represents the global communities’ political will and ambition to better the lives of refugees.
” The GCR covers refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, returnees and stateless Persons. The GCR is underpinned by relevant International human rights instruments, International humanitarian law, International Refugee law, and including instruments and including instruments for the protection of Stateless Persons”.
” Nigeria has shown steadfast commitment to the GCR principles of refugee inclusion, responsibility-sharing and solidarity with Displaced Persons and affected host communities predating the formal adoption of the GCR on Refugees by the UN General Assembly in December 2018,” the Commissioner emphasised.
The Global Compact on Refugees was affirmed on 17th of December,2018 to improve the International response to new and existing refugee situations with the following four key objectives:
1.Ease pressure on host communities
- Enhance refugee self reliance
- Expand access to third-country solutions
- Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity.
For Nigeria, the draft roadmap was produced to outline its pledges on the GCfR.
” Following the adoption of the GCR, Nigeria has sought to develop a National pathway for the implementation of the Compact. Leading up to the Global Refugee Forum, GRF, in December 2019, Nigeria led Stakeholder Consultations on the GCR in Abuja(FCT) ,Yola (Adamawa State), Ogoja (Cross River State), Lagos (Lagos State) and Maiduguri,Borno State”.
“These Consultations were organised by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, with the support of the UN Refugee Agency with the aim of formulating GCR pledges that took into account the national contexts to ensure that the GCR was implemented Ina manner that responded to the realities in areas that host Refugee, IDPs, Returnees and Persons at risk of Statelessness,” Imaan further explained
Speaking at the validation ceremony, the Chairman, House Committee on Refugees, IDPs and Stateless Persons, Mohammed Umar Jega noted reaffirmed that all the relevant MDAs are captured in the road map and the Legislature will ensure that the document becomes effective and sustainable.
” The draft will serve as a reference document to be used as a roadmap to come up with durable solutions to the plight of refugees and IDPs. This is to ensure that all Persons of concern are really catered for,” he said.
Representing the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, the Director General, State Emergency Management Agency, Hajia Yabawa Kolo said the Governor I very passionate about the return of Nigerian Refugees in the neighouring countries.
” This means a lot to the Borno State Government. We have already fulfilled all the minimum requirements to return all refugees and IDPs to their ancestral homes”.
According to the her, dignity and safety is all about durable solutions.
Earlier in a message, the UNHCR Country Representative to Nigeria, Chansa Kapaya said the Roadmap was a collective piece of work in the spirit of responsibility sharing and whole of society approaches.
” It is our hope that this Roadmap which defines clear objectives and actions will lead to Nigeria’s advancement of more robust policy action and change in the coming years,” Kapaya said.
Nigeria GCR pledges:
- To include refugees, IDPs and their host communities in their national Government development plans.
- To strengthen its protection capacity.
- To ensure availability and access to durable solutions for Refugees and IDPs.
- To continue playing active and constructive roles in Regional and Sub-regional efforts to address the root cause of displacement.
Nnenna.O
