Vice President, Kashim Shettima has advocated for a redefined international order driven by justice and diplomacy in solving insecurity challenges, rather than injecting money alone in the quest for security, stability and recovery of the Lake Chad Basin region.
Shettima made the call in Maiduguri on Wednesday during the 5th LCBGF meeting, stating that the salvation of the region lies in the hands of its people, not in Europe or the Americas.
According to him, non-state actors who exploit porous borders, weak governance, and a struggling economy are the true enemies, and he stressed that peace is not about appeasing terrorists, but rather about pursuing cooperation.
He acknowledged the severity of the threat posed by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), but asserted that none of these groups stands a chance against the collective defence of the state, let alone multinational arrangements like theirs.
He affirmed their collective power to shield the defenceless and protect innocent lives, the very foundation of humanity and well-being.
The Vice President noted that every part of the world is grappling with insecurity, with a global cost of $2.4 trillion in 2022 and warned against simply throwing money at the problem, stating that it is not a solution.
He called for a redefinition of the international order, driven by the moral imperative of justice and diplomacy.
While acknowledging that solutions are complex, he insisted they must be complemented by strategies that address the root causes of insecurity: poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunities for youth.
The vice president described the continent, with its youngest population, as a potential powerhouse and a driver of progress and laid out the challenge of transforming this potential into reality, which he said rests primarily on the shoulders of the governors.
He urged them to embrace this responsibility, whether through their collective commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area or their contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Shettima argued that this pursuit is undermined when agreements to secure borders are neglected, when information and policies are not shared, and when the freedom and choices of the people are disregarded.
The VP urged the governors to embrace their responsibility in transforming the continent’s potential into reality and to adopt partnerships that strengthen Africa.
Shettima warned that simply throwing money at the problem is not enough, and called for a redefinition of the international order driven by justice and diplomacy.
He commended the Lake Chad governors for building good governance and expressed hope that their deliberations would be fruitful.
The Lake Chad Governors’ Forum, which commenced in Maiduguri, Borno State, brings together over 1,000 participants from Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon, and Nigeria to discuss regional stability, sustainable development, peace, and security.
The forum aims to foster dialogue, coordination, and cross-border cooperation among state and national governments, the UN, regional economic communities, civil society organisations, and other partners to address the pressing challenges facing the region and devise strategies for long-term stability and development.
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