Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
June 18, 2023.
The United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has expressed the desire to adopt the Borno State humanitarian model.
According to him, the adoption of the State’s model could overcome the challenges of displacements of persons in conflicts.
This was disclosed, over the weekend (Thursday) by the Office of the Special Adviser, William Chemaly, at Geneva, Switzerland.
Zulum was hosted during a meeting held at the Centre International De Conference (CICH) on proffering solutions to the humanitarian crises across the globe.
The hosting of the Governor by the UN, was to thoroughly discuss over the resettlements of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the restoration of their destroyed livelihoods in various communities.
“Our focus should be on ‘IDPs solutions plans’ with specifics on Government leadership, community driven approach and voluntary returns,” said Guterres, stating that this could facilitate the relocation and integration of the displaced persons with livelihoods.
He, therefore, expressed his desire for the UN to adopt the State’s Humanitarian Model (BOHM).
The Borno Model is a non-kinetic approach aimed at handling counter-insurgency efforts and addressing about 14-year humanitarian crises.
Governor Zulum, at the meeting, also highlighted the successes achieved in in the State through what he described as; “The implementation of his administration’s novel approach to the humanitarian situation tagged: “The Borno Model.”
He had previously attended a breakfast Strategic Country Update on North East, Nigeria, organized and hosted by the famous Graduate Institute, University of Geneva.
The Governor, also engaged over 20 academics, humanitarian, peace, security, and development actors, think-tanks, and researchers in analyzing Borno’s practical experiences on the Boko Haram crisis.
“Our adoption of the non-kinetic approach yields results in resettling the IDPs with restoration of their destroyed livelihoods,” he said.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Yahya, spoke while the Nigerian Ambassador to Geneva also made presentation on Nigeria’s stand.
Zulum also attended meeting at the UN Palais hosted by Raouf Mazou, the Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at the United Nations High Commission on Refugees.
Others that accompanied Zulum on the Geneva trip, included the State’s focal person for the World Bank’s Multi-Sectoral Recovery and Peace Building Project (MCRP), Babazanna Abdulkarim, Principal Secretary in the Governor’s Office, Mustapha Busuguma and the Governor’s high-level associate on Sustainable Development Partnership and Humanitarian Support, Dr, Mairo Mandara.