Sahel, Lake Chad Basin Have Immense Potential, Secretary-General Says, Asking Donor Conference ‘to Dig Deeper’, Support UN Efforts, Fund Aid, Deliver Change

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Donor Conference to Support Internally Displaced People and Refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad Region, in Jeddah today:

I thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for convening this vital event.

The Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions have immense potential:  rich in cultures, with vibrant youth populations and endless possibilities for renewable energy — all valuable building blocks for sustainable development.

However, the area also faces profound challenges:  from violence and terrorism to the climate crisis. This year floods swept through the lives of around 5 million people.  Across the regions we see crises of hunger, crises of hope, and crises of displacement.  The Sahel is home to over 7.5 million people driven from their homes, including 2 million refugees.  Over 30 million require humanitarian assistance.

The United Nations is on the ground, supporting Governments and communities to provide food, healthcare, education, and shelter.  But we need more support.

Our humanitarian response plans are around 40 per cent funded.  I sincerely thank all those that have contributed for their generosity.  This will save lives and livelihoods.  But I also ask countries to dig deeper to help fund our response plans in full.

And I urge action to move beyond aid and tackle the root causes of crises:  addressing poverty and inequality, particularly among women and girls; adapting to climate change; promoting peace and democracy; and urging parties to end hostilities, protect civilians and ensure full humanitarian access.

The United Nations is eager to work with communities, countries, humanitarian partners, multilateral development banks, and international funds to deliver change.  Together, let’s renew our resolve to help forge a path to a more secure, prosperous, and dignified future for the people of Sahel and Lake Chad.  Thank you.