The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA , UNITED NATIONS
OCHA Presser: Humanitarian Situation In Nigeria
“Looming catastrophic food insecurity in Nigeria could eventually result in a famine”, warns UN Country Office
The UN Country Representative in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, warned today that the country is currently at a crossroad to a critical food insecurity which could result in famine should appropriate action not be taken now while asking urgently the international community for USD 250 million to avert the worse.
Speaking to reporters at a briefing at the United Nations in Geneva, Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, said that “we are here on a very somber mission, a somber mission in the sense that we are seeing Nigeria at a cross-road to critical food insecure situation and a looming catastrophic food insecurity that could eventually result in a famine, if appropriate actions are not taken now”.
Mr. Kallon added that “we need critically USD 250 million dollars to respond to the acute food insecurity needs of 4,4 million people of which some 705, 000 are at a critical threshold of death if nothing is done now”.
Based on a latest study by the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and partners, an estimated 4,4 million people are urgently in need of humanitarian assistance in north-east Nigeria, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. One of the biggest challenges is getting access to the people in need.
“There are still well over 800, 000 people in inaccessible areas that we cannot access as international humanitarian partners although some of those areas are reachable by the government itself”, reports Mr. Kallon. “So, indeed, we can see the need for a division of responsibility in those areas. What’s critical to the response is going to be the need for freedom of movement of people to come from those enclaves to areas where we can have access to”.
According to Edward Kallon, the malnutrition rates are very worrisome as they have further increased since October 2020 till today.
The socio-economic impact of Covid-19 led to a destruction of livelihoods. The country is extremely worried about the new virus variants of the pandemic and the work of the humanitarian workers has been restricted due to Covid-19.
“This situation has even deteriorated further as a result of 1) limited access, constraints imposed by Covid-19 and also the lack of resources. My call on the international community is to come to our aid now to make sure that we avert a famine”.
The ongoing security concerns resulted in a further displacement of the population, according to Mr. Kallon. “As we are witnessing now as a result of banditry, criminality, and elements of terrorism, we are also seeing high levels of displacement in north-west Nigeria where an estimated 1,4 million people also need immediate humanitarian assistance. And, also in north-central Nigeria where over 1 million people also need assistance”.
The top UN official for Nigeria emphasizes that the response mechanisms are in place and colleagues are working closely with government to gain access in hard to reach areas.
“Security remains a major concern in our operation and at best the security situation in the operation areas remain fluid, volatile and unpredictable”, said Mr. Kallon. “Access remains a concern to us, but we are also very hopeful and working collectively to ensure that the response is localized, and we are using local support to make sure that affected population are reached”.
Edward Kallon reminded that in a similar situation in 2017 a famine was averted through the help of the international community.
-ends-
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a sunny day.
- Wide shot, press briefing at the UN in Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria: “We are here on a very somber mission, a somber mission in the sense that we are seeing Nigeria at a cross-road to critical food insecure situation and a looming catastrophic food insecurity that could eventually result in a famine, if appropriate actions are not taken now”.
- Medium shot, journalist in press briefing room watching screen
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria: “We need critically 250 million dollars to respond to the acute food insecurity needs of 4,4 million people of which some 705, 000 are at a critical threshold of death if nothing is done now”.
- Medium shot, podium with speakers
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria: “There are still well over 800, 000 people in inaccessible areas that we cannot access as international humanitarian partners although some of those areas are reachable by the government itself. So, indeed, we can see the need for a division of responsibility in those areas. What’s critical to the response is going to be the need for freedom of movement of people to come from those enclaves to areas where we can have access to”.
- Close up, screen with zoom platform
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria: “This situation has even deteriorated further as a result of 1) limited access, constraints imposed by Covid-19 and also the lack of resources. My call on the international community is to come to our aid now to make sure that we avert a famine”.
- Medium shot, podium with speakers
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria: “As we are witnessing now as a result of banditry, criminality, and elements of terrorism, we are also seeing high levels of displacement in north-west Nigeria where an estimated 1,4 million people also need immediate humanitarian assistance. And, also in north-central Nigeria where over 1 million people also need assistance”.
- Close up, camera view finder
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria: “Security remains a major concern in our operation and at best the security situation in the operation areas remain fluid, volatile and unpredictable. Access remains a concern to us, but we are also very hopeful and working collectively to ensure that the response is localized, and we are using local support to make sure that affected population are reached”.
- Medium shot, journalist
- Wide shot, podium with speakers
- Medium shot, Edward Kallon speaking from podium
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
No evacuation order given before Kamal Adwan Hospital strike, says WHO
One of the last partially functional health centres in northern Gaza was reportedly hit again overnight into Friday by several strikes, leaving four health workers among the casualties and the dead, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , ILO , UNCTAD , WHO , FAO , ICRC
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Labour Organization, Human Rights Council, United Nations Trade and Development and International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA
More than 280,000 people have been uprooted in northwest Syria in a matter of days following the sudden and massive offensive into Government-controlled areas led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is sanctioned by the Security Council as a terrorist group.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has called on the Georgian authorities to respect and protect the rights to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly following several nights of protests that were marred by violence, and dispersed using disproportionate, and in some cases unnecessary, force by the police in the capital, Tbilisi.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said today he was extremely concerned about the recent escalation in hostilities in northwest Syria, which further compounds the suffering endured by millions of civilians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , OCHA
Syria escalation: Civilians face deadly attacks, health care in distress and aid access compromised
The ongoing escalation of violence in northwest Syria linked to the wider conflict in Gaza and Lebanon has left civilians dead and injured, hospitals “overwhelmed” and attacks on healthcare on the rise, the UN warned on Tuesday.
2
1
4
Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA
Multiple unending conflicts, climate change and a glaring disregard for long-established international humanitarian law are set to leave a staggering 305 million people in need of lifesaving assistance next year, the UN’s top aid official warned on Wednesday.
Embargo Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 0600 CET / 0000 ET
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNRISD , UNHCR , IFRC , OHCHR , WHO , OCHA
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (UNIS), chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by representatives and spokespersons for the World Health Organization (WHO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Rights Office on Friday warned about the plight of civilians in Ukraine after further attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITU
An international panel has been set up to protect undersea communications cables that are crucial for international trade and security, the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Friday. The creation of the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience comes amid an ongoing investigation into the severing of two fibre optic cables in the Baltic Sea, in less than 24 hours between 17 and 18 November.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | FAO , ITU , OHCHR , WHO , UNHCR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (UNIS), chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the Deputy Secretary-General for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), representatives and spokespersons for the World Health Organization (WHO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | ITU
An estimated 5.5 billion people have access to the internet in 2024, an increase of 227 million people based on revised estimates for 2023, the UN specialized agency for telecommunications, ITU, said on Wednesday.