To be proactive in dealing with humanitarian emergencies and fighting terrorism, the Economic Community of West African States has announced a significant amount of money to help internally displaced people, refugees, asylum seekers, and communities affected by conflicts across the area.
In October 2023, there were 6,976,470 people who had been forced to leave their homes due to conflicts and violence, and many who were stateless in the ECOWAS region, including 6,352,346 IDPs and 624,124 refugees and asylum-seekers.
Nigeria and Burkina Faso have the largest number of displaced people, with 3,578,996 and 2,062,534 individuals respectively.
Niger hosted the largest number of refugees, with 325,419 individuals.
In 2023, ECOWAS and the UN Refugee Agency agreed to work together to protect refugees, stateless, and internally displaced persons in the region.
The ECOWAS Commissioner of Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sarr, stated that ECOWAS plans to give $9 million in 2024 to try to help those forced to leave their homes due to conflicts, making sure they have what they need while also supporting the communities that take them in.
She mentioned that this initiative covers all 15 member countries of the organization, showing that they are all working together to deal with the difficult problems caused by displacement and its impact on vulnerable populations.
Sarr explained, “In 2024, ECOWAS will give $9 million to internally displaced people, refugees, asylum seekers, and the communities that welcome them (in all 15 countries).”
The commissioner also said that Nigeria will get $1 million specifically for stabilisation efforts, helping victims of terrorism, displaced individuals, and injured persons, and efforts to fix affected communities and make them stronger in the face of ongoing threats.
“ECOWAS has set aside $1 million for stabilisation in Nigeria (victims of terrorism, displaced people, injured people, rehabilitation, and strengthening community resilience),” Sarr remarked.
Additionally, ECOWAS will use $4 million from a $25 million fund for counter-terrorism efforts to support humanitarian actions in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
This strategic allocation shows how much the organization is committed to dealing with the main causes of instability and violence in the region, while also giving necessary help to those affected by these challenges.
“Out of a fund of 25 million dollars meant to fight terrorism in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, ECOWAS has set aside $4 million for humanitarian actions,” she added.
Importantly, ECOWAS stressed the need for prevention in its approach to managing crises, talking about using a strategy to reduce disasters and tools like the Observation, Monitoring, and Alert Center.
These steps let ECOWAS keep an eye on displaced populations, predict potential threats, and deal with crises well, which helps reduce the impact on affected communities.
