In the case of the Berlin Chad conference, the future of an endangered Region of Africa. Achim Steiner, the head of the UN development programme, would like to fight with a long-term help also the Terroror.
Deutsche Welle: Mr. Steiner, how is the humanitarian situation in the lake Chad Region?
Steiner: Still serious, and therefore, even now, this conference in Berlin. But against the Background of drought in 2016/17 and the looming famine, we have been able to make with the international community, humanitarian aid, and this hunger catastrophe avoided.
But of course, the reasons why this extreme Need, even with the Boko-Haram movement, the terrorism, the uncertainty – these triggers are still present and in the moment, ten million people are in need of assistance.
You have the necessary funds to help the millions Affected?
Unfortunately, it is everyday life at the United Nations, that we can quantify often the cost of the assistance, but by the international community, only a fraction of the get help. In the case of the lake Chad Region, we can say, however, that the Oslo conference in 2017 has committed $ 670 million, and that 90 percent of these Commitments have been met. This is a good sign that we have much can cause millions of people supported and a hunger catastrophe avoided.
But the conference comes together now in Berlin, in order to quantify the demand for humanitarian assistance, but also with a very strong sign: long-Term investments. We have to reasons the reason, we also need to focus on the triggers of this crisis much stronger in the foreground. This is the aim of Humanitarian assistance and stabilisation and longer-term development investments.
Not enough money, what will this mean for the work of the UN?
Achim Steiner: lack of money leads to very, very hard decisions
In the humanitarian field, this means, unfortunately, very tragic decisions. If people are living in refugee camps, if they are IDPs in their own country, then that means sometimes, to halve the food rations, which include hospital wards, to close the schools, so very, very hard decisions. And of course, if you look at the Sahel Region today and asks: have yet to get all the years of development help!?, then you take a Atlas and view, what is the size of this Region is, and then I can also tell you what is the relationship of international aid. Unfortunately, the Sahel Region has over the last 20, 30 years time and again humanitarian aid in crises, but an investment in the long-term economic, infrastructural development has not taken place until today, in many Parts, unfortunately. And in this free of Frustration, inequality, spaces of uncertainty, of pushing, of course, extremists – therefore, the phenomenon of Boko Haram and others.
We have talked a lot about the donor. How’s it going with the governments, the people, need to be with the extent of this crisis?
You are overwhelmed in many Parts. Even a country like Nigeria can not control security policy in the North-East of Nigeria completely. This means that a security is a political Problem, a crisis. It is an economic crisis, which is expressed, of course, in social crises, to the point that we are in need of humanitarian aid, because millions of people have been displaced from their home areas, or need to escape. And, of course, that is a huge burden on the Budgets of the countries. It is also for you, of course, a challenge to deal much more with the question: Have we neglected the regions for too long? We have invested more money in the main cities, in modern industry, but all the groups in the edge areas of a country, no health care, for which the state does not exist in fact, even neglected, still do not have electricity. And then these movements are coming across the border, with money and also with the support, and at once there is a new friend.
Achim Steiner is the head of the UN development programme, UNDP.