Lake Chad Basin calls for immediate action to maintain stability

Boko Haram conflict with security forces has affected the lives of 11 million people living in the basin.

In order to maintain stability in the Lake Chad Basin region experts are being urged to take immediate action. The basin which covers the seven countries of Africa and home to millions of people is affected by religious extremism and violent clashes by Islamist groups such as Boko Haram.

Chad Basin which spread across 2.3 million square kilometres covers Chad, Niger, Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Sudan and the Central African Republic.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in September at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) called for international engagement to address the root causes of the conflict.

Buhari explained that the instability in the region is the main cause of internal displacement leading the tense situation between farmers and herdsmen.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), The African Union (AU) from past many years have worked to solve the crises.

Jan Egeland the Secretary-General of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said, "USD 1.6 Billion was required for urgent humanitarian assistance in the Lake Chad region.

"The insurgency as well as military operations across the four countries has displaced 2.4 million people and left five million people food insecure, while significantly reducing economic activity," said Egeland in the statement according to All Africa.

Boko Haram conflict with security forces has affected the lives of 11 million people living in the basin. The major source of survival for the people living in the basin is fishing, farming and herding. An estimated 40 per cent people of the basin live in the poverty which can easily get attach to the Secretary-General group.