In order to meet the humanitarian requirements in northeastern Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, has argued for continued support.
At a news conference on the humanitarian situation in Nigeria, Schmale made these comments in response to questions from the UN correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York.
Schmale stated he had been to Washington, DC, before, where he had examined the challenges and potential in the areas of development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian relief.
Schmale was attending a retreat for resident coordinators in New York.
“To try and drum up support to get the funding gap closed, I’ve spent the last two days with my colleague in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, (OCHA) Washington,” he added.
He also spoke with members of the media, the U.S. Institute of Peace, USAID, the U.S. State Department, and key officials from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.
He emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in northeastern Nigeria and the need for more international assistance and cooperation in order to meet humanitarian needs, expedite the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, and combat violent extremism.
He said that the organization will soon release its Humanitarian Response Plan 2024, which will prioritize aiding women and girls in need while taking financial trends into account.
“We are working to ensure that 700,000 undernourished and severely malnourished children receive the nourishment and safety they require.”
He said, “We’re attempting to prioritize and make the most use of the resources; we hope to obtain next year as effectively and efficiently as we can.”
