The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu has disclosed that the Nigerian Government is presently hosting and providing international protection for about 100,000 refugees in addition to over 8,500,000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.
The Minister said this while presenting the country’s position paper during the Global Refugees Forum held at Palexpo Geneva, Switzerland, to brainstorm on global migration, refugee problems and durable solutions.
The Minister, who joined the UN agencies, humanitarian and development organisations, NGOs, refugee-led organisations and faith-based groups at the Global Refugee Forum, explained that Nigeria has a deep understanding of the daunting challenges refugees endure.
The Minister made a commitment on behalf of Nigeria to tangible pledges ranging from financial and material contributions, technical and policy support, as well as working together in solidarity to find lasting solutions for the millions of refugees around the world forced to flee from their original places of abode.
She said: “As a nation, we have opened our hearts and borders, offering international protection to those in dire need.
“Consequently, the Federal Government has made pledges: to include refugees, IDPs, returnees and their host communities in national development plans, to strengthen its protection capacity, to ensure the availability and access to durable solutions for refugees and IDPs and to continue playing active and constructive roles in regional and sub-regional efforts to address the root causes of displacement.
“Nigeria is presently hosting and providing international protection for about 100,000 refugees in addition to over 8,500,000 IDPs.”
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