Over ten donor countries, agencies, and organizations were responsible for the donations to support displaced persons and refugees across countries in the Sahel and Lake Chad region which includes Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mali.
The Embassy of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said the conference was held in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Sahel and lake chad region have been seriously plagued with insecurities and acute food shortages over the years.
According to Reliefweb, the countries of the Sahel and West Africa are facing the worst forms of food and nutrition crisis. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of individuals in the region facing acute food insecurity jumped from 10.8 million to 40.7 million, with millions more at risk of slipping into a crisis situation or worse.
Apart form the uncertainties associated with food crisis, the region has also faced one of the worst forms of domestic wars which has given rise to an alarming wave of refugees over the years.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations’ (CFR) global conflict tracker, the Sahel is home to over seven and a half million people driven from their homes, including two million refugees while over thirty million require humanitarian assistance.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pledge showcases its commitment to supporting communities in crisis and advancing global humanitarian objectives through KSrelief, reinforcing its position as a leading force in international humanitarian aid.
