Nigeria and five other African countries are set to benefit from the rehabilitation and restoration of the Lake Chad Basin, as the African Development Bank (AfDB) signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support this vital initiative. The agreement, inked on the sidelines of the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia, aims to mobilize financial and technical resources to enhance the development and management of water resources, promote livelihoods, and contribute to regional peace.
Lake Chad, once known as the sixth-largest inland water body globally, has experienced a significant reduction in size, shrinking by approximately 92% in recent decades. The broader Chad Basin plays a crucial role in ensuring food security for around 50 million people in the region.
In a statement from the African Development Bank, the institution emphasized its commitment to addressing major socio-economic challenges faced by populations in the Lake Chad Basin. The region has been further impacted by insecurity due to the presence of terrorist groups, leading to loss of livelihoods, destruction of households, forced internal displacements, and transnational consequences.
“The populations living in this ecosystem are facing major socio-economic challenges – add to that the insecurity situation due to terrorist groups which brings loss of livelihood, destruction of households, forced internal displacements and beyond our national frontiers,” highlighted Passalet Kanade Marssela, the Minister of Water for the Republic of Chad.
The rehabilitation and restoration of the Lake Chad Basin represent a comprehensive effort to address environmental concerns, support sustainable water resource management, and foster regional development. The initiative is expected to have a positive impact on the livelihoods of the communities within the Lake Chad Basin and contribute to lasting peace in the region.
