{"id":17,"date":"2025-10-29T15:14:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T15:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/victornwadinobi.com\/governors-forum\/?page_id=17"},"modified":"2025-11-10T15:09:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T15:09:46","slug":"about-the-forum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/victornwadinobi.com\/governors-forum\/about-the-forum\/","title":{"rendered":"About the Forum"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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About the Forum<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Lake Chad Basin Governors Forum: A Beacon of Hope for a challenged Region\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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1. Background and Context<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Over the past fifteen years, the Lake Chad Basin region has been impacted by the Boko Haram conflict. The current crisis
is further complicated by other socio-economic factors including extreme poverty, underdevelopment, climate change and
other conflicts. The impacts range from massive internal and cross-border displacement, the destruction of the social fabric
and property, human rights abuses, disrupted public services, and limited capacities of government institutions. As of
August 2024, Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon were hosting an estimated 6 million affected individuals, including refugees,
returnees and internally displaced people. Of the affected populations, 13% are located in Cameroon, 9% in Niger, 5% in Chad
and 74% in Nigeria.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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To respond to the security and conflict challenges, in 2015 the pre-existing Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) was remodelled and re-operationalized to launch a military counter-offensive against Boko Haram. Following the establishment and success of the MNJTF the Lake Chad Basin Commission developed the Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience of the Boko Haram affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin Region (RS SRR) with the support of the African Union and UNDP in 2018[1]<\/a>. The RS SRR provides a robust framework for addressing the region\u2019s complex and urgent security, humanitarian, and development challenges. It recognizes the need for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral, coordinated set of sub-national, national, and cross-border efforts to build long-lasting stability and resilience across the Lake Chad Basin Region (LCB region).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The RS SRR builds on inclusivity, local ownership, and a New Way of Working.\u00a0The RS SRR has been localized through the Territorial Action Plans (TAPs) in each of the eight territories most affected by Boko Haram in the LCB region[2]<\/a>. Over the past years,\u2019 the RS SRR has become a locally anchored and multi-partner effort that has led to rebuilding the social contract between the government and communities by providing essential infrastructure and basic services, security, and livelihood opportunities for affected communities. The Regional Strategy has also recorded success in developing and harmonising regional policies, sharing best practices and producing evidence-based research for policy influencing.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Governors\u2019 Forum, an integral part of the RS SRR, has served as the most important political platform for cross-border and regional interaction with various stakeholders and interlocutors. Over the years, the Forum has established itself as a platform for stakeholder exchanges and the main platform for political dialogue in the LCB region.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Six years into the implementation of the RS SRR, there have been significant developments in the region. There are several pockets of stabilization within the region as military efforts have been complimented with the rebuilding of communities and restoration of social order. People who have experienced multiple displacement over several years have returned to their homes. Markets are reopening facilitating trade and economic growth. In addition, social infrastructure including schools, clinics and permanent housing have been rehabilitated or reconstructed. Exits from Boko Haram controlled areas has necessitated the acceleration of reconciliation and rehabilitation initiatives in the region. These factors contribute to laying the foundation for social cohesion and sustainable peace.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Alongside this however, the Boko Haram factions have continued to wreak havoc through violence and attaches on communities. The alternating use of crime and terror by these groups, activities of other criminal actors, and the farmer-herder crisis in the region, coupled with increasingly adverse effects of climate change (including environmental degradation) and rapid population growth, further exacerbates the security situation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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  1. In light of these developments, the SR SRR has been reviewed and updated to reflect the current situation & priorities of the governments and communities. The Governors\u2019 Forum will provide the best opportunity for all stakeholders, including Governors, state\/national governments of the four member states, regional economic communities, local and national CSOs, UN entities, national and international NGOs, national and international research & education institutions, international governments and donor partners, and other financial and technical partners to interrogate and lay options for sustainable peace and development in the region.\u00a0Objectives<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    Specific objectives<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Under the overarching theme of\u00a0\u201cRebuilding the Lake Chad Basin: Consolidating Gains, Commitment to Peace, Cross-Border Cooperation, Security and Sustainable Development for a Resilient Community\u201d, the 5th\u00a0Edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors\u2019 Forum specific objectives are to:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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