Climate Change Intensified Poverty, Terrorism In West Africa, Buhari Tells UN General Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari says climate change remains one of the greatest challenges faced by the West African region.

According to him, it has intensified poverty, terrorism and other vices in the region.

The President said this on Tuesday, during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said, “Climate change remains one of the greatest challenges of our time.

“Very close to us at home, it is our lot in Nigeria, together with our neighbours around the Chad Basin to live with the climate change consequences of a drastically shrunk Lake Chad and the patching up of otherwise fertile arable land.

“The lake was a major source of livelihood to more than 45 million inhabitants of the region.

“It’s shrinking meant loss of livelihood and they are now rendered poor and vulnerable to the activities of extremists and terrorist groups.

“The instability it has caused in the subregion, intensified internal displacement, among other consequences to intense economic competition especially between farmers and herdsmen”.

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The President, therefore, called on the international bodies to join the government in finding solutions to the root causes of the menace.

He said, “This is why we continue to call for a dedicated, international engagement to exhilarate the recovery efforts in the Lake Chad Basin to address the root causes of the conflict in the region.

“What is required is continuous and robust United Nations cooperation, with National governments, sub-regional and regional organisations such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, to enhance capacity in conflict prevention, conflict management and peace building”.