The Nigerian government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving sustainable peace in the northern region of the country through intensified peacebuilding and conflict resolution efforts. This was revealed during a contract signing ceremony between the Federal Government, through the ACReSAL Project, and Search for Common Ground (SFCG) in Abuja on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
National Project Coordinator for ACReSAL, Mr. Abdulhamid Umar, emphasized the need for lasting peace in the region, noting that climate change, desertification, and population growth have led to increased competition for natural resources, resulting in conflicts, insurgencies, and violence. He disclosed that effective peacebuilding efforts must be grounded in sound land and natural resource management, leveraging existing institutions to prevent escalation and support conflict prevention and mitigation.
Mr. Umar pointed out that ACReSAL is a unique, multi-sectoral, and complex project, and that most of the challenges faced by farmer-herders are in local communities, which requires collaboration and concrete steps to mitigate them. The partnership with SFCG aims to enhance peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and monitoring across communities in the project implementation area, with expertise playing a crucial role in ensuring lasting peace for the project’s sustainability.
Country Director for SFCG, Mrs. Fatima, assured that her organization boasts a proven track record of engaging with communities and establishing structures for conflict management. “We are eager to work closely with your team to ensure a shared understanding of the initiative, receive feedback, and meet the stipulated deliverables. Knowledge exchange, shared understanding, and desired outcomes are key to achieving the goals of this intervention,” she said. She acknowledged the importance of analyzing community differences and contextual issues to drive success and expressed her enthusiasm for working closely with the ACReSAL team to ensure the initiative’s success.