By Sarjo M Camara
A high-level donor conference to support internally displaced persons and refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad Region concluded on Saturday, October 26 2024, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Honourable Minister of Gende, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou S. Kinteh, represented The Gambia in the conference. In her speech, began by thanking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of His Majesty the King and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the OIC General Secretariat, OCHA and UNHCR for hosting the conference.
She said the high-level Ministerial conference seeks to raise awareness on the multifaceted crisis gripping the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin. She noted the urgency of mobilising the needed financial and material resources, including appropriate strategies to address this crisis by building partnerships to support nexus approaches that promote longer-term solutions to displacement, food security and other challenges.
“We should also seize the opportunity to consolidate and concentrate our diplomatic support and engagements to resolve and prevent the various crises in the region and to promote effective response and achievement of longer-term objectives, as well as mobilise resources for the immediate humanitarian response and nexus initiatives,” she recommends. The Minister expressed concern with the recent floods in the Sahel region which, she observed, have had devastating effects, particularly on the most vulnerable populations, including women, children, the elderly and the physically challenged.
Madam Kinteh assured that The Gambia, having assumed the Chairmanship of the 15th Summit of the OIC, under the leadership of HE Adama Barrow, is fully committed to the objectives of this donor conference to support Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees in Sahel and Lake Chad Region. “As a government,” she went on, “we associate ourselves with the promotion of national sovereignty; international cooperation; humanitarian principles; poverty reduction; sustainable food security; constructive and all-inclusive dialogue; peace and security”. She therefore informed the gathering that the Government of The Gambia is currently considering its pledge and contribution towards this noble humanitarian cause, and that its decision will be communicated to the OIC General Secretariat accordingly in due course.
The Gender minister concluded by encouraging coordinated efforts - involving local communities, governments and international organisations - to ensure comprehensive and targeted responses that address both immediate needs and long-term challenges at hand. The Minister was with the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Deputy Head of Mission, and The Gambian consul in Riyadh.
