The 5th edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum (LCBGF), organised by the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will take place at the Indimi International Conference Centre in Maiduguri, Nigeria, from January 29 to 31, 2025. The Yobe State Government will host the event.
On Wednesday, a statement issued by Lake Chad Basin Commission’s [LCBC] secretariat in N’Djamena said the Forum serves as a critical platform for dialogue, coordination and cross-border cooperation among the eight territories of the Lake Chad Basin affected by the Boko Haram crisis. It provides opportunities for multi-stakeholder engagement while Governors consolidate gains and advance regional cooperation on priority areas of the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience (RS-SRR) of the Boko Haram-affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin region.
The statement also said about 500 participants are expected to attend the forum, including representatives from national and local governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria; Regional Economic Communities (RECs); national and international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs); traditional leaders; United Nations agencies; donors; research and educational institutions; and other key technical partners.
It said the “Governors Forum occurs amidst evolving conflict dynamics, widespread displacement, damage to the social fabric, interrupted public services, and weakened institutional capacities across the affected countries. Over time, the Governors’ Forum has become arguably one of the most influential political platforms for actors operating in the region.” Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, Executive Secretary of the LCBC and Head of Mission of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) said, “The Forum provides a critical space for humanitarian, development and peace actors alongside civil society organisations, including women- and youth-led groups donors and security actors, to come together to shape concrete and actionable plans for stabilizing the region and advancing recovery and long-term development.”
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, chief host of the 5th Forum, said, “As the host Governor of the 5th edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, I am deeply honoured to reaffirm Yobe State’s total commitment to the success of this significant regional event, which represents a vital opportunity for us to advance cooperation for sustainable development across the Lake Chad Basin region. Yobe State stands ready to welcome our esteemed guests and to contribute meaningfully to the future of hope and opportunities for the communities of the Lake Chad Basin.”
