EU supports recovery and resilience in Nigeria with additional €50 million

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

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In the margins of the 7^th Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD) today, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica signed a new €50 million package to enhance efforts in North East Nigeria. On the occasion, Commissioner Mimica said: “The agreement signed today increases our bilateral cooperation with Nigeria by €50 million, bringing the total EU support to the country to €562 million for 2014-2020. This additional support will be focused on the North East of the country. It will help strengthen early recovery and build conflict resilience in affected and vulnerable communities in the States of Yobe and Borno, as well as improve human development, social cohesion and resilience for over 26,000 vulnerable households and communities in Yobe state.” The projects financed by this additional support will expand the already extensive EU humanitarian and development assistance to the many victims of violence and displacement in Nigeria’s North East, while addressing some of the underlying drivers of violent extremism in the country. An integral component of these activities will be peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution activities at community level, to facilitate reconciliation and reintegration. In addition, the projects will engage communities and local leadership to support and revitalize markets and livelihoods, enhance conflict mitigation systems with the aim to strengthen resilience capacities in communities on the long-term. Background The EU support to Nigeria from the 11^th European Development Fund (EDF) amounts to €562 million for 2014-2020, including the €50 million top-up to the country’s National Indicative Programme, resulting from the Mid-Term Review of the 11^th European Development Fund. Nigeria’s National Indicative Programme focuses on three focal sectors: 1)  Health, nutrition and resilience sector (€280 million) aims to contribute to poverty reduction through better policy and institutional governance to enhance health services, social cohesion, increasing maternal and child survival rates and the resilience of the most vulnerable households especially in Northern Nigeria, 2)  Sustainable energy and access to electricity sectors of Nigeria, 3)  Rule of law, governance and democracy sector (€100 million) aims to contribute to government and civil society measures to improve economic governance, consolidate the rule of law, enhance peace and security, reinforce democratic processes and continue support to manage migration and mobility.