From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
Yobe State Governor and Chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, CON, COMN, held a productive meeting today with the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall.
Their discussions focused on strengthening development partnerships with the state government.
According to a statement by Mamman Mohammed, Director-General of Media Affairs to the governor, the meeting centered on transitioning from the humanitarian response phase to a long-term strategy for recovery, resilience, and development.
A key focus of the discussion was the implementation of the State Action Plan (SAP) on Durable Solutions to Internal Displacement.
Governor Buni highlighted the success of existing partnerships in supporting humanitarian response efforts, education, healthcare, livelihoods, governance, peace-building initiatives, and climate resilience in Yobe State.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to owning and sustaining durable solutions, stating:
“Yobe State has institutionalized this through a comprehensive State Action Plan, a dedicated IDP policy, and a robust State Advisory Committee on Durable Solutions.”
The governor emphasized the state government’s people-centered and inclusive approach, ensuring that displaced persons and host communities actively participate in decision-making and implementation processes.
Over the past three years, Yobe State has allocated 5% of its annual budget to the durable solutions plan. In 2025, this allocation was increased to 24.9%, reflecting the state’s readiness to meet the UN Action Agenda on Durable Solutions.
Earlier, Mr. Fall congratulated Governor Buni on the successful hosting of the 5th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum (LCBGF), describing it as a testament to the state’s leadership and organizational capabilities in implementing durable solutions for internal displacement.
He commended Yobe State’s significant progress since launching its Action Plan, which has become a cornerstone of government efforts to address displacement challenges.
“While Yobe State has already recorded commendable success in piloting durable solutions, it is now time to consolidate these gains and move towards full-scale implementation,” Mr. Fall stated.
He described Yobe’s approach as a reference model that could be adapted and scaled up in other regions facing similar challenges.
The UN Resident Coordinator assured Governor Buni of the UN’s readiness to mobilize additional technical and financial resources to support these efforts and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborative action.
The meeting also deliberated on the role of the Security Planning and Coordination Group (SPCG) in ensuring a safe, voluntary, and dignified return, local integration, or relocation of displaced persons.
