“When nations come together, we can overcome the hardest challenges”- UN Resident Coordinator Insists

By: Michael Mike

In advancing its advocacy and sensitisation of critical stakeholders on the ‘Pact for the future’, the United Nations in Nigeria in collaboration with partners, has convened a strategic dialogue on the United Nations at 80 and the Pact.

At the dialogue, convened in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), and the Office of Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), and held at the UN House in Abuja, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, reiterated the importance of international cooperation in solving the world’s most challenging issues.

He said: “Peace is fragile. Inequalities grow. Climate change accelerates. Technology advances faster than governance. Yet one truth remains constant: when nations come together, when people come together, we can overcome even the hardest challenges,” adding: “That is why the Pact for the Future matters.”

Fall further said that the Pact rested on five pillars: Sustainable development, Peace and security, Science and technology, Youth and future generations, and transforming global governance.

He noted that the pillars were not abstract ideas, as they represent the foundation of the world we want. A world of peace, dignity, equality, and sustainability.

“That is why the United Nations is working hand in hand with Nigeria on the Pact for the Future. We are aligning our cooperation with the five pillars of the pact and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as we know that the SDGs are lagging. We are leaving no one behind.” The UN Resident Coordinator added.

Former Head of State and Chairman National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (Rtd) said in his video message: “Dialogue must now lead to tangible results. Our commitment must be credible, time-bound and deliverable. Anything less can lead to distrust and weaken our democracy.”

To the participants he charged, “Your responsibility is to commit to concrete steps that will align every peacebuilding effort towards real progress. Nigeria’s future will be secured only by our unity of purpose and the sincerity of follow-through.”

The Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Syndoph Endoni, expressed the Permanent Mission’s appreciation of the dialogue, stating that it was not merely an exchange of views, but a collective effort to advance the effective realization of the Pact for the Future and reinforce Nigeria’s peace building framework.

He disclosed that Nigeria was reviewing existing peacebuilding frameworks and initiatives by identifying key achievements, gaps, and opportunities for reform; prioritising critical areas of focus, including security sector reform, women’s participation in peace and security and youth engagement; and addressing cross-border terrorism, organized crime, and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as climate-related security risks.

Speaking at the event, Director of the United Nations’s Team for Pact Implementation, Themba Kalua, underlined Nigeria’s leadership role in this new era of multilateralism. According to him, Nigeria was an active voice in negotiating the Pact, pushing for progress on poverty eradication, digital cooperation, Security Council reform and climate justice.

The Pact for the Future, he said, “strongly resonates with Africa’s Agenda 2063. Both envision a just, peaceful and prosperous continent, powered by inclusive development and regional solidarity. Aligning the Pact with African priorities and national strategies will be essential to translate words into real change. Nigeria’s experience and leadership at regional and global levels make it a vital partner in this endeavour.”

The Chairman of Savannah Centre and Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs Professor Ibrahim Gambari, referenced the New Agenda for Peace, a United Nations policy brief, launched in July 2023 by Secretary-General António Guterres, that outlines a vision for strengthening international cooperation to prevent conflict and build sustainable peace.

Gambari, who was also a former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, emphasised that the Agenda remained a living guide to everyone in promoting trust, solidarity, and universality through concrete actions like investing in prevention and peacebuilding, empowering women and youth, reducing strategic risks from new technologies and climate change, and adapting to new forms of violence.

“When nations come together, we can overcome the hardest challenges”- UN Resident Coordinator Insists

Bandits raid villages in Rafi LGA in Niger, rustle cattle

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have attacked three villages in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, rustling an unspecified number of cattle.,

Sources said that the attack, occurred on Aug. 29,

Zagazola gathered that, the assailants in large numbers invaded Ungwan-Buteri, Ungwan-Bagoma, and Ungwan-Landibo villages, carting away livestock from the homes of Alhaji Dankawo, Alhaji Chukuba, and Alhaji Juli, all of Ungwan-Buteri in Tegina District.

The sources said that security operatives and other security forces had since launched a manhunt for the bandits, with a view to recovering the stolen cattle and restoring normalcy in the area.

Bandits raid villages in Rafi LGA in Niger, rustle cattle

Nigeria aims at strengthening conflict-sensitive climate adaptation

By: Michael Michael

The Federal Ministry of Environment, through its Department of Climate Change, in collaboration with the NAP Global Network, has launched an inception workshop aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity for conflict-sensitive climate adaptation while unveiling a new report on integrating peacebuilding into the country’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process.

The event, held in Abuja, brought together senior government officials, development partners, security experts, and representatives from various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). It marked a critical step in mainstreaming conflict-sensitivity into Nigeria’s climate policies and development planning.

Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the Director, Department of Climate Change, Dr. Mrs. Eviano Aguirre-Awe, Deputy Director Johanna Baruge stressed the urgency of addressing climate impacts that are increasingly exacerbating insecurity across Nigeria.

“Climate change is already driving extreme weather events, threatening biodiversity, damaging infrastructure, and fueling security challenges.

While mitigation efforts continue, adaptation is equally crucial so that we can adjust systems without undermining daily life,” she said.

She explained that Nigeria’s ongoing NAP formulation will provide a medium to long-term strategy for addressing climate vulnerabilities in a transparent and participatory manner.

Representing the NAP Global Network, Ms. Katrina underscored the importance of linking adaptation with peacebuilding.

“Unpredictable rainfall, rising temperatures, and resource stress often intersect with social and political tensions. If poorly managed, these pressures can worsen inequalities and deepen conflicts.

But if addressed thoughtfully, they can foster cooperation, dialogue, and peace,” she noted, adding that Nigeria’s leadership in this space sets an example for other countries grappling with similar challenges.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, in his opening remarks, recalled Nigeria’s commitment under international agreements such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, highlighting the country’s pledge under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 47% with international support.

He explained that beyond mitigation, Nigeria’s NAP process—supported by the Green Climate Fund—is focusing on adaptation strategies in 13 thematic areas, including climate risk and vulnerability assessments, to strengthen community resilience.

He emphasized that conflict-sensitivity is vital, given Nigeria’s security challenges such as farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling, and banditry.

“Ignoring medium and long-term adaptation needs in a fragile, conflict-prone context would be a mistake.

Climate action, if conflict-sensitive, can break cycles of fragility by tackling root causes, improving social well-being, and promoting peace,” he said.

The new report launched at the workshop outlines practical guidance for integrating peacebuilding into adaptation processes, identifying enabling factors such as leadership, data, financing, institutional arrangements, stakeholder engagement, and skills development.

Stakeholders were urged to provide meaningful input into the materials being developed and to ensure that climate activities undertaken by their institutions are conflict-sensitive.

The workshop concluded with a call for stronger collaboration, capacity building, and inclusive approaches that position Nigeria as a global leader in linking climate resilience with peacebuilding.

Nigeria aims at strengthening conflict-sensitive climate adaptation