The Sahel region of Africa, which covers countries from Chad to Mauritania, has been facing growing instability and humanitarian need from conflict, climate change, extremism, and high food prices. To address this challenge, the UK has teamed up with leading local and international NGOs to deliver protection, family planning, and vital humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities in the Sahel region through a new fund, the Sahel Regional Fund (SRF).
The SRF will provide urgent life-saving aid and lasting, dignified solutions to people displaced by conflict and violence in hotspots of humanitarian need in the Sahel region. The UK government has committed an initial £33 million to the SRF up to 2026. The fund will enable national and international NGOs to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable in humanitarian hotspots of the region, with a particular focus on building the capacity of local NGOs who are straightly engaging with the people most affected.
The SRF will also fund projects over multiple years, enabling partners to build relationships and improve direct communications over the long term with local populations. By doing so, the SRF will empower local organizations and target the most vulnerable in a way that listens to them and delivers lasting impact.
The introduction of the Sahel Regional Fund aims to transform how aid is delivered across a troubled region, informed by the reality on the ground. The fund is an important step in addressing the root causes of growing regional instability, enabling the UK and its partners to harness the true potential of their positive relationship with Niger as an essential regional partner.
During his three-day visit to Niger, the UK Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, met with his Nigerien government counterparts, including President Bazoum, to discuss Nigerien leadership on climate, security, and education. Mitchell highlighted the importance of increasing access to education, improving lives and prospects for Nigeriens, and preparing communities to mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change. The visit also included a visit to an Education Cannot Wait-funded school in Ouallam, Niger, which is supporting children to receive an education despite the ongoing regional conflict.
Mitchell also met with local partners, including a Marie Stopes International (MSI) family planning community site, to see how the UK is supporting family planning services through the Marie Stopes Ladies scheme. He also highlighted the UK’s work with the Nigerien security forces to keep people safe through training, including on countering the threat from improvised explosive devices and responding to conflict-related sexual violence.
UK support to Niger has focused on ensuring interventions can go further, improving planning for and anticipation of recurrent shocks, and targeted community interventions, meaning greater long-term impact. UK aid to Niger totaled £80 million last financial year.
The Sahel Regional Fund is an important step towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region and improving the lives of vulnerable communities. Through the SRF, the UK and its partners will continue to provide urgent life-saving aid and lasting solutions to the most vulnerable in the region.
Source: GovDot]UK
