Germany promises 'full support' to Africa's Lake Chad Region

Germany on Monday assured countries of Africa’s Lake Chad region of its “full support” at an international conference in Berlin.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told some 50 delegations that when Germany gets a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2019, “we will listen to Africa.”

“We are doing this because we know that security only works together and because as Europeans, we are convinced that regional cooperation as it’s happening around Lake Chad right now merits our full support”, Maas said.

The United Nations says more than ten million people in the region still need “life-saving assistance” everyday.

“There is still a big humanitarian crisis. The humanitarian elements of this crisis are not over despite the progress we have made. There is more than 10 million people across the four countries who still every day today need life-saving assistance and it’s an uphill struggle still to reach some of the most inaccessible areas because of the behaviour of Boko Haram and the insurgents. And we need to keep our eyes focused on the people we are not yet able to reach”, said UN Secretary-General and emergency relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock.

Hissein Tahir Souguimi is a state secretary for Chad’s economy and planning ministry.

“The government of Chad is continuing in its efforts to guarantee a safe environment, allowing for the protection of civil society and the installation of the different assistance and development programmes,” Souguimi said.

A fledgling rebel movement, says it seeks to overthrow President Idriss Deby, as Chad faces threats from jihadists and is trying to prevent the influx of militants fleeing the Libyan conflict.

Reuters