ACTION AGAINST HUNGER, CARE AND GROUPE URD JOIN FORCES TO FOSTER ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RECOVERY IN THE REGION

The region of Lake Chad, bordering Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Chad, is an area affected by recurring climatic shocks.

For several months, it has also faced a major security crisis. In response to the urgent need for rehabilitation and recovery, Action Against Hunger, CARE and Groupe U.R.D. have developed the “Lake Chad Inclusive Economic and Social Recovery Programme” (RESILAC) which received support from the French Development Agency and the European Union.

Climate hazards, coupled with the violence arising from the armed groups’ attacks, led to the forced displacement of more than 2.4 million people, causing one of the largest population movements ever recorded on the African continent. The majority of these displaced persons have lost their livelihoods and now find themselves in the poorest areas of the four countries concerned. 17 million people are affected by the conflict, 7 million of which are suffering food insecurity.

The region is also confronted with structural development challenges, particularly in terms of youth employment, social cohesion and strengthening of institutional connections. The region is now facing an unprecedented situation where humanitarian assistance alone is not enough to absorb the shocks inflicted on the populations. These urgent needs must be addressed while at the same time attacking the root causes of the crisis.

To this end, Action against Hunger, CARE and Groupe U.R.D. have developed the regional project RESILAC “Lake Chad Inclusive Economic and Social Recovery”, combining both a humanitarian and a development approach. Funded by the French Development Agency and the European Union, this four-year project aims to contribute to strengthening the economic and social resilience of the territories concerned in a complementary manner.

The RESILAC project focuses on:

• strengthening human capital through social cohesion and the collective and sustainable management of natural resources;
• promoting the economic recovery and resilience of the most exposed populations through access to employment;
• strengthening the capacities of the various stakeholders;
• and proposing a compilation of knowledge on issues of quality, monitoring, evaluation and capitalisation.