UN ‘doing everything possible’ to avert food crisis in north-east

The United Nations says it is doing everything possible to avert a further deterioration of the food scarcity by victims of Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria’s north east.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the secretary-general, stated this at a press briefing on Monday in New York.

The Norwegian refugee council (NRC) had warned that the food crisis in the north-east was going to deteriorate between now and the end of August if there is no any action to prevent it.

Cheick Ba, NRC country director in Nigeria, had said: “Insecurity is preventing people from farming, and restricting access to local markets.

“This is depleting grain stocks and pushing food prices beyond people’s reach, with devastating consequences for affected families, including 450,000 acutely malnourished children.

“Providing people with food is only a short term solution. The crisis will only end when the conflict has been resolved and communities can safely return to their land to rebuild their lives.”

Reacting to the warning, Haq, the deputy spokesperson said, “we have raised attention, as you know, including at the level of the Secretary‑General, to the food crisis there.

“We have been trying to get humanitarian contributions to Nigeria. As you know there are four countries – Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia.

“We have tried to get more assistance to areas in need so that there is no food crisis, and we will continue with that.”

Haq said, however, that the UN had no specific deadline to get the funding for food supplies in the north-east.

“This is something that we and the various agencies of the UN system have been pursuing and will continue to pursue until the material conditions on the ground improve,” he said.