- Title: UN fears famine in northeast Nigeria, calls for international assistance
- Date: 15th November 2016
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (NOVEMBER 15, 2016) (REUTERS) DEPUTY HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR NIGERIA, UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, PETER LUNDBERG AND UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS BRIEFING JOURNALISTS JOURNALISTS LISTENING OFFICIAL SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR NIGERIA, UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, PETER LUNDBERG, SAYING: "We are looking at a situation, next year, where 26 million people will be affected by the ongoing crisis and 14 million of these will need international and national humanitarian assistance and we are going to try and target from the international community in close coordination and support with the Nigerian government 7 million people. That's a huge undertaking." VARIOUS OF JOURNALIST MAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR NIGERIA, UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, PETER LUNDBERG, SAYING: "There are currently four hundred thousand children which are on the verge to start getting into famine conditions. There are 75,000 out of these children (one fifth) that if we don't do something rapidly and seriously they are going to die in the few months ahead of us so it's really a very serious situation that we are working on and that we need to find ways." UNITED NATIONS OFFICIAL AND JOURNALISTS SEATED UNITED NATIONS OFFICIAL SEATED VARIOUS OF CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR NIGERIA, UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, PETER LUNDBERG, SAYING: "We have a chance to mitigate this and in the appeals for next year the target is to work with 5.1 million in the whole food security. That includes food distribution but it includes the seeds, the tools, everything that can empower people because these are people that used to have a life of their own, they used to be farmers and of course we need to ensure and support that these people can go back to live their normal lives as soon as possible." WIDE OF BRIEFING WITH PEOPLE SEATED
- Embargoed: 30th November 2016 14:14
- Keywords: Hunger famine internally displaced persons Boko Haram Northeast Nigeria United Nations insurgency
- Location: ABUJA, BANKI AND MUNA, NIGERIA
- City: ABUJA, BANKI AND MUNA, NIGERIA
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00158K30AV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of children in northeast Nigeria could die over the next year if they do not receive aid, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Tuesday (November 15).
Boko Haram violence has left more than 65,000 people living in famine in the northeastern Borno State, with one million others at risk, and more than half of children under five malnourished, several aid groups have said.
Hunger and malnutrition is widespread among the displaced in Borno State not just in remote, previously inaccessible areas.
The Islamist militant group has killed about 15,000 people and displaced more than 2 million Nigerians in a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating a state adhering to Islamic laws.
Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Peter Lundberg says that next year 26 million people will be affected by the crisis and 14 million of them will need international and national humanitarian assistance.
"We are going to try and target, from the international community in close coordination and support with the Nigerian government, 7 million people. That's a huge undertaking," he said.
The agency said unless the malnourished children are helped, many will die in the next few months.
"There are currently four hundred thousand children which are on the verge to start getting into famine conditions. There are 75,000 out of these children (one fifth) that if we don't do something rapidly and seriously they are going to die in the few months ahead of us," Lundberg said.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called for measures to be put in place that will see a rapid increase in food distribution.
"That includes food distribution but it includes the seeds, the tools, everything that can empower people because these are people that used to have a life of their own, they used to be farmers and of course we need to ensure and support that these people can go back to live their normal lives as soon as possible," the United Nations official said.
A military offensive has driven Boko Haram from much of the territory it held in northern Nigeria, but the militants have continued to carry out suicide bombings and raids in northeast Nigeria and neighboring Cameroon, Niger and Chad. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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