Dare Babalola
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, on Friday disclosed that she held a strategic session with the Executive Secretary of the Niger Basin Authority, Mr. Kocou Armand Houanye, and members of his delegation during their tour of member countries of the regional body.
In a post shared on her X handle, the minister said discussions at the meeting focused on strengthening regional cooperation and advancing climate adaptation initiatives across countries within the Niger Basin Authority.
According to her, the delegation and Nigerian officials extensively reviewed the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin, a multinational initiative funded by the African Development Bank.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the programme is aimed at reducing the silting of the River Niger while improving climate resilience among vulnerable populations across member states.
She noted that the initiative also promotes climate-smart agriculture, fisheries, and agro-pastoral activities as part of efforts to tackle environmental challenges and improve livelihoods in communities within the basin.
The minister further stated that the programme prioritises poverty reduction by empowering rural farmers, women, and youths through the provision of farming equipment, capacity-building initiatives, and agribusiness training.
She added that the meeting highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration among member countries in addressing the growing threats posed by climate change and environmental degradation in the region.
The Niger Basin Authority comprises nine member states bordering the River Niger, including Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Chad, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Cameroon and Burkina Faso.
