Nigeria is hosting an international conference on saving the Lake Chad and revitalising its basin ecosystem for sustainable livelihood, security and development.
The hosting follows the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the conference would be the first international forum on Lake Chad organised by the six-member countries of the basin’s region.
Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Libya are the member states.
He explained that the three-day event would consist of two days of technical sessions and one day high level meetings between February 26, 2018 and February 28, 2018.
The conference will hold in Abuja.
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To attend the occasion are the Presidents and Heads of Government of the Lake Chad Basin member states.
Shehu said some partners were joining Nigeria in hosting the conference.
The partners are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Lake Chad Basin Commission and relevant donors.
Other partners the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank and the governments of Germany, China, Canada and the European Union (EU).
Shehu spoke further on the essence of the conference.
His words: “Specifically, the conference is expected to discuss and develop consensus on the different options to restore Lake Chad, including the Inter-Basin Water Transfer project from the Ubangi River in Central Africa to the Lake Chad.
“Experts, researchers and resource persons are expected to exchange knowledge and share information on water resources development and management in a crisis environment.
“It is also to garner political and financial support for the restoration option identified for the restoration of the lake.”
He said at the end of the conference it is expected that there would have been a roadmap for the implementation of its recommendations “that should lead to the restoration of the lake and restoration of fishing and irrigated farming.”
