The S&D Group has called for immediate action to prevent a devastating humanitarian disaster in Nigeria. Around 4.4 million people in the Lake Chad region are in need of urgent food aid.

The situation is particularly severe in Adamada, Borno and Yobe in north-eastern Nigeria, where more than 550,000 people are severely food insecure, with almost five children dying of malnutrition every hour.

S&D vice-president and spokesperson on humanitarian aid, Enrique Guerrero Salom MEP said:

“The ongoing food crisis is already killing hundreds of people per day and, without rapid intervention, it could become the worst crisis in decades. The Commission has recently mobilised €31 million for emergency assistance – food, shelter, healthcare and education – to assist the large numbers (2.2 million) of internally displaced persons in the north of Nigeria. However, more humanitarian support is still needed. The EU and UN agencies must do all that they can to ensure a rapid response to ensure access to food, medical aid, clean water and sanitation.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the devastation Boko Haram is causing in Nigeria. The ongoing insurgency has turned what was previously a rich agricultural area into somewhere where food aid is desperately needed. The first priority must be to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it. This is particularly the case for remote areas. We must also enhance our engagement with the African Union to help restore a safe and secure environment in the areas affected by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.

“The S&D Group will push for a political debate and a resolution to be approved by the parliament in its first plenary session after the summer recess, in order to ensure global responses on food insecurity, especially in the Lake Chad region.”