Minister of State for Foreign Affairs visits Nigeria
The British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is visiting Nigeria to highlight the importance of protecting civilians in the fight against Boko Haram as well as preventing sexual violence in conflict
The British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Baroness Joyce Anelay is visiting Nigeria to highlight the importance of protecting civilians in the fight against Boko Haram as well as preventing sexual violence in conflict.
Baroness Anelay, the British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI), is visiting Nigeria to hold high level discussions with government officials on how to better ensure the protection of civilians in the fight against Boko Haram.
The Minister will also meet with a range of civil society activists and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to discuss the importance of protecting civilians in the fight against Boko Haram and preventing sexual violence during the conflict in the north east.
The Minister will discuss additional humanitarian support that the UK is providing in helping those affected by the fight against Boko Haram. This includes £6.7 million to enable the Government of Nigeria, as well as Non Governmental (NGOs), UN agencies and the Red Cross, to deliver food assistance, education, sanitation and safe water, shelter material and other basic necessities.
The Minister will meet with the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign and reiterate the importance of preventing gender based violence in conflict. She will also visit UK sponsored projects that work to reduce intra-community conflict and violence against women and girls, promote community-government security dialogue and improve access to schooling.
Further information: • It is estimated that over 2.2 million people have been displaced and over 14.8 million affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
• The UK is providing £6.7 million of humanitarian support to help those affected by Boko Haram. 60% of DFID’s £222million development budget for Nigeria is spent in northern Nigeria.