The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has stated that environmental and political insecurity have been affecting the Sahel in recent years, News About Nigeria reports.
He stated this while speaking at the 1st News Agency of Nigeria International Lecture, themed, “Insecurity in the Sahel, 2008 to 2024: Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges – Genesis, Impacts and Options,” in Abuja on Thursday.
He noted that the insecurity is undermining the great potentials and resources the region has been blessed with, adding that the deep-rooted environmental, political, and security challenges are affecting the prosperity and peace of the Sahel region.
The Sultan, who was represented by the Emir of Gumi, retired Justice Lawal Hassan, noted that the Sahel is the vast semi-arid region of Africa, separating the Sahara Desert in the north from the tropical savannah to the south, representing a land of opportunities and challenges.
He stated, “With its abundant mineral resources like lithium, cobalt, and uranium, among many others, the Sahel could be described as one of the richest parts of the globe.
“It is expected to be home to 1.5 billion people by the year 2050 and has one of the largest and youngest populations in the world.
“However, despite its abundant human and natural resources, which offer tremendous potential for rapid economic growth, there are deep-rooted challenges—environmental, political, and security—that are affecting the prosperity and peace of the Sahel.”
He further stated that to address some of these challenges, the United Nations (UN) has developed a unique support plan targeting 10 countries to accelerate prosperity and sustainable peace in the region.
According to him, the overarching goal of the UN Support Plan for the Sahel is to accelerate shared prosperity and lasting peace in the Sahel and the surrounding regions by implementing priorities aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
