Belgium has approved N2.3 billion (€5 million) annually to tackle the insecurity challenge ravaging northeastern Nigeria.
The slated amount is geared towards fast-tracking the rebuilding of the region following the effects of the Boko Haram insurgency.
This was made known by the Ambassador of Belgium to Nigeria, Daniel Bertrand on Wednesday when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Alkali.
According to him, the move is part of the Belgian government’s efforts towards ameliorating the sufferings of the people of the North-East.
“We’re not indifferent to what is happening in the North-East part of the country, especially from the humanitarian point of view, we are at the disposal of the Nigerian authorities to do better.
“I think it is more or less €5m per year. Regarding other areas where we can assist, it depends on the request of the Nigerian authorities,” Bertrand said.
In his response, Alkali appealed to the Belgian government to intervene in education, agriculture and sports development, and facilitate the return of internally displaced persons to their villages and homes.
He said, “Belgium, as part of the EU, is one of the largest contributors to salvage the humanitarian crisis in the North-East when the humanitarian crisis was handed over to us.”