As part of activities lined up to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties, the European Union (EU) has donated €8 million for the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.
The money, as gathered, would be channeled towards the area of peace, reconciliation, stability and criminal justice response to terrorism.
The union pledged to continue to promote international peace and security, development cooperation, human rights and response to humanitarian crises as the heart of its foreign and security policies.
In a paper jointly signed by the EU Delegation Ambassador to Nigeria and Economic Communities for West African States (ECOWAS), the EU ambassadors to Nigeria and the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom (UK), pointed out that for countries that had long been at war, European integration has been in the forefront in finding lasting solutions.
“However, we are living in unpredictable times, and the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties is the opportunity not only to reaffirm our commitment to the values and objectives on which the European project is founded, but, also, to take pragmatic and ambitious steps forward.
“We invest more in development cooperation and humanitarian aid than the rest of the world, combined. The EU is increasingly active as a global security provider. We stand for multilateralism, for human rights, for international cooperation.
“We stand for sustainable development, inclusive societies, the fight against all inequalities – in education, in democracy and human rights. For us, this is not charity; it is also a smart investment in our own security and prosperity,” the statement read in part. EU also revealed that its development aid goes to about 150 countries in the world and, increasingly, focuses on the poorest places and all countries that are fragile or suffer from conflict.
“The EU also stands ready to help those affected by natural and man-made disasters. Humanitarian crises continue to take a heavy toll internationally, and in 2016, the EU allocated relief assistance of over €1.5 billion for food, shelter, protection and healthcare to 120 million people in over 80 countries.
“EU’s humanitarian office has allocated €96.8 million for humanitarian assistance in Nigeria since 2014. The annual budget was continuously increased, reaching €62 million in 2016. The EU’s partnership with Nigeria has deepened since the political framework EU-Nigeria Joint Way Forward was signed in 2008.
“The EU-Nigeria Ministerial dialogue held last year discussed security and human rights cooperation, economic cooperation and global issues such as climate change and migration and mobility.”
Source – The Sun
