NAN-HG-13
Needs
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Oct.19, 2016(NAN) The President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr Peter Maurer, has met met with President Muhammedu Buhari in Abuja to discuss the humanitarian situation in the country.
Mr Adewole Ajao, Media Officer of ICRC, made the fact known in a statement on Wednesday, saying the discussions focused on addressing the scale of humanitarian needs in the Middle Belt and Niger Delta regions.
He said that the livelihoods of millions of people had been affected by conflict in the Northeast, Middle Belt and Niger Delta hence the need for urgent intervention.
Ajao said that Maurer also met and supported persons affected by urban violence in some shanty towns in Port Harcourt.
He said that ICRC gave grants to 240 women breadwinners to start small businesses, drilled a borehole and installed water pipes to increase access to water in the communities.
Ajao said Maurer also met with the Nigerian private and corporate community in Lagos to discuss innovative partnerships.
He said the partnership was to encourage them in supporting humanitarian efforts to respond to the needs of people affected by armed conflicts and violence.
Ajao said ICRC president opened a workshop in Abuja on the integration of international humanitarian law and international human rights law into the operations of the Economic Community of West African States.
He said the workshop would address, among others, the inclusion of relevant legal concepts into the planning of military operations.
He said, “50 participants, including the ECOWAS Stand by Force Chief of Staff, two members each from the 15 troop contributing countries, officials from the police and civilian components would attend the ICRC workshop.’’ (NAN)
TIM//COA/JCE
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Edited by Constance Athekame/Chukwudi Ekezie