Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State on Thursday met with members of the diplomatic community to strengthen collaboration on peacebuilding, security, and long-term recovery efforts in the state.
The meeting, held with ambassadors of Switzerland, Japan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, focused on implementation of the Yobe State Action Plan on Solutions to Internal Displacement (SOLID), as well as progress made in resettlement, community recovery and reintegration of displaced persons.
Buni said the state had recorded “remarkable progress” in stabilisation and recovery, attributing the achievements to strong partnerships with global development actors.
“I am pleased to inform you that we have made remarkable progress in consolidating stability and recovery with an impressive growth in peace, resettlement and access to basic services,” he said.
According to him, Yobe remains at the forefront of the national durable solutions programme, with the highest number of voluntary returns of displaced persons in the Northeast.
“Only Mallam Dunari community is yet to be fully resettled,” he added.
The meeting also highlighted the need to strengthen donor coordination, particularly in sectors such as economic recovery, agriculture, and livestock development, which were identified as critical for employment, food security and sustainable investment.
The Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Egloff, commended Buni for his commitment to rebuilding affected communities, expressing readiness to deepen cooperation with the state.
“There is a true sense of commitment, and I would like to visit Yobe state to demonstrate our support for the partnership,” he said.
Egloff also encouraged the governor, who chairs the Lake Chad Governors’ Forum, to ensure that other member states adopt Yobe’s successful recovery model.
Also present at the meeting were representatives of the UK Government and the Head of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), who joined discussions on strengthening engagement frameworks for durable solutions.
The governor lauded the diplomatic community for what he described as their consistent and reliable support to Yobe’s recovery initiatives.
