USAID: UNICEF to adopt new measures to sustain operations amidst funding cut – Regional Director
By Ladi Jossy, Maiduguri
United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has said that it would takes serious measures to place travels ban and reduction of workforce to sustain its humanitarian operations across the globe following US President Donald Trump administration’s 90-day sanction to US funding.
Gilles Fagninou, the UNICEF West and Central Africa Director said this during his visit and inspection to the repentant Boko Haram camp facility in Maiduguri on Monday.
Gilles underscored the importance of US contributions to the humanitarian response, nothing that it would not only affect Nigeria operations but the entire world hence there is need for retrenchment and other measures.
“What I’m saying basically is that US measure will affect the whole world, but in Western/ Central Africa, its efforts is there because we know the contribution of the US in our operation is quite large.
Galles pin-point some of the precautionary measures, “so it will affect us but mitigation measures are being taken. Precautions being taken so that the effort is not that as large as expected.
He said, “I mean, one of them, for example, is to reduce travels, another is to reduce the workforce that we have and to be able to have more efficiency in what we do. Because you have reduction of your revenue, you try to use what you have to respond to the need that is in your household.”
He emphasized why the alternative means of funding is crucial to the operations.
He maintained that conversation with governments are currently ongoing to take measures to fill the gap that was created by the cut of funding from the US and others.
“I mean humanitarian assistance is extremely important, you know US is one of the biggest source of funding for most interventions in Nigeria, especially interventions now that you see it is being hampered from lack of this funding.
“So UNICEF is putting more effort, government is putting more effort, domestic resources also come to fill the gap. It’s a collective effort, so that effort will continue.
“We are here to support governments. We are here to support communities, and we bring to this UNICEF, own funding and the funding we receive from others. You know, funding is always uncertain, but we make sure that we receive the minimum we need to respond to the need we have on the ground, and that will continue”.
