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Nigeria To Host International Conference On Lake Chad

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-Nigeria set to host international conference on the development of Lake Chad.

-The objectives of the conference include how to save the lake from extinction and develop the economic potentials of the basin.

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Buhari to inaugurate conference on Lake Chad.

President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for Nigeria to host an international conference on saving the Lake Chad and promoting its economic potentials.

The conference is targeted at creating global awareness on the socio-economic and environmental challenges arising from the shrinkage of the Lake Chad, threat to livelihoods, including insecurity with a view to developing a comprehensive programme for action to save the lake from extinction.

This is the first time an international conference on Lake Chad is being organised by the six-member countries of the region.

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The conference, scheduled to be held in Abuja between February 26-28, 2018, will consist of two days of technical sessions and one day of high level meetings.

The information was disclosed in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The statement read: “Specifically, the conference is expected to discuss and develop consensus on the different options to restore Lake Chad, including the Inter-Basin Water Transfer project from the Ubangi River in Central Africa to the Lake Chad.

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“Experts, researchers and resource persons are expected to exchange knowledge and share information on water resources development and management in a crisis environment and to garner political and financial support for the restoration option identified for the restoration of the lake.”

All presidents and head of government of the member states namely Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Libya are expected to attend the high level meeting after the technical sessions.

The key partners coming together in hosting the conference are Nigeria, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and relevant donors, including, the African Development Bank, (AfDB), the World Bank and the governments of Germany, China, Canada and the European Union (EU).