This year’s Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri, Nigeria, focused on joint commitments to peace, cooperation, security, and sustainable development. NORCAP ensured that civil society organizations were included and prepared to contribute to these commitments.
Supporting civil society participation at the Fifth Lake Chad Governors’ Forum
For over a decade, the Lake Chad region has been hard hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and other related conflicts, as well as floods and drought, and the shrinking of Lake Chad, which has lost 90% of its size since the 1960s. Over 11 million people in the region are vulnerable to the multiple environmental and conflict-related threats.
The Governors’ Forums are convened by the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the intergovernmental body which has a mandate to promote regional integration, peace, security, and development in the Lake Chad Region. The forum brings together national authorities, civil society and traditional leaders supported by international organisations, like donors and NORCAP, to explore and define ways to sustainable peace and development in the region.
For over a decade, the Lake Chad region has been hard hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and other related conflicts, as well as floods and drought, and the shrinking of Lake Chad, which has lost 90% of its size since the 1960s. Over 11 million people in the region are vulnerable to the multiple environmental and conflict-related threats.
The Governors’ Forums are convened by the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the intergovernmental body which has a mandate to promote regional integration, peace, security, and development in the Lake Chad Region. The forum brings together national authorities, civil society and traditional leaders supported by international organisations, like donors and NORCAP, to explore and define ways to sustainable peace and development in the region.
NORCAP has partnered with the Lake Chad Basin Commission since 2020, supporting it to improve coordination and engagement with civil society by engagement, capacity development and promotion of leadership. Reflecting on the importance of the forum and NORCAP’s support, Daniel Sissling, NORCAP’s Global Adviser for Localisation said
NORCAP recognises the importance in supporting state and non-state bodies in their collective leadership in this mammoth task. Engagement by civil society is key to ensure representation of the people and communities most affected, and given the importance of the forum and ensuring a coordinated message, NORCAP supports organisations to ensure that marginalised voices are heard
NORCAP’s Manre Chirtau, who has been working within the Lake Chad Basin Commission as a localisation adviser, was instrumental in designing and developing both a Civil Society Pre-Forum and the Governors’ Forum. Alongside other NORCAP experts across the region, she has been preparing and coaching participants from civil society organisations from the four countries in the region to maximise their impact.
The Civil Society Organisation Forum gave participants the opportunity to take stock and plan for the future… ensuring that the organisations were coordinated and deliberate in their messaging, Manre says.
This year, as in the last forum in Chad in 2023, NORCAP participated in the pre-forum, assisting organisations from the region in developing a declaration. In addition, as part of the Governor’s Forum, NORCAP hosted a panel discussion on how civil society partnerships can support regional stability, recovery and resilience.
NORCAP Localisation Specialist, Christopher Agutu, moderated this panel discussion, where representatives from each of the Lake Chad countries, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria, discussed the vital role of civil society organisations in addressing climate change and conflict. Reflecting on the contribution of the organisations, Chris says:
The Forum provided an opportunity for civil society to find and implement practical solutions to these threats. Their recommendations support the revised Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience and NORCAP will provide technical expertise to support the implementation of this strategy.
NORCAP’s Agnes Enid Koome is a gender expert who has been supporting women’s organisation in Nigeria, including the Borno, Adamawa and Yobe Network of Women’s Led Civil Society Organisations (BAYNETWOC). She participated in the side event during the pre-forum and in follow-up discussions on a gender-responsive regional strategy. She emphasised the power of collaboration, saying
When women unite, their voice is amplified
In total, over one hundred civil society representatives participated in the pre-forum with many also participating in the Governors’ Forum. They represented the people and communities affected by conflict, climate and other challenges which increases vulnerability across the region.
Marthe Wandou, the Executive Director of Cameroonian organisation ADELPA and the Cameroonian representative on the regional civil society forum, closed the panel with a speech in which she reiterated
We civil society organisations renew our commitment to collaborate with the Governors, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, and other partners to build a future of peace and resilience in our region
NORCAP looks forward to continuing to support the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the civil society organisations and the next forum, anticipated to be in Niger in 2026.