Sokoto stakeholders advocate climate-resilient conflict resolution
Stakeholders in peace-building, humanitarian, and development sectors in Sokoto State have stressed the urgent need to integrate climate-sensitive approaches into conflict resolution strategies.
The stakeholders agreed on the strategy during the inaugural meeting of Sokoto State Project Steering Committee for the Powering Peace through Climate Action II (PPCA) Project in Sokoto.
The Newsmen reports that the initiative is being led by International Alert Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, with financial and technical support from Irish Aid.
Participants noted that climate-sensitive conflict approaches prioritised understanding the links between climate change and conflict, enabling policymakers to address both issues effectively and prevent escalation in vulnerable communities.
They added that adopting climate-sensitive adaptation strategies could mitigate climate-related conflicts, promote sustainable peace, enhance development, and strengthen resilience in communities most affected by climate impacts.
The District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, emphasised the importance of a joint strategy addressing climate and conflict challenges at national, state, and community levels for a coordinated response.
Umar-Jabbi urged conflict-sensitive policymaking that recognised the root causes of conflict and responded proactively, noting that climate change exacerbated gender-based violence, poverty, social decay, and declining educational standards.
The Special Adviser to Gov. Ahmad Aliyu on donor agencies, Malam Shehu Gwaranyo, commended International Alert for the project and reiterated the state government’s commitment to addressing climate change as a global challenge.
Gwaranyo stressed that tackling climate impacts required coordinated action by government, civil society, international partners, and citizens to achieve lasting solutions and sustainable development outcomes.
Senior Project Officer for International Alert, Mr Sanusi Audu, said the meeting united stakeholders to discuss insecurity challenges facing Sokoto, highlighting that climate change was drying grazing areas, reducing farming productivity, and threatening food security.
Audu explained that reduced resources created competition among occupational groups, such as herders and farmers, escalating conflicts across the country, which were mostly resource-based in nature.
He added that addressing insecurity without considering climate drivers would allow underlying issues to fester, making climate-sensitive approaches essential for long-term peace, stability, and sustainable development in Nigeria.
