EU Offers Support To Nigeria Over Outbreak Of Malnutrition

The European Parliament has expressed deep concern over malnutrition crisis in Northern Nigeria, pledging its support to the country in addressing this critical issue.

This commitment was conveyed on Wednesday evening by an EU parliamentarian during a press conference concluding their three-day visit to Nigeria.

David MacAllister, leader of the six-member delegation, urged all three tiers of government to urgently confront the health crisis.

MacAllister stated: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are deeply concerned and saddened by the malnutrition crisis, particularly in north-east and north-west Nigeria.

“The European Union stands in solidarity with Nigeria and the affected populations, especially children, with a humanitarian support package of nearly €50 million this year.

“However, a significant financial commitment from Nigeria’s federal and state governments is also urgently needed to effectively address the crisis. Thousands of children are at risk.”

He assured that the EU would continue to monitor the situation closely. “We will certainly follow up on these matters, particularly the unfolding humanitarian crisis in north-western Nigeria,” he added.

He emphasised Nigeria’s importance to the EU as the most populous country on the continent and a major economy.

He further stated: “We hope that Nigeria will also contribute to strengthening the EU-Nigeria relationship, particularly at the upcoming EU-African Union summit in Angola at the end of November.

“Regarding Nigeria, the European Union considers it a strategic partner.”

MacAllister mentioned that his visit to Nigeria had helped him gain insights into the complexities of the country.

He quoted an English saying: “Someone described Nigeria to me as a puzzle of 5,000 pieces. During the last 48 hours, we have begun to frame the picture, and every conversation, briefing, and meeting has helped us piece it together further. As the saying goes, ‘seeing is believing,’ and it is better than reading about it.”

He added, “We have started to understand the situation better, and our main message is that we need continued engagement with the European Parliament, not only with the largest country in Africa, but also with a democracy.

“Nigeria may not be a perfect democracy, and you are aware of the challenges in its governance. However, it is a democracy, and we highly respect the colleagues we met today from the different political parties. We were honoured to be received not only by the President of the Senate, but also by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

Regarding the European Union-African Union summit in Angola next month, MacAllister said: “The European Parliament adopted a resolution in Strasbourg last week. The draft version, which was finalised after three days of negotiations among the political groups with a broad majority, highlights the European Parliament’s expectations for this summit.”

He also stated: “We want to see concrete results. We want to foster trade between Europe and Africa. We want to make our development cooperation as effective as possible. The European Parliament, across party lines, firmly believes that the futures of Europe and Africa are closely intertwined.

“Your success, and the success of Africa, will also be our success in Europe, and vice versa.”

Ambassador Gautier Mignot, Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, echoed this sentiment, stating that the EU’s interest lies in a prosperous Nigeria.

Explaining the EU’s support for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mignot said: “Of course, we are doing this because it is in our interest. Our goal is to foster a prosperous, stable, and democratic West Africa, particularly its leading country, Nigeria.

“We also need Nigeria to partner with us to defend our common values, including the protection of natural resources, on the global stage. We also need Nigeria to facilitate business and manage migration flows. We have common interests, and this is the foundation of our partnership. Nigeria matters to the European Union, and our message upon returning to Brussels will be that we believe it is time for the European Union to engage more actively with and in Nigeria.”

Regarding malnutrition, the envoy stated that EU teams are in contact with partners operating in states such as Katsina and Sokoto, particularly in the North-West.

He added: “They have recently been on the ground and report that many families, mothers with babies and children in states of severe acute malnutrition, are still arriving. These children are in danger of dying, and sadly, some already have. I personally witnessed this a few weeks ago during a visit to Katsina. Furthermore, many families do not reach these centres because they are unaware of their existence or are simply too far away. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure an uninterrupted supply of therapeutic food, which is absolutely essential, and this requires additional funding from international and national donors.

“We have seen how some state governments, such as Katsina, have become more aware of the need to address this situation, but concerted efforts from all sides are required to effectively respond to this crisis.

“It is crucial to mobilise the necessary funds to address this situation.”

Regarding cooperation between the European Union and ECOWAS, he said: “Our cooperation is rooted in shared values such as mutual integration, good governance, and economic growth. The partnership has evolved to encompass a wide range of areas, including security, trade, migration, and institutional capacity building. I want to emphasise that the European Union has supported ECOWAS through financial aid, technical assistance, and political dialogue, particularly in conflict prevention, counter-terrorism, and democratic processes.

“The EU provides support to ECOWAS’ regional peace, security, and stability mandate to build and maintain peace and security in the region to ensure conditions of development.”