Lake Chad Basin: UN warns of the impact of insecurity on regional stability

The United Nations expressed serious concerns on Thursday about the ongoing insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin, highlighting the risks it poses to the stability of Central Africa.
During his address to the Security Council in New York, Abdou Abarry, Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), emphasized the growing threat of armed groups linked to Boko Haram. According to him, these groups continue to evolve and adapt in response to military operations carried out by the countries affected by the conflict.
« In the Lake Chad Basin, these groups are demonstrating their ability to restructure, further exacerbating the vulnerability of the populations », he said, noting that millions of people remain displaced, living in extreme conditions.
The UN representative also pointed out that the insecurity in the region, combined with the ongoing war in Sudan, has led to massive waves of refugees, further weakening the states in the area. He stressed that this humanitarian crisis is particularly affecting women and children, who are bearing the brunt of the consequences.
Regarding Sudan, Mr. Abarry discussed the dramatic situation caused by the fighting, particularly after the fall of the city of El Fasher. « Since this event, 12,930 refugees have crossed the border into Chad », he reported, adding that overcrowding in refugee camps in the eastern part of the country is putting tremendous pressure on natural resources and basic services. This situation is worsening the risks of malnutrition and the spread of epidemics.
The UN also expressed deep concern about the food crisis, stating that at least seven million people urgently require humanitarian aid. However, Mr. Abarry lamented that the humanitarian response plan for 2025 has only been funded to 26.4%, far below the 41% funding achieved at the same time last year.
In this alarming context, the UN official urged the Security Council to intensify efforts to resolve the conflict in Sudan, whose repercussions are directly threatening the peace and stability of the entire region.