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Edouard Matako, the Assistant Directors General for Africa and Natural Science, UNESCO, will visit Nigeria on Feb. 23 to consolidate support on the depletion of Lake Chad basin.
Macaulay Olushola, National Professional Officer, Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO in Nigeria said this on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Olushola, the visit is to foster efforts by the Nigeria Government to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“The UNESCO Assistant Directors for Africa and Natural Science will be visiting Nigeria from Feb. 23 to Feb. 24, to hold a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Water Resources.
“He will be attending stakeholders meeting organised by the ministry with a focus on the proposed International conference on Lake Chad depletion,” he said.
Olushola said that the visit would be a follow up on the issues of mutual interest discussed by President Muhammadu Buhari and UNESCO’s Director General, Irina Bokova in August 2016 towards attaining the SDGs.
“During the visit of Irina Bokova in Aug. 2016, the Buhari expressed deep concern over the depletion of Lake Chad.
“At that time, he called for UNESCO’s assistance to organise an international conference to reflect on the future of the Lake and support the preservation of the surrounding environment.
“Subsequently, the UNESCO directors general agreed to tackle the prevailing crisis through a multifaceted approach and concerted actions with a focus on youth education and culture of peace,” he said.
Olushola explained that the visitor would be engaging relevant government stakeholders in education to discuss on the way forward.
The International Conference aimed at increasing the water level of Lake Chad is expected to hold later in the year.
