•Gilles Fagninou
The United Nations Children’s Fund has disclosed plans to reduce workforce and travel as part of measures to mitigate the effect of the cut of USAID funding by the Trump administration.
The UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou, made the disclosure today during an assessment visit to some of the organisation’s ongoing programmes at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, reports The PUNCH.
He said UNICEF is working closely with various governments in Africa to see how they can collaborate and mitigate the effect of the funding cut by US, President, Donald Trump.
“We are patronising other sources of funding. We are discussing with the government and they are taking measures to fill the gap that was created by the cut of funding from the US and others.
“UNICEF is putting more effort, government is putting more effort into seeking resources to come and fill the gap. So that effort will continue. We may not be able to have everything, but what we have, we will use it in an efficient way.
“As a precautionary measure, we are reducing travels, and our workforce to be able to have more efficiency in what we do. “The US measure will affect the whole world. No doubt that they play a key role in our funding, however, mitigation measures are been taken and the effect is not as large as expected”, he added.
Gilles said his visit to the state was primarily to see the progress of UNICEF programmes and support the state government.
“I am here to see the progress of UNICEF support to the government. You know, humanitarian assistance is extremely important and that will continue even with funding issues.”
He further explained that UNICEF is now cutting costs based on the strength of its resources.
“We are here to support government and communities and we are doing this with UNICEF’s own funding and those we received from others. Funding has always been uncertain. We are just ensuring that we received the minimum we need to respond to the need we have on the ground.”
He commended the effort of UNICEF Borno in the ongoing health and education programmes in the Hajj camp where repentant Boko Haram and their families are going through rehabilitation.
“I have seen a group of people who are working in this Hajj camp with the minimum they have and are offering support to those who are coming to this camp and that is what is important”, he concluded.
