YOBE STATE WELCOMES HISTORIC UN DELEGATION
YOBE STATE WELCOMES HISTORIC UN DELEGATION, APPLAUD GOVERNOR BUNI’S PROGRESS ON RESILIENCE FINANCING, SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY.
-YOBE A GLOBAL REFERENCE POINT FOR DURABLE SOLUTION.
Damaturu, Yobe State — October 20, 2025
It was a defining moment of partnership and progress as Yobe State welcomed a high-level United Nations delegation led by three Assistant Secretaries-General (ASGs) representing UNDP in Nigeria IOM Nigeria and UNHCR Nigeria alongside the United Nations Nigeria Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Mohamed M. M. Fall Fall, and Heads of UN Agencies.
The visit, described by the UN Resident Coordinator as “one of the biggest delegations I have led to the field in my career”, reaffirmed global confidence in Yobe State’s leadership on durable solutions, resilience, and sustainable recovery.
His Excellency, the executive Governor of Yobe State Hon. (Dr) Mai Mala Buni, CON, joined virtually to welcome the delegation and later represented by his deputy His Excellency Hon. Idi Barde Gubana during a strategic high-level engagement with the visitors.
The Governor outlined the state’s progress in transitioning from crisis to stability and from recovery to development. He highlighted the establishment of institutional structures such as the State Policy Advisory Committee on Durable Solutions, the Security Planning and Coordination Group (SPCG), and the State Technical Working Group, which together anchor Yobe’s long-term resilience agenda.
The Governor reaffirmed Yobe State’s steadfast partnership with the United Nations, outlining four transformative areas where collaboration continues to make lasting impact; climate adaptation and sustainable livelihoods, digital education and skills development, universal health access and social protection, and the voluntary return and reintegration of refugees through strengthened cross-border coordination.
He noted that these priorities reflect Yobe’s holistic approach to durable solutions, one that links humanitarian recovery with long-term human development. As he poignantly stated, “Our goal is not just to help displaced persons find a place to live, but a reason to thrive.”
The delegation also visited the Durable Solutions Secretariat, where they commissioned the Solution Data Center, and later inspected the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, including the Buni administration commissioned Maternal and Child Health Complex, a symbol of Yobe’s state-led investment in human capital and inclusive health systems.
Expressing admiration for Yobe’s achievements, the UN delegation commended the state’s ownership and commitment to solutions-driven development. “What we have seen today goes beyond promises, it is evidence of leadership, partnership, and progress. We are now more prepared to speak to donors and mobilize greater support,” the delegation noted.
The visit concluded with an interaction between the delegation, IDPs and host communities, capturing moving testimonies of recovery and stabilization. This landmark mission highlights how visionary leadership and strategic partnership can turn displacement into opportunity.
Under the guidance of Governor Buni, Yobe State continues to stand as a model of resilience, and a global reference point for durable solutions.