Overview:
The Urbanization project is an original and innovative project, launched by UNHCR and the European Union Trust Fund in 2017, for a period of 3 years. The project aims to facilitate the transition of operations from humanitarian interventions, towards ‘Development’, working on the logic of strengthening the nexus between the two.
The project has been developed on the basis of a model which will revitalise the local economy which has been deeply affected by the Boko Haram conflict in the region. The general objective is to create an environment which is favourable to entrepreneurship, training, and direct and indirect employment throughout the region of Diffa.
The project supports the ownership of the locally elected authorities of the process of urban planning including the creation of land parcels, as well as legal land ownership for displaced and host populations. The project also strengthens their capacities in terms of resource mobilisation, encouraging investment in the local economy of the region.
The project is seen as a potential contributor to stability in the region, addressing root causes of instability and population displacement including economic instability, the consolidation of peaceful coexistence and development.