By
Jamilu Abubakar
Stakeholders from across the North-East have called for stronger collaboration and inclusive peacebuilding to support sustainable development in the region.
The call was made at the two-day North-East Peace Mission Conference organised by the North East Development Commission, NEDC, in collaboration with Expert Bricks Solutions in Gombe State.
The conference brought together participants from the six states of the region under the theme: “Building Inclusive Peace and Sustainable Development in North-East Nigeria.
Speaking at the conference, the Managing Director of the North East Development Commission, Mohammed Alkali, said lasting peace remains critical to rebuilding the region and unlocking sustainable development across the region.
Represented by the Gombe State Coordinator of the North-East Development Commission Architect Usman Muhammad, explained that the conference was designed to promote dialogue, strengthen social cohesion and deepen partnerships among government institutions, development organisations, community leaders and youths.
The Managing Director highlighted major peacebuilding initiatives being implemented by the Commission across the North-East, noting that interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare, livelihoods and community resettlement were already contributing to the restoration of normalcy in communities affected by insurgency.
According to him, the Commission has continued to record progress in rebuilding communities devastated by conflict through the construction of critical infrastructure, support for vulnerable populations and programmes aimed at restoring economic activities and improving living conditions.
Also speaking, the representative of Expert Bricks Solutions Ibrahim Waziri explained that the organisation’s participation in the conference reflects its commitment to supporting peacebuilding and sustainable development initiatives across the North-East.
The Ibrahim Waziri stated that sustainable peace can only be achieved through strong collaboration among government agencies, private organisations and local communities, stressing that inclusive engagement remains essential in addressing social and economic factors that contribute to instability.
Presenting a paper on youth engagement and peacebuilding, an Associate Professor of Military History and Security Studies at the University of Maiduguri, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad, stressed the importance of empowering young people as critical stakeholders in sustaining peace across the region.
Dr. Muhammad advocated increased investment in youth education, skills acquisition and civic participation, while also calling for deliberate efforts to encourage communities to accept and support the reintegration of ex-combatants as part of broader reconciliation and recovery processes.
One of the participants, Yasin Idris, said youths were motivated to participate because the conference provided an opportunity to contribute ideas and become active agents of peace within their communities.
Yasin Idris called for greater youth involvement in peacebuilding activities through awareness campaigns, dialogue and community-based development programmes, expressing confidence that collective action and inclusive participation would help secure lasting peace and sustainable development across the North-East region.
