AGP Executive Report

Lake Chad Basin & Sahel livelihoods: A new look at the Lake Chad crisis says environmental decline is reshaping fishing, farming, and grazing—and can raise competition when water and land become less predictable, feeding wider instability. World Lake Day, Nigeria-focused but region-relevant: On World Lake Day, Nigeria’s environment and Navy-linked stakeholders pushed for lake protection, warning that urban growth, toxic and nutrient pollution, over-extraction, invasive species, habitat loss, and solid waste dumped into waters are degrading ecosystems and livelihoods. Chad’s refugee pressure from Sudan: With Sudan’s war driving massive displacement, Chad is facing mounting strain as refugees need education, jobs, and land—not just short-term aid—while tensions can grow where resources are scarce. Land restoration momentum: UN officials highlighted Africa’s Great Green Wall progress, stressing that restoring land can rebuild livelihoods and resilience in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, even if it won’t end conflict by itself. Chad–Sudan security spillover: Chad put forces on high alert after drones and aircraft linked to Sudan’s war allegedly bombed a convoy inside Chadian territory, raising fears of wider confrontation. Biodiversity note from Chad: A rusty lark missing from records for nearly a century was rediscovered in Chad’s Abou Telfane wildlife reserve, with modern photos and filming ending a 94-year gap.

Chad–Sudan Security: Chad put forces on highest alert after drones and aircraft linked to Sudan’s war bombed a convoy inside Ennedi-Est on Aug. 20, with N’Djamena warning hostilities could spill further. Lake Chad Basin Pressure: The same week highlights how the Lake Chad region is getting squeezed from multiple directions—conflict-driven displacement, fragile services, and the need for longer-term integration and livelihoods. Refugees & Integration: A new look at Chad’s refugee crisis says it’s shifting from emergency protection to a crisis of integration, where education, jobs, and land access determine whether refugees can build sustainable lives. Food Systems in Chad: Reporting on Chad’s rebuilding of food systems points to restored farmland, irrigation, and solar pumps helping communities around Lake Chad turn abandoned land back into productive agriculture. Wildlife Rediscovery (Chad): A Franco-Chadian team rediscovered the Rusty Lark in Guéra after a 94-year gap, with the first modern photos of a living bird. Land Restoration (Sahel/Lake Chad link): UN leaders say Africa’s Great Green Wall has restored over 20 million hectares and that scaling up matters for the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, even as insecurity threatens progress.

Lake Chad & Sahel Environment: Chad is seeing practical land-and-water recovery efforts tied to food systems, including the Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC), which is restoring farmland, irrigation and solar-powered pumps, with about 2,400 hectares of abandoned polders brought back into production. Biodiversity in Chad: A Rusty Lark (Calendulauda rufa) was rediscovered in central Chad after nearly a century, with a Franco-Chadian team documenting and photographing the species in the Abou Telfane wildlife reserve in Guéra. Desertification & Land Restoration: UN leaders say Africa’s Great Green Wall has restored over 20 million hectares, linking land recovery to livelihoods and peace, while warning that restoration needs predictable financing and stronger national implementation. Water Stress Lessons: A broader look at shrinking lakes highlights how hotter conditions, dams and pollution can drive major ecosystem and livelihood losses—and how restoration can work when ecosystems are protected. Regional Security Pressure on the Environment: Chad’s army raised alert after alleged Sudan-linked drones and aircraft bombed a convoy inside Chad, underscoring how conflict and cross-border instability can derail humanitarian and environmental stability.

Chad–Sudan Security Spillover: Chad put forces on high alert after drones and aircraft tied to Sudan’s war bombed a convoy about 100 km inside Chadian territory in Ennedi-Est on Aug. 20, raising fears of wider confrontation. Lake Chad Basin Focus: Nigeria urged the OIC to shift from diplomacy to practical action for Africa’s security and development, naming the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel as priorities, including a proposed Nigeria–OIC working group on humanitarian affairs. Food Systems in Chad: A Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development push is restoring farmland and irrigation, including about 2,400 hectares of abandoned polders using solar pumps, aiming to boost livelihoods and reduce pressure on communities. World Lake Day, Nigeria: Stakeholders in Abuja marked World Lake Day with calls to tackle lake shrinkage from pollution, over-extraction, invasive species, habitat loss, and climate-driven waste dumping. Biodiversity in Chad: A Rusty Lark last recorded in 1931 has been rediscovered in Abou Telfane wildlife reserve in Guéra, with photos and filming by a Franco-Chadian team.

Chad–Sudan Security: Chad put forces on the highest alert after drones and aircraft linked to Sudan’s war bombed a convoy inside Chadian territory near Ennedi-Est on Aug. 20, raising fears of direct confrontation and renewed cross-border violence. Lake Chad & Food Systems: New reporting highlights how communities around Lake Chad are rebuilding farmland and livelihoods—restoring irrigation and using solar pumps—through projects like PROLAC, including the return of about 2,400 hectares of previously abandoned polders. Land Restoration in the Sahel: UN officials say Africa’s Great Green Wall has restored over 20 million hectares, stressing that land recovery can rebuild livelihoods and support peace, especially across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin. World Lake Day (Regional Focus): Nigeria’s World Lake Day events urged action against lake shrinkage, pointing to urban growth, toxic and nutrient pollution, over-extraction, invasive species, habitat loss, and solid waste washed into waters. Humanitarian Logistics via Chad: Aid groups moved 6.7 tonnes of medicines through Chad into West Darfur in late June/early July, showing how Chad remains a key corridor as Sudan’s displacement and food insecurity deepen. Public Health (AMR): A study from Mogadishu adds to the growing picture of antimicrobial resistance risk, including ESBL-producing bacteria in healthcare settings.

Lake Chad & freshwater stewardship: Nigeria’s Navy urged Nigerians to help preserve lakes at World Lake Day, calling lake cleaning and maintenance a shared duty tied to water, food, security, power and biodiversity. Lake recovery reality check: A new look at shrinking lakes warns that restoration can work, but many inland waters still face heavy pressure from dams, hotter conditions and pollution—raising risks for fisheries, wetlands and even dust and contaminants from exposed lakebeds. Chad’s food systems on the ground: Chad is rebuilding livelihoods around Lake Chad through restored farmland, irrigation and solar-powered pumps under the PROLAC project, including the return of about 2,400 hectares of abandoned polders and better roads to markets. Land restoration at scale: UN officials say Africa’s Great Green Wall has restored over 20 million hectares, linking land recovery to food, jobs and resilience—while stressing that insecurity can undermine progress. Desertification finance gap: Amina Mohammed warned drought resilience plans need predictable funding, noting a major mismatch between restoration needs and current investment levels. Humanitarian logistics through Chad: Airlink moved 6.7 tonnes of temperature-sensitive medical supplies through Chad into West Darfur, as Sudan’s war drives mass displacement and worsening food insecurity. Climate impacts on vulnerable farmers: Reporting highlights how climate shocks and flooding hit farmers—especially women with disabilities—turning extreme weather into lost crops and deeper hardship. Mining disaster risk: A gold mine collapse in Central African Republic killed more than 100 people, with authorities ordering closure and calls for buyers to fund safer working conditions. Regional security pressure: Chad accused Sudan-linked aircraft and drones of bombing inside Chadian territory, adding to fears of wider spillover in the Lake Chad Basin.

World Lake Day: Lakes are being treated less like isolated water bodies and more like whole ecosystems that need protection from pollution and habitat loss, with examples of water replenishment, pollution controls, and biodiversity recovery. Lake Chad & food systems: Chad’s Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC) is helping communities restart farming through restored irrigation, solar-powered pumps, better roads, and market links, including the return of about 2,400 hectares of abandoned polders. Land restoration & drought resilience: UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed says Africa’s Great Green Wall has restored at least 20 million hectares, linking land recovery to livelihoods and jobs, while warning that conflicts and a major financing gap still threaten progress. Great Green Wall economics: A separate analysis argues landscape restoration can deliver big returns—boosting food security, creating jobs, and cutting emissions—if countries move beyond failed tree-only approaches. Aid logistics in crisis: Airlink and partners moved 6.7 tonnes of temperature-sensitive medicines through Chad into West Darfur, highlighting how weather, permits, and security determine whether humanitarian supplies arrive safely. Borno budget pressure: Borno Governor Babagana Zulum says security and humanitarian services consumed 70% of the state budget over seven years, underscoring the scale of rebuilding needs after insurgency.

Sudan Aid Route via Chad: Airlink and partners moved 6.7 tonnes of temperature-sensitive medicines from the Netherlands and UAE through Chad into West Darfur, delivering to International Medical Corps for four hospitals, four clinics and a mobile unit as Sudan’s war drives mass displacement and worsening food insecurity. Land Restoration at UNCCD: UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said Africa’s Great Green Wall has restored at least 20 million hectares, linking land recovery to food, jobs and resilience—while warning that conflict and drought keep pressure high and financing gaps remain. Chad Food Systems Push: A Lake Chad Region recovery effort is bringing back farmland with restored irrigation, solar-powered pumps and better roads, including about 2,400 hectares of revived polders in western Chad. Chad–Sudan Tensions: Chad put forces on high alert after drones and aircraft allegedly bombed a convoy inside Chadian territory in Ennedi-Est, renewing fears of direct confrontation. Lake Chad Security & Refugees: Yobe’s Mai Mala Buni visited Nigerian refugees in Chad, urging law-abiding livelihoods and repatriation steps, and also pressed for stronger support for the Multinational Joint Task Force. Mining Disaster Warning: Central African Republic gold mine collapse near Cameroon left dozens dead and exposed dangerous, under-regulated artisanal mining conditions during the rainy season.

Chad–Sudan Tensions: Chad put forces on high alert after drones and aircraft linked to Sudan’s war bombed a convoy inside Ennedi-Est on Aug. 20, raising fears of direct confrontation and renewed border violence. Land Degradation & Drought Finance: At the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, UN officials warned that most countries’ drought and land restoration plans lack predictable funding, with a major gap between needed investment and what’s actually going in. Lake Chad Basin Security Push: Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni met Lake Chad Basin Commission and MNJTF officials in N’Djamena, pledging to relay operational gaps—like shortages and Niger’s withdrawal from the task force—to President Tinubu. Humanitarian Logistics in Sudan: Aid groups moved 6.7 tonnes of temperature-sensitive medicines through Chad into West Darfur, as displacement and food insecurity in Sudan keep worsening. Mining Safety Shock (CAR): A gold mine collapse at Zamboye near Cameroon left dozens dead, with rescue hampered by limited equipment and calls for stronger protections for artisanal miners. World Humanitarian Day: UN marks Aug. 19 with a focus on frontline aid workers and the need to turn compassion into prevention systems.

Desertification & Drought Finance: UN officials at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification warned that land restoration is falling far short of what’s needed, with drought plans lacking predictable funding and a major gap between the $355B annual need and about $77B currently invested. Lake Chad Security & Regional Cooperation: Yobe’s Mai Mala Buni pushed for stronger coordination around the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Multinational Joint Task Force, flagging operational shortfalls and the impact of Niger’s withdrawal, while also urging refugees in Chad to stay law-abiding and work toward repatriation. Chad–Sudan Cross-Border Tensions: Chad put forces on high alert after drones and aircraft linked to Sudan’s war allegedly bombed a convoy inside Chad’s Ennedi-Est, renewing fears of direct confrontation along the porous border. Mining Disasters & Environmental Safety: Guinea’s Conakry landfill collapse killed dozens after heavy rains, while Central African Republic gold mine collapses near Baboua left a disputed death toll and prompted a temporary shutdown—both underscoring how weak waste and mining controls amplify climate-linked risk. Humanitarian Pressure in the Region: World Humanitarian Day coverage highlighted the strain on aid workers amid displacement and hunger, including worsening drought-driven hunger in Somalia.

Chad–Sudan Tensions: Chad has put its forces on the highest alert after Sudan-linked aircraft and drones bombed a vehicle convoy more than 100 km inside Chadian territory in Ennedi-Est on Aug. 20, with N’Djamena calling it a grave sovereignty breach and warning against wider spillover. Lake Chad Security & Governance: Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni visited the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the MNJTF in N’Djamena, pledging stronger coordination on security and development, and urging better resourcing for the regional anti-terror force amid Niger’s reported withdrawal. Refugees & Livelihoods: Buni also visited Nigerian refugees in Lac Province, urging law-abiding behavior and reporting of infiltration, while highlighting fishing and farming as a path to self-reliance and promising repatriation support via LCBC census processes. Land Restoration Opportunity: A new push around Africa’s Great Green Wall frames landscape restoration as a high-return climate and jobs strategy, shifting from failed tree-only planting toward agroforestry, water harvesting, and natural regeneration. Disaster Risk & Waste: In Guinea, heavy rains triggered a landfill collapse in Conakry that killed at least 30, with authorities promising evacuations—another reminder of how climate shocks amplify pollution and public health risks.

Waste Disaster: Heavy rains triggered a landfill collapse at Dar-es-Salam in Conakry, Guinea, killing at least 30 people and prompting promises to evacuate families still living near the site. Lake Chad Security & Governance: Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni visited the Lake Chad Basin Commission in N’Djamena, pledging stronger coordination for sustainable security and economic growth, and urging support for the Multinational Joint Task Force amid operational hurdles. Refugee Returns: Buni also visited Nigerian refugees in Chad’s Lac Province, urging law-abiding behavior and offering a pathway for those willing to return home via Lake Chad Basin Commission census and state-led repatriation. Climate & Food Stress: Somalia’s drought is deepening a humanitarian emergency, with WFP warning that millions face acute hunger as climate shocks, insecurity, and funding gaps worsen conditions. Land Restoration Promise: A new push behind Africa’s Great Green Wall highlights a shift from failed tree-planting to landscape restoration, with claims of major economic and carbon benefits. Mining Safety Shock: Central African Republic gold mine collapses near Baboua left a disputed death toll (government: 49; others: 100+), with authorities ordering a temporary shutdown and investigations.

Lake Chad Security & Jobs: Yobe Gov. Mai Mala Buni met the Lake Chad Basin Commission in N’Djamena, pledging stronger coordination for sustainable security and economic growth, and flagged climate pressures and displacement as cross-border drivers of instability. Regional Anti-Terror Push: Buni also visited the Multinational Joint Task Force, saying gaps like limited resources and Niger’s withdrawal are weakening operations, and promised to brief President Tinubu. Refugee Welfare & Livelihoods: Buni toured Nigerian refugees at the Kaya site in Lac Province, urging law-abiding behavior and reporting of infiltration, while praising fishing and farming as a path to self-reliance and less dependence on aid. Humanitarian Systems: Vice President Kashim Shettima urged humanitarian groups and communities to shift from short-term relief to prevention and resilience, stressing that crises in Nigeria are tied to wider Sahel and Lake Chad dynamics. Mining Safety Shock (CAR): A gold mine collapse at Zamboye near Baboua left a disputed death toll (49 vs. 100+), with authorities suspending operations and calling for better rescue capacity and safer work. Climate & Food Risk (Women Farmers): A report highlights how climate change is hitting women farmers with disabilities hardest, turning floods and crop losses into deeper vulnerability.

Lake Chad Basin Security & Jobs: Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni visited the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the MNJTF in N’Djamena, pledging stronger coordination for sustainable security and economic growth, and flagging operational gaps like inadequate resources and the Niger Republic’s withdrawal from the force. Refugee Livelihoods & Repatriation: Buni also visited Nigerian refugees in Chad’s Lac Province, praising peaceful coexistence and urging law-abiding behavior while pushing fishing and farming as a path to self-reliance; for those returning, he pointed to census and documentation via the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Humanitarian Systems: Vice President Kashim Shettima urged humanitarian groups and partners to shift from sympathy to prevention by strengthening local collaboration and information sharing across the Sahel and Lake Chad region. Mining Safety Shock (Central Africa): A gold mine collapse at Zamboye near Baboua killed dozens to over 100 people, with Chad among the victims, and authorities ordered a temporary shutdown and investigation amid calls for better rescue capacity and safer working conditions. Climate & Food Risk for Vulnerable Farmers: A report on women farmers with disabilities highlights how flooding can wipe out crops and deepen hardship, showing climate impacts hit hardest where support is weakest. Carbon-Linked Restoration Idea: A study argues restoring the Aral Sea could cut greenhouse gas emissions and unlock carbon-credit funding—an environmental finance angle that could inspire future water restoration thinking.

Aral Sea Restoration & Carbon Finance: A new study argues that refilling the dried-up Aral Sea could cut major greenhouse gas emissions while opening doors to large-scale funding through carbon credits. Lake Chad Security & Climate-Linked Stability: Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni, chair of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, pledged stronger coordination for sustainable security and economic growth, warning that insecurity, displacement, and climate pressures spill across borders. Lake Chad Basin Governance Push: Buni met the Lake Chad Basin Commission in N’Djamena, backing a tighter working relationship and urging support for longer-term, scalable development beyond short projects. Borno Budget Pressure: Borno Governor Babagana Zulum said security and humanitarian services consumed 70% of the state budget over seven years, underscoring the strain of rebuilding after insurgency. Mining Disaster in Central Africa: A gold mine collapse in the Central African Republic near the Cameroon border killed dozens to over 100 people, with authorities ordering a temporary shutdown and investigations amid calls for safer conditions. Women Farmers With Disabilities & Climate Impacts: Reporting from Nigeria highlights how floods can wipe out crops and deepen hardship for women farmers with disabilities. World Humanitarian Day: Coverage marked 19 August, spotlighting humanitarian workers and the push to turn compassion into prevention and resilience.

Lake Chad Basin Security & Growth: Yobe Gov. Mai Mala Buni met Lake Chad Basin Commission officials in N’Djamena and pledged stronger coordination for sustainable security and economic development, pointing to insecurity, displacement, climate pressures and violent extremism that spill across borders. Refugee Repatriation in Chad: Buni also visited Nigerian refugees at the Kaya site in Lac Province, urging law-abiding behavior and reporting of infiltration, while saying returnees should work with the Lake Chad Basin Commission for census and documentation before state governments repatriate them. Regional Counterterrorism Pressure: Buni warned that the Multinational Joint Task Force is constrained by inadequate resources, equipment and manpower, and noted Niger’s withdrawal from the force—promising to brief President Tinubu on operational challenges. Humanitarian Systems Call: Vice President Kashim Shettima urged humanitarian groups and local leaders to shift from sympathy to prevention by strengthening collaboration and information sharing, stressing that Nigeria’s crises are tied to wider Sahel and Lake Chad dynamics. Mining Disaster in Central Africa: A gold mine collapse at Zamboye near Baboua left a disputed death toll, with the government suspending mining and investigations underway—raising alarms about unsafe artisanal work during the rainy season. Climate & Disability in Farming: A report highlighted how floods can devastate women farmers with disabilities, with mobility barriers making recovery harder and losses more severe.