The Switzerland government has commended the Center for Advocacy, Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI) and other local NGOs for their commitment to delivering quality community-driven interventions in Borno State.
The Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Patrick Elgoff, gave the commendation recently when he visited Maiduguri to witness firsthand the implementation of the Protecting Children, Women and Youth Affected by Conflict through Local Actors in Borno State (PACTLAB) Project.
The Ambassador and his team, who were hosted by CATAI, expressed satisfaction with the level of collaboration between local partners.
During the visit, the Ambassador and his team engaged with project staff, community members, and beneficiaries, gaining firsthand insights into the project’s impact on strengthening protection, resilience, and local leadership in humanitarian response.
The team further met with project coordinators and executive directors in Maiduguri, where achievements and milestones since the project’s inception on 1st December 2024 were presented.
The Ambassador, while speaking during the meeting, commended the collaborative efforts of the consortium partners, including CATAI, Life at Best Development Initiative (LABDI), Rise To Inspire Africa Initiative (RIA Initiative), Youth Integrated for Positive Development Initiative (YIPDI), and Terre des hommes, for their dedication and commitment to delivering quality, community-driven interventions.
According to him, the PACTLAB Project
represents a first-of-its-kind localisation agenda, as it is the first time the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is directly funding local actors to lead project implementation in Borno State
“Together with Swiss Development & Cooperation, we remain committed to empowering local actors and building safer, more resilient communities across Bama, Gwoza, and Monguno LGAs,” he assured.
Responding, Abubakar Sadiq Muazu, Executive Director of CATAI, appreciated the Switzerland government for providing necessary support that has helped the organisation and other local partners to achieve the humanitarian goals.
He said, “It was a great pleasure hosting His Excellency Ambassador Patrick Elgloff alongside the humanitarian country team of the Swiss Embassy for a field monitoring mission of our project. We use the opportunity to showcase the coordinated and consolidated efforts of our consortium, where local action is yielding positive results across the communities of our intervention.
“We wish to extend our appreciation to the Switzerland government for not just talking about localisation but frequently demonstrating action to achieve it,” he stated.
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